3 Filler Myths Debunked
I spend more time injecting dermal fillers than any other procedure. It is my passion and joy to be a part of natural transformations that honour existing beauty and restore confidence in my patients. We see patients from all over the world who understand and appreciate the value in seeking treatments from those who have a conservative hand and consider the overall wellbeing of their patients rather than focusing on a single feature.
Despite this, there are still SO many misconceptions about filler. A lot of these misconceptions are undeniably due to poorly performed procedures but also due to harsh judgement by those who consider cosmetic treatments to be for the vain and superficial. This combination of overfilled patients and judgmental sceptics has led to many myths about fillers. There are 3 very common myths that I would like to debunk:
1. It looks fake.
Fillers do NOT have to look fake. We always reference the overfilled people we have seen in our lives to represent a general opinion on fillers. That would be like saying colouring one’s hair looks unnatural just because you’ve seen people with purple hair. I made a video to demonstrate how much filler is actually in one syringe (see below). One syringe or 1ml is actually only a quarter of a teaspoon. It is impossible to look fake or unnatural with one quarter of a teaspoon of filler, or half a teaspoon, or one teaspoon (4 syringes). A fake and unnatural look occurs from the overuse of injectables by patients and the misuse of injectables by physicians. With sound advice and an ethical injector, the results can be subtle yet stunning, natural yet impactful. As much as we like to reference the minority of overfilled patients we don’t want to look like, you would be amused to know how many rested and rejuvenated looking people pass you by daily, who you would never suspect come in twice a year for a little filler refresh.
2. I’m stuck with it now!!
One reason many patients are fearful of trying injectables is the fear that there is no way to reverse them. Even though we very rarely need to reverse fillers there is always a way to do so if needed, provided that high quality hyaluronic acid fillers are used by injectors that have the necessary tools to reverse fillers. A more serious issue is that many injectors don’t even have the medication to reverse fillers. This can be potentially hazardous if a serious complication occurs like occlusion of a blood vessel. We have seen many cases at Skin Technique of patients that were injected by ‘visiting injectors” from other provinces that come to the city and inject at hair salons and spas only to disappear when complications arise. We also regularly see patients for filler reversal who opted for “cheaper” fillers, only to end up paying more to have the filler dissolved and reinjected.
3. I can just get my dentist/hair salon/brow place to do it.
Ok. So, if the lady who does your pedicures says she can take you to a back room and perform bunion surgery on you for half the regular price would you do it? Does it make sense to have a sterile procedure that can affect the way you look as an add-on to hair extensions by someone who is in town one day a month? We are even seeing naturopaths and dentists proclaiming to be skin experts committing insurance fraud by not specifying that the treatments they provide are cosmetic in nature. I have no issue with any licensed medical professional who is passionate about medical aesthetics pursuing their ambitions, however there are many out there who only see medical aesthetics as supplemental income rather than a medical specialty. This industry is evolving daily and requires continuous medical education in the form of conferences, workshops and seminars. I have actually never sat next to anyone other than a nurse or medical doctor at any conference. So yes, you could probably get your treatment at the hair salon or pop-up brow place but do not forget that these are medical procedures with possible complications that need to be properly managed and followed up by someone who assumes responsibility for your health and wellbeing. We always preach that cheaper is not better but sadly it isn’t until a complication arises that this lesson is learned.
Most of the myths that cloud filler procedures can easily be debunked by having a thorough consultation with a physician who performs aesthetic procedures full time. Just as the goal of treatments is to restore confidence, you should also have confidence that you have made the right decision of who to trust with your face and body. This will probably guarantee that you won’t look fake, that you would never be stuck with anything you didn’t like and will confirm that not just anyone should be able to perform these procedures.
To book a consultation at Skin Technique click here.