Filler Types: Which Procedure Works for Me?

How do you know what the best choice to make is when you’re considering getting dermal fillers? Most people when they’re first beginning their research don’t know, so you’re not alone if you feel out of your element.

Here at Luxe Skin, Doctor Q and the rest of our staff are here to help answer any questions you may have about procedures, side effects, types of fillers, and more. If you’re wanting to learn a bit more before you make your appointment, then no worries! Here’s a bit more information about what you might expect:

What Are Fillers, and Why Do People Get Them?

Fillers are, in short, a gel-like substance that doctors and plastic surgeons inject underneath the skin into their patients to essentially “fill out” the spaces underneath the skin. What this accomplishes is that fillers will increase facial volume (make your face look plumper), smooth any kind of lines or creases that you get when your skin begins to wrinkle and enhance the contours of your face. 

If you decide to get dermal fillers in Glasgow or at your local doctor’s office, you can accomplish things like smoothing out laugh lines around your nose, eyes, or mouth, plumping up your lips, smoothing out any creases in your chin, or even improve your facial symmetry. 

You may be wondering: why would someone want to get dermal fillers? It’s not a necessary medical procedure, and getting dermal fillers in Glasgow or otherwise doesn’t inherently have any medical benefits. That said, what a person chooses to do with their skin and skin maintenance is, first and foremost, a matter of personal preference. What you may think is best for you and your skin may not necessarily be what’s best for someone else, and that’s okay! It’s something that should be discussed with you and your doctor, and no one else should have a say in your personal choices.

That being said, people choose to get fillers for a plethora of reasons. They may wish to get fillers because they want to improve their appearance. Maybe they feel insecure with some of their features and believe that dermal fillers may be able to help. They may even want to get fillers just because they want to, and that’s perfectly okay. 

Whatever you decide to do, and whatever you decide is best for you, it’s important to ensure your medical provider, whether it be for dermal fillers in Glasgow or anywhere else in the UK, that the fillers you’re using are healthy and safe. Make sure that your fillers are approved by your safety governance board, that the fillers you’re using are brand name, and that an experienced physician is the one performing the injections. Without taking the proper safety steps, getting this procedure done could have negative consequences.

Types of Fillers

There are four common types of fillers that have different pros and cons depending on how you want to use them. These four types are hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, poly-l-lactic acid, and polymethyl methacrylate. If you’re looking to get dermal fillers in Glasgow, then you will most likely be using a type of filler that contains one of these filler types. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring substance that’s found in your body! The purpose of hyaluronic acid in your body is to help your skin cells retain moisture, which allows your skin to appear hydrated and healthy. 

There are many benefits to using hyaluronic acid as a dermal filler. Because hyaluronic acid causes your skin to retain moisture, your skin feels much more soft and supple and can make your skin look and feel more youthful. 

Plus, hyaluronic acid is perfect for any skin type! Because it is a naturally occurring substance in your body, even individuals with sensitive or acne-prone skin can use hyaluronic acid without worrying about a breakout. It even has antioxidant properties!

The best part about using hyaluronic acid fillers is that they’re fairly long-lasting. Most hyaluronic acid dermal fillers last anywhere between six to twelve months, and the majority of them have lidocaine in them. Lidocaine is a numbing agent, and it makes the process of inserting the fillers and the healing process afterwards much less painful. 

If you’re looking to get lip fillers in Glasgow or any other dermal fillers in Glasgow, then using a type of dermal filler that contains hyaluronic acid is a good choice to make. 

If you’re unsure what kind of dermal fillers you may need to use in what procedure, then please don’t hesitate to ask. We offer several different cosmetic treatments, like the Dermal Fillers Glasgow treatment, the Lip Fillers Glasgow treatment, and the Jaw and Chin Fillers Glasgow treatment here at Luxe Skin, and several different types of dermal fillers may be used depending on the result you desire. Let us help you figure out what’s best for you and your skin!

Calcium Hydroxylapatite

If you’re looking for great chin fillers in Glasgow, then you might want to consider using a calcium hydroxylapatite dermal filler. This filler type is one of the most widely used and well-studied dermal fillers and is extremely commonly found in different dermal filler products. 

Typically, this type of filler is used for correcting moderate to severe facial lines and can help correct some of the volume lost in your skin because of ageing. Also, because calcium hydroxylapatite is a naturally occurring substance found in our bodies, they help to stimulate collagen production in our cells which can aid in keeping the plumpness and structure of our skin firm and youthful. 

Usually calcium hydroxylapatite lasts for about twelve months, which is a little longer than the average lifespan of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. However, because it is usually used to fill in more significant wrinkles and lines, it should be used for places like your chin, hands, and cheeks. 

Poly-L-Lactic Acid

Poly-L-Lactic Acid, or PLLA,  is a synthetic type of dermal filler, however, it’s important to note that it is a biodegradable substance. While it is not a natural substance to your body, they do assist in stimulating collagen production in your cells and help to rebuild the natural collagen in your body. 

In fact, during a PLLA dermal filler treatment, the product injected into your skin dissolves after only a couple of days. The product isn’t designed to linger in your skin for long; instead, it’s designed to simply give you a boost to your own collagen production in your cells. 

Because of this, the effects of a PLLA treatment don’t typically show themselves fully until a few months later. PLLA strives to produce natural-looking results, so the process is a gradual one instead of the typical instantaneous one. 

Typically, PLLA is used to treat very deep facial wrinkles that other dermal fillers may not be able to help as easily. Because this type of filler also provides more natural-looking results, it is also perfect for correcting volume loss in the face and hands. The effects of PLLA dermal fillers are also long-lasting, with a typical lifespan of about two years. 

If you’re interested in forehead fillers or any of our other more prominent dermal filler procedures like our Dermal Fillers Glasgow treatment or our Jaw and Chin Fillers Glasgow treatment, then PLLA fillers may be an option. Speak with Doctor Q here at our Luxe Skin offices to get a better idea of what may be the best for you. 

Polymethylmethacrylate

Polymethylmethacrylate, also known as PMMA, is another synthetic type of dermal filler. Instead of dissolving under the skin immediately like PLLA dermal fillers, PMMA fillers take the form of a tiny ball under the skin. This tiny ball stays under the skin for an indefinite amount of time to provide support. 

Because PMMA fillers tend to last longer than other fillers that dissolve, it’s perfect for deeper wrinkles and even scars, like those from acne. Plus, since they don’t dissolve over time, this is a treatment plan that you don’t have to keep renewing over and over again. 

If you’re wanting to have a more permanent solution to wrinkles or any other forehead fillers, then PMMA may be the way to go. 

How Do I Know What Filler to Get?

Your doctor will be the one who can best inform you about what dermal fillers will be the best for you. Some fillers are going to be better than others for certain procedures, and others will be better depending on the longevity that you desire. 

Different procedures will usually require different fillers. For example, our Lip Fillers procedure may use a hyaluronic acid type of dermal filler, while our Jaw and Chin Fillers procedure may use a PLLA or a PMMA filler. Our forehead fillers could be a wide range of different filler types, depending on the severity of the wrinkles or skin issues that you wish to correct.

At Luxe Skin, we understand that we are going to have a wide array of clients, skin types, goals, and more, and we recognize that everyone is going to have something different that they envision about their treatment. There is no “one size fits all” for dermal filler treatments, and we want you, as our client, to understand that we consider that. 

When you have your consultation, Doctor Q will speak with you about what will work best for what exactly it is that you want, including what filler would be best for what you want to have done. 

What Should I Expect During Treatment?

Dermal filler treatments are quick, easy, and relatively painless. Before deciding exactly what filler or what procedure you need, be sure to meet with your doctor and ask any questions that you may have. 

Before Your Treatment

Before you go in for your treatment, be prepared to disclose your entire medical history with your provider. Your doctor will need to know any potential allergies, skin conditions, neurological conditions, and medications that you may be taking as this could affect your safety during the procedure. Certain medications may react negatively to the treatment, and others, like blood thinners, may cause excessive bruising or bleeding to the skin. 

During Your Treatment

Because this is an easy treatment and one that can be done during the duration of a single office visit, there is no truly invasive or intrusive procedure to the actual process. Before you begin your procedure, your skin will be cleaned and you may also be given a topical anaesthetic to help numb the area. As previously mentioned, some fillers like hyaluronic acid fillers will also typically have numbing agents like lidocaine in them to help with any potential pain or irritation during the procedure.

When you begin your procedure, your doctor will use whatever filler that you had previously decided to inject under your skin. If you are using hyaluronic acid fillers, calcium hydroxylapatite fillers, or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) fillers, then your results will be immediate. Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) fillers will not have immediate results at the end of your procedure time but should emerge within a few weeks. If they don’t, speak with your care provider. 

Potential Side Effects of Treatment

Because these fillers are injected under the skin, you could experience some skin irritation at the end of the procedure. You may experience things like swelling or bruising, redness or numbness, or hypersensitivity in the areas that you received treatment. 

These side effects shouldn’t last more than a couple of days and can be easily treated with rest, icing, massage, and over-the-counter pain relief medications. If you’re concerned about the effects that any of these potential side effects may have on you, make sure to speak with your care provider about your concerns. 

If any of these side effects feel extreme, last for an unreasonable amount of time, or are painful or uncomfortable after the normal healing period is over, speak with your doctor.

The Luxe Skin Quality

Here at Luxe Skin, we are committed to providing you with the best quality service when you step through our doors. We are one of the very few companies that offer dermal fillers in Glasgow where our lead doctor, Doctor Q, is the one performing all of the procedures. He wants to ensure that every patient that steps through our doors is given the star treatment and walks out feeling excited, happy, and important. 

We have several different procedures for our clients to choose from depending on what your goals are in our clinic. Our Dermal Fillers Glasgow procedure covers a wide range of different fillers and placements, including forehead fillers and other facial fillers.

If you’re interested in using our offices for your next appointment for dermal fillers in Glasgow, choose an appointment time or request a callback today!

Find our Glasgow Aesthetic Clinic here