Dermal Fillers Overview

Unlike BOTOX® Cosmetic, dermal fillers do not affect muscle activity. Instead, these injectable products enhance appearance by adding volume. Volume loss occurs in the aging face. Volume loss can be as responsible for an aged appearance as skin laxity. In fact, soft tissue volume loss contributes to skin laxity. Rather than routinely tightening loose and wrinkled skin, adding volume often avoids, or at least postpones, the need for more invasive procedures. With a variety of fillers to choose from, our experienced physicians Dr. Shazel Gharbi and Dr. Nael Gharbi specialized in aesthetic medicine—can soften facial folds and wrinkles, augment the lips and cheeks, enhance facial contours, and even improve scars.

Dr. S.Gharbi and Dr. N.Gharbi have extensive experience with the full range of injectable fillers, and they will select the most appropriate product to meet your needs. All fillers available at OLD TOWN MEDSPA AT LINCOLN PARK FDA-approved.

The Dermal Filler Treatment Process

To determine if you are a good candidate for injectable fillers, your doctor will review your health history during your consultation. After understanding your goals and desires, Dr. Gharbi will carefully examine your facial regions and create an individualized treatment plan, making sure to explain all details to you so you are fully informed. If you elect to proceed with treatment, your doctor will inject soft tissue fillers with very small needles or with a blunt-ended microcannula. We offer local anesthetic or topical anesthetic cream to minimize discomfort during the injections. BOTOX® Cosmetic or threads (absorbable PDO sutures) can be added in most cases to provide additional benefit if your doctor thought you are a candidate.

Following the procedure, bruising is infrequent and any swelling is temporary. Depending on the specific filler(s) employed, results may appear immediately or gradually become more noticeable over the course of a few days. We recommend avoiding strenuous exercise and any blood thinners just after treatment, but patients may return to normal daily life activities directly.

To learn more about injectable fillers, or if you would like to schedule a consultation at our practice, please contact us online or call (312) 416-6172.

Pre-Treatment Instructions

• Do NOT consume alcoholic beverages at least 24 hours prior to treatment (alcohol may thin the blood and increase the risk of bruising)
• Avoid anti-inflammatory/blood thinning medications, if possible for a period of 2 weeks before treatment. Medications and supplements such as aspirin, vitamin E, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, St. John’s Wort, Omega 3/Fish Oil supplements, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, Aleve and other NSAIDS have a blood thinning effect and can increase the risk of bruising and swelling after injections.
• Schedule your Dermal Filler appointment at least 2 weeks prior to a special event which you may be attending, such as a wedding or a vacation. Final results from the Dermal Filler injections might take approximately 4 to 7 days to appear. Also bruising and swelling may be apparent in that time period.
• Discontinue Retin-A 2 days before and 2 days after treatment.
• Reschedule your appointment at least 24 hours in advance if you have a rash, cold sore or blemish on the area.
• If you have a history of cold sores please let your provider know, they may put you on an anti-viral medication prior to treatment.
• Be sure to have a good breakfast, including food and drink before your procedure. This will decrease the chances of lightheadedness during your treatment.
• You are not a candidate if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Post-Treatment Instructions

• Avoid significant movement or massage of the treated area. Unless instructed by the provider.
• Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours.
• Avoid extensive sun or heat for 72 hours.
• Avoid consuming excess amounts of alcohol or salts to avoid excess swelling.
• If you have swelling you may apply a cool compress for 15 minutes each hour.
• Use Tylenol for discomfort.
• Try to sleep face up and slightly elevated if you experience swelling.
• Take Arnica to help the bruising and swelling, start at least 2 days prior to injections.

Dermal Fillers Frequently Asked Questions

Completing careful research prior to having any cosmetic treatment is vital. You need knowledge about the treatments, understand the risks and have confidence that your chosen professional is going to provide the best treatments.

Read through the questions below, they are the most common ones we get asked but if the answer you’re looking for isn’t there simply drop us a line, we’ll be happy to help.

What are Dermal Fillers?

Injectable dermal filler (injectable cosmetic filler, injectable facial filler) is a soft tissue filler injected into the skin to help fill in facial wrinkles, restoring a smoother appearance. Most of these dermal fillers are temporary because they are eventually absorbed by the body. Some people may need more than one injection to achieve the wrinkle-smoothing effect. The effect lasts for about six months or longer. Successful results depend on health of the skin, skill of the health care provider, type of dermal filler used.

Dermal filler treatments are widely used in medical aesthetics to add volume, plump up and reduce the appearance of line and folds.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that occurs naturally in the human body and is central to regulating cell growth and renewal. Hyaluronic acid has impact on number of functions in the body, some of which are to bind water, lubricate the movable parts of the body such as muscles and joints and to maintain the elasticity of the skin. Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers gel is tissue-friendly and closely resembles the hyaluronic acid that exists naturally in the body. It is long-lasting but not permanent.

How do Dermal Filler Treatments Work?

Due to the properties of the dermal fillers, once injected an instant volumizing effect can be seen (in most dermal fillers), giving volume to the skin and longer term binding with water increasing hydration. Unwanted folds and wrinkles can be “plumped up” to reduce their appearance, resulting in a smoother, more youthful looking skin.

What are the Benefits of Dermal Filler Treatments?

Dermal filler injections provide an effective way to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, smooth the skin and give a more youthful appearance. The result of a single treatment can be seen instantly in most of the dermal fillers and can last for around 6 months to over a year depending on the kind of dermal filler used. Dermal filler injections can give natural looking results that do not affect facial expression if they were done by an experienced physician. As your face changes over time, dermal fillers allow you to control you looks subtly as you age.

Are Dermal Filler Treatments Safe?

Everybody recalls the tragic results shown by Leslie Ash in early 2000, who received lip filler injections. The product used in her case was an injection of liquid silicone. This has no relationship at all to dermal fillers used today in aesthetic procedures.

There are a few issues and problems with dermal fillers but these are in general very rare. These issues will be discussed with you during the consultation.

Which Areas can be Treated?

Dermal filler treatments are used to smooth away facial lines and wrinkles, create fuller lips and shape facial contours, such as cheeks and chin, and revitalize the skin.

The most common areas treated are:

• Cheeks
• Nasolabial folds (lines between the nose and corner of the mouth)
• Marionette lines (from the corner of the mouth downwards)
• Lips (Enhance the shape, definition, and volume of lips)
• Hands fillers
• Acne Scars

And many other areas not listed here. Dr. Gharbi will discuss with you in details during the consultation about the best areas to inject dermal fillers in to give you a more youthful and attractive look.

What is involved with Dermal Filler Treatments?

Before

All OLD TOWN MEDSPA AND OLD TOWN MEDSPA AT LINCOLN PARK treatments follow a detailed pre-treatment consultation. At this consultation, you will discuss with the Dr. Gharbi the look you wish to achieve. Dr. Gharbi will advise you which treatments will be most effective at helping you reach a more youthful and attractive look. If you decide to proceed the doctor will review your medical history and conduct a careful examination of your face.

Following this, the doctor will explain which dermal filler option is best for your requirements and how you can expect to look afterward.

During

The dermal filler is gently injected into specific areas of your skin to reduce the depth of the skin crease. Dr. Gharbi will customize the exact depth and number of injections to give you the most natural result. Different dermal fillers can be used in different areas of your face to produce the most effective result.

The procedure takes about 30-60 minutes and the results are immediately visible (in most cases). Patients can continue with their normal day after treatment.

After

You should leave the treated area alone for 48 hours to let it settle. We advise that you do not have a facial or similar treatment that may disturb the products or expose the newly-treated areas to strong sunlight for 2-3 days.

In the days after the treatment, there may be some redness and minimal swelling, which normally settles in few days. Very occasionally patients can suffer some bruising at the injection site.

Dr. Gharbi will arrange to see you for a review of your treatment two weeks later.

How Long do the Effects of a Dermal Filler Treatment Last?

One of the great advantages of dermal filler treatment is that the effects are long lasting but not permanent. Duration depends on many factors, such as the area treated, individual’s skin type, skin condition lifestyle, and age. Generally, the effects can last 6 months to over a year depending on the kind of dermal filler used.

Does Dermal Filler Treatment need Pain Relief?

Some clients may experience the treatment as a mild discomfort. The lips are extremely sensitive and as such cause most discomfort. Ranges of dermal fillers containing local anesthetic are available which ease any discomfort.

We provide local anesthetic creams which are applied 30 minutes or so prior to treatment, and lidocaine injections if needed which will ease any discomfort.

Are There any Risks with Dermal Fillers?

Product-related reactions are rare. There are some injection-related reactions which may occur after any injection including redness, swelling, pain, itching, bruising or tenderness at the injection site.

After lip enhancement, some swelling is likely for a short period.

Dr. Shazel Gharbi and Dr. Nael Gharbi are very experienced in dermal fillers injections, they use blunt-ended microcannula in most dermal filler injections which decrease bruises and complications dramatically. The choice between using a needle or blunt ended micro cannula depends on the area injected and kind of dermal fillers.