Dermal Fillers: Hyaluronic Acid Filler in Grey Lynn
Dermal fillers in Auckland restore volume lost to ageing using hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring sugar already found in the skin, cartilage and bone. The temples, cheeks, lips, jawline and chin can all be treated, with the product and technique chosen to suit each face rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
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Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally throughout the body, keeping skin plump, firm and hydrated.
Production slows with age, which is part of why lines, wrinkles and volume loss become more noticeable over time. Dermal fillers replace this lost volume using a gel-like form of HA. Dr Patti uses Restylane®, Belotero® and the Teosyal® RHA® range. Each is made from the same base ingredient but differs in HA concentration and manufacturing process, which affects how firm or soft the product feels and where in the face it performs best. At Aesthetica in Grey Lynn, every filler treatment is planned and injected personally by Dr Patti Piper, whose years of surgical training and understanding of facial anatomy guide safe, precise placement.
How it works
Firmer fillers are injected more deeply to replace lost fat and bony volume, restoring cheek projection or adding definition to the jawline. Softer fillers sit closer to the surface, smoothing fine lines and folds and adding volume to the lips. Fillers can also subtly reshape features such as the chin.
Every appointment begins with a consultation: a full medical history, photographs reviewed together, and a considered plan before any product is chosen or injected.
What to expect
Dermal fillers are approved hyaluronic acid gels, classified as medical devices rather than prescription medicines. Each carries risks as well as benefits. Ask Dr Patti whether dermal filler is right for you, and see her promptly if you have any side effects that concern you. The manufacturers' required information for the fillers used at Aesthetica is set out below.
RESTYLANE® is a gel containing hyaluronic acid and lidocaine that is injected by a healthcare professional into or below the skin to smooth facial wrinkles and enhance lips by restoring volume and fullness. Restylane® is a Class III medical device has risks and benefits. Restylane® treatment may result in some redness, swelling, pain or tenderness, itching and/or bruising which may last a few days. Inflammatory reactions can begin up to two to four weeks after treatment in rare cases. See your healthcare professional if any side effects concern you. Exposure to excessive sunlight or extreme cold should be avoided until redness or swelling has resolved. Restylane® should not be used in an area where there is a non-resorbable implant or in irritated or infected skin, Restylane® should not be used in people taking blood thinning medicines or who have an allergy to hyaluronic acid, lidocaine or other local anaesthetics. Caution if you take medicines that prolong bleeding time. Treatment lasts 12-24 months. Restylane® has not been tested in pregnant or breast-feeding women. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU ARE GIVEN. Galderma, Auckland. Distributed by Healthcare Logistics, Auckland.
BELOTERO® is a Class III medical device to smooth facial wrinkles and folds, correct facial atrophic scars, restore of enhance the lips or restore facial volume. Belotero® has risk and benefits. Ask your specialist if Belotero® is right for you. Contains transparent cross-linked sodium hyaluronate gel of non-animal origin with lidocaine 0.3% to reduce local pain. Do not use if you have a skin inflammation or a skin infection or until the infection is healed. Precautions. There is a risk of infection. Tell your doctor if you are on blood-clotting medicines as there could be an increased risk of bruising or bleeding at the injection site. Possible side effects: swelling, bruising, redness hardening of the skin, pain, altered colour or itching. Lasts 6-12 months. You will need to pay for this product and doctor's fees apply. Merz, Sydney. Distributed by Healthcare Logistics, Auckland
TEOSYAL® RHA®1, TEOSYAL RHA®2, TEOSYAL RHA®3, TEOSYAL RHA®4, TEOSYAL® PURESENSE REDENSITY 1, TEOSYAL® PURESENSE REDENSITY 2, TEOSYAL® PURESENSE KISS, TEOSYAl® PURESENSE GLOBAL ACTION, TEOSYAL® PURESENSE DEEP LINES, TEOSYAL® PURESENSE ULTIMATE and TEOSYAL® PURESENSE ULTRA DEEP TEOSYAL® KISS, RHA® KISS, TEOSYAL® MESO, TEOSYAL® GLOBAL ACTION, TEOSYAL® DEEP LINES, TEOSYAL® ULTIMATE and TEOSYAL® ULTRA DEEP are trademark of the firm TEOXANE SA. These products are gel that contains hyaluronic acid, and 0.3% by weight of lidocaine hydrochloride They are class III medical devices. Caution for people on blood thinning medicines. Local side effects: inflammatory reactions (redness, oedema, pain at the point of injection), haematomas, itching, temporary loss of sensitivity around the injected area, disorders of pigmentation in skin and hair, abscesses, indurations, nodules (possibly granulomas). General manifestations: immediate hypersensitivity up to anaphylactic shock, migration of the implant. Rare but serious adverse events associated with the intravascular injection of soft tissue fillers in the face have been reported and include temporary or permanent vision impairment or blindness, skin necrosis and stroke. Lasts 9 -12 months. Please consult your doctor pharmacist for more information. Please refer to instructions for use, local distributor. Healthcare Logistics, Auckland
Dermal filler results
Years of surgical training, a conservative hand.
Dr Patti's years of surgical training give her an understanding of facial anatomy that guides safe, precise placement of every filler. She describes herself as a slow, careful injector who makes the most of every syringe rather than using more product than a face needs, adding filler gradually and proportionately and reviewing the result as she goes.
Frequently asked
Current filler prices are published on the price list page. The cost of a treatment depends on how much product it needs, since Dr Patti charges according to the amount of filler used rather than a flat fee per area. As a slow, careful injector, she aims to make the most of every syringe rather than using more than a face requires. The exact cost is agreed with you at consultation, before any filler is injected.
Most dermal fillers last between 6 and 24 months, depending on the specific product used and the area treated. Softer fillers used in areas with more movement, such as the lips, tend to soften sooner than firmer fillers used for structural support in the cheeks or jawline. Results are immediate from the day of treatment, and Dr Patti discusses the expected duration for your particular product and area at consultation.
Dermal filler adds volume where it has been lost, while a thread lift lifts and repositions sagging tissue that already has enough volume. Some faces benefit from one, some from the other, and some from a combination of both. Dr Patti examines your face and recommends whichever approach, or combination, genuinely suits your concern, rather than defaulting to filler because it is quicker to perform. The last two before and after pairs above show a combination case: a thread lift to the cheeks with filler to one cheek to correct an asymmetry. Her Thread Lifting page has more detail on the thread lift alternative.
Dermal fillers are generally safe when injected by an experienced doctor with sound anatomical knowledge, though like any injectable they carry some risk. Expected side effects include redness, swelling, bruising, tenderness or itching at the injection site, usually settling within a few days, though inflammation can occasionally last up to two weeks. Rare but serious risks exist if filler is injected into a blood vessel, which is why anatomical knowledge and careful technique matter. Dr Patti explains the risks relevant to your treatment before proceeding.
The right filler depends on the area being treated, the amount of correction needed, and individual facial anatomy, since the various approved fillers differ in HA concentration and thickness. Dr Patti considers all of this at consultation before recommending a specific product, rather than using the same filler for every patient and every area. This tailored approach is part of why an appointment always starts with a proper consultation rather than a same-day treatment.
Used conservatively, dermal filler should restore volume and soften lines without changing how a face looks. Dr Patti's approach is to add filler gradually and proportionately, reviewing the result as she goes, rather than treating to a fixed target regardless of how the face responds. If a request would produce a result she considers overdone for your face, she will say so honestly rather than proceeding regardless.
Book a consultation with Dr Patti.
The cost of dermal fillers depends on how much product is used, which varies by area and the result wanted. The exact cost is agreed at consultation, once the areas to be treated and the products best suited to them have been discussed.