Dermal fillers: How to avoid the over-filled look

Anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers are two of the go-to cosmetic treatments many people seek out for a fresh and rejuvenated appearance, hoping to erase wrinkles and lines, enhance their facial features, or simply look younger.

But one of the most common concerns we hear from our patients is the fear of looking overdone. No one wants their friends to instantly know they’ve had filler. No one wants to look ‘weird’, over-filled or disproportionate.

Injectable treatments like anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers can be used to enhance a particular feature of a patient’s face, or to restore or prevent ageing in an area that is tiring their appearance. It is important that both patients and their clinicians understand this distinction and exactly what they want to achieve in undertaking an injectable procedure. For example, if you just want to address a thin top lip, that is very different from wanting to enlarge both lips for a thick and full look.

Read more about lip enhancements and how to avoid 'duck lips'.

There is also a big difference between an injector who will say ‘yes’ to every procedure, and a clinician who will take the time to assess your specific concerns, your skin type, your face shape, and exactly what you want to achieve.

The key to avoiding the dreaded overdone look is carefully and incrementally adding small amounts of anti-wrinkle injections or dermal fillers to achieve the most subtle and natural results. It is easier to apply more later than to undo what has already been done!

In fact, the best effects from dermal fillers come from building upon treatments in a gradual process that reduces risk and promotes long-lasting results.

It is also important to achieve facial symmetry. Many patients focus on just one aspect of their face – for example, their mouth area – and don’t realise that even small changes in that area can affect the overall balance of the face. ‘Fixing’ one problem area can draw attention to issues elsewhere on the face or cause features to become disproportionate. An experienced clinician will typically divide the face into thirds and work on balancing these three areas to promote facial symmetry and prevent the effects of the injectables from looking out of place.

Most of our patients have a facial feature that bothers them or just want to look like themselves, but less tired. A skilled clinician will listen to those concerns and tailor a treatment plan to address them, looking to rejuvenate the face rather than change it.

If you would like to speak to a Doctor or Skin Therapist about your skin concerns, please call us or book your appointment online.