Dermal Fillers in Edinburgh

Every dermal filler used at Dermal Clinic® is hyaluronic acid based. They are injectable gels that provide hydration and structure, smooth the appearance of lines, wrinkles and creases, and restore volume lost through the normal ageing process. Depending on the product chosen, longevity can be between six months and in some cases up to two years.

How the face changes with age

As we age the skin loses its elasticity and collagen, causing our facial features to change. The bone density of our skulls also changes with the ageing process, widening the orbital rim, reducing the density of the jaw, and widening the piriform fossa, the area where the nose sits. These changes alter the position of the ligaments, which are fixed onto the bone, and that in turn changes how the ligaments support our fat pads, where those fat pads sit, and the appearance of the skin above them.

Lines and hollows start to become more noticeable and are often described as hills and valleys on the face. Environmental factors such as pollution and sun exposure will also age the skin more prematurely. Common examples of lines and wrinkles are the lines running from the nose to the sides of the mouth, called nasolabial folds, and flattening of the cheek area.

What dermal fillers do

Dermal fillers are injectable gels which provide both hydration and structure to smooth the appearance of lines, wrinkles and creases, and to enhance facial shape. They are used to plump and temporarily fill lines that have developed, and they can be used alone or in combination with other treatments. They should only be administered by an experienced medical practitioner.

Why we assess the whole face before we fill a line

Rather than simply filling in a line, it is best to assess the face first. We often advocate volumisation in order to support areas of the face and to correct the volume loss that has developed as part of the normal ageing process. Volumisation is not the same as overfilling, and it acts to support the underlying structures of the face. A good way to think of it is as scaffolding offering support.

What our dermal fillers are made of, and how long they last

Dermal fillers can be composed of hyaluronic acid, poly-L-lactic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite or collagen. The dermal fillers used within Dermal Clinic® are hyaluronic acid based, which means they can be dissolved if that is clinically appropriate. Depending on which product is chosen from the many available to us, the longevity of the product can be between six months and in some cases up to two years. Your practitioner will advise you of the longevity at your consultation appointment. Longevity is affected by product choice, by the area of the face it is injected into, and by the level of injection. A dermal filler injected deeply in a less mobile area of the face such as the temple will normally last longer than a lip dermal filler, which is placed in the highly mobile mouth area.

The brands of dermal filler we use

There are many different brands of dermal filler available and each brand typically offers different variants to suit different treatments. The product for lip enhancement will be different to the product for fine lines around the eyes, or to the product used for the backs of the hands. At Dermal Clinic® we use dermal fillers with a thorough medical heritage and a scientific safety profile.

Teoxane

The most frequently used range of dermal fillers at Dermal Clinic® is Teoxane. These dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid and contain lidocaine, a local anaesthetic. Compared with many of the newer dermal fillers that have recently entered the market, Teoxane has a strong research and development history behind it. These fillers have high structural integrity as well as high stretch and strength capabilities, which makes them suited to the dynamic areas of the face.

Restylane Lyft

Restylane Lyft is also hyaluronic acid based, and it is the Restylane product we hold at Dermal Clinic®. It is used where a patient's anatomy, or the area being treated, makes it the clinically better choice. Which product is used is a decision made at consultation rather than in advance.

Profhilo

For patients looking to hydrate the skin and achieve a gentle plumping effect there is Profhilo, known as a bio-remodelling dermal filler. It contains a very high level of hyaluronic acid, making it an effective hydrator, and it requires a course of treatments. At Dermal Clinic® it is used mainly on the face.

Baby Glow

Baby Glow™ contains hyaluronic acid together with amino acids and vitamins. The aim of the treatment is a better light reflex off the skin. Patients comment that their makeup sits better. A course of treatments is required.

Polynucleotides: Plinest Eye and Newest

Polynucleotides are molecules derived from salmon sperm, injected into the skin to stimulate your own fibroblasts to create more collagen. The product we use in the under-eye area is Plinest Eye™. Newest™ combines polynucleotides with hyaluronic acid to support collagen production alongside hydration, and it is used mainly in the neck and décolletage and on the backs of the hands. A course of treatments is recommended for both.

Juvederm and other brands patients ask about

Patients often ask about products they have seen advertised elsewhere, Juvederm Smile™, Juvederm Volite™, Juvederm Voluma™ and Juvederm Ultra among them. All are hyaluronic acid based. Where a patient asks for a specific brand we talk it through at consultation, and we recommend the product that suits their anatomy, the area being treated and the depth of injection. That conversation is what the consultation is for.

Sculptra

Sculptra is poly-L-lactic acid based. It is a collagen stimulator rather than a dermal filler, it works by stimulating your own collagen production, and unlike the hyaluronic acid products it cannot be dissolved. A course of treatments is required, spaced approximately six to eight weeks apart. View Details

Areas we treat

Nasolabial folds, marionette lines, cheeks and midface, temples, jawline and chin, lips, under-eye area, neck and décolletage, backs of the hands.

Your consultation

Book a free 30-minute Discovery Consultation. Jackie Partridge, our Clinical Director, personally leads the majority of injectable consultations and treatments. Where a treatment is not clinically appropriate we will say so.