DERMAL FILLER

A full facial assessment is not designed to pick you apart & is always delivered kindly, from a place of education. Lulu is also not here to upsell as she always says " I am a nurse not a salesperson". Her long term clients know that I only ever act with their best interests at heart and this is one of the reasons why they return. If you just want to speak about one existing concern she will of course respect this & be guided by you. Lulu is not here to give you a bunch of new insecurities - this is not her style. However, she will be honest where I feel treating your existing concern alone is doing you a disservice (for example wanting bigger lips where you may have a weak chin, or cheek filler where you have sunken temples). 

The following are non-negotiable when being treated by Lulu. Treatment will unfortunately be declined if any of these aspects are not present.

REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS: 1 syringe of dermal filler = 1/5 of a teaspoon. We cannot expect dramatic facial rejuvenation from a very small amount of product. Injectors are not magicians (though some clients may beg to differ!). Another example of unrealistic expectations is someone with very thin lips, expecting large luscious lips in one session (if ever). 

PATIENCE: Not only with the downtime such as bruising/swelling, but also with reaching your goals. During consultation this will be discussed in depth. Good things take time (Rome wasn't built in a day & all of those sayings fit very well here!). If you have not yet reached your goal, additional product may be required & is charged per syringe. Lulu will always be honest with expected results prior to treatment, however exact results can be difficult to predict as we are all unique & heal differently.  

WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT DOWNTIME/SERIOUS RISKS: You will sign a legally binding informed consent form before treatment after Lulu explains the risks/downtime to you - but it is important to actually take your time, read this thoroughly & ask questions if you have them. DOWNTIME: for example, even if you have "never bruised in the past" - they are very common when needles are involved (as is swelling). Small lumps/asymetries can also occur & is usually a case of patience & needing to let the treatment settle. It is important not to judge your final results for 4 weeks. RISKS: overall, dermal filler is a safe treatment in the right hands - however it is a medical procedure & complications can rarely occur. Downtime & risks are always discussed in depth with Lulu to ensure that you truly understand & accept them prior to treatment. You will always be very well looked after - before, during & after - as Lulu has plans for every complication that can arise and is supported by the oversight of her Prescriber. 

NO MEDICAL CONTRAINDICATIONS: Such as (but not limited to): pregnancy, breast-feeding, cancer and autoimmune diseases, active infections, exacerbation of chronic diseases, hemophilia, skin inflammation in the area of presumed injections, tendency to keloid scars, certain medications such as, allergies, sensitivity/allergy to any component of dermal filler including lidocaine, bee sting allergy, history of anaphylaxis, recent laser/strong peels/ultrasound etc in the area, signs of body dysmorphia/appearance anxiety. 

AESTHETICALLY ALIGNED: Those seeking an exaggerated, unnatural appearance will not be suitable for treatment with Lulu.

Lulu specialises in seamless & believable results. No overfilled/inflated faces leave her clinic. Natural results will simply enhance/restore your natural beauty. We always work with balance in mind - and straying away from this can distort the features & detract from natural beauty. 

Not at all. Hyaluronic acid is metabolised naturally over time, leaving your facial features and skin just as they were before. Dermal filler will not stretch your tissue unless it is extremely overdone each time, too often & over very long periods of time. This is something that would never happen under her care.

While Hyaluronic Acid dermal fillers are considered safe (in the right hands) - potential side effects range from rare & serious to common & mild. This will be thoroughly discussed during the informed consent process. Lulu only uses top quality dissolvable/temporary dermal filler & adheres to strict infection control policies. She has studied facial anatomy & physiology at Masters level & prides herself on being a safe practitioner. However - all cosmetic procedures carry some risk, no matter the injector.

This depends on a variety of factors including dermal filler type/location, personal metabolism & even lifestyle. Thicker products in areas of low movement (e.g chin) can last 18 months or more. Every individual metabolises the filler differently too! Smokers or those who are heavily active may find the result does not last as long. Even genetics play a part.  It is important to space treatments out well & as an ethical injector, Lulu will say "no, sorry!" if repeat treatment is not appropriate yet (your best interests are always at heart & an unnatural look must be avoided). Studies are showing that dermal fillers are lasting (at some level) longer than we once thought. Seeing an injector with a good aesthetic eye & high ethical standards is important to prevent gradual buildup, which over time can take us too far away from our natural selves. Aesthetic transformations are an investment & once the goal is reached - moving to yearly maintenance with smaller amounts.

This depends on a variety of factors including individual pain tolerance & location of procedure. For example, cheeks/jawlines are relatively comfortable - especially with a cannula. Lips however, are notoriously sensitive due to a large amount of nerve endings. That being said, Lulu ensures that her patients are as comfortable as possible with topical anaesthetic. Dermal fillers also contain Lidocaine & therefore as the procedure goes on, you will feel more numb in the area. She also offers a nerve distraction device & squeeze ball. You may find that it is not as bad as you think & most are pleasantly surprised. After all - we all keep coming back for more! There is also definitely such a thing as a gentle injector & Lulu is known as such.

Again, this is highly individual. It is important to understand exactly how vascular the face is. Expect a bit of bruising & if you don’t bruise at all, that is a pleasant bonus. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the chance/severity of bruising. For example, avoiding ibuprofen/supplements such as fish oil/high dose vitamin E/st johns wart for a week prior &  alcohol for 24 hours prior. It is also important to avoid caffeine on the day (sorry!) You may also wish to take arnica tablets in the days leading up to your treatment. After your appointment - you can apply arnica & a cool pack, which can assist with the healing process. This will all be communicated with you ahead of time. Lips do tend to have a higher risk of bruising than other areas. Lip treatments come with an arnica based lip balm & cool pack.

This is a VERY rare yet serious complication of dermal filler treatment. It occurs when product is accidentally injected into/compresses a blood vessel. This would usually happen in clinic but can occur hours later. It is usually associated with unusual pain & a pale/mottled area (like a fishnet pattern) that has sluggish blood flow. Before you leave your appointment Lulu will show you how to check "capillary refill" & you will receive her emergency number. Remember, this is very rare & Lulu has emergency protocols in place to manage this - including dissolving the filler with an enzyme called hyalase & support of her oversight for further prescribing/advice if required. 

How long is a piece of string? It is impossible to say without first assessing the face & balancing this with your goals and budget. Some areas do generally require more product such as jawlines. One syringe is approximately 1/5 of a teaspoon so do not be afraid when  multiple mls are recommended in facial rejuvenation/volume restoration/balancing. Combining dermal filler with other approaches may be recommended depending on the condition of your skin/extent of volume loss. It is important to consider all structures involved in ageing of the face/neck during assessment (such as skin quality, muscles, fat, bone etc).  Some areas may require multiple treatments to reach your goals & this will all be determined within your personal treatment plan.

If you are seeking a very subtle result or for a small tweak, the charge for this is $550. 

When we inject 0.5ml, the remaining unused product is discarded for safety purposes. As injectors, we still have to purchase a 1ml syringe from our suppliers (they do not come in half sizes). But more importantly - you do not just "pay for the ml" - you pay for the skill of Nurse Lulu & the result itself (plus everything else involved behind the scenes). 0.5ml does not necessarily take less time either. In fact, a smaller lip can sometimes be a trickier lip! 

Limiting me to your budget also limits what I’m able to achieve clinically. On the few occasions I’ve done this, patients have invariably come back for more because the dose was not as visible as they hoped once the swelling settled. They then end up paying far more doing another "0.5ml" by opening another syringe.

I work in 3D and may need to use 0.65-0.8ml of a syringe on lips to achieve good results front, side and in aiming for symmetry, even for "touchups" or maintenance. 

If appropriate, the remaining product can be used elsewhere. Please keep in mind however that if you have 0.3ml left for example - it will not make any difference in a large area such as cheeks. Sometimes an area such as the piriform fossa (to soften nasolabial folds) or downturned mouth corners may be suitable - but again, it is usually such a small amount of product left & will also depend on the product choice.

If you require support around the mouth, please be aware that this will need to be addressed prior to or alongside lip filler. I also suggest that lips are the LAST area we treat as other areas can often make a much bigger impact (especially with age related changes). 

Yes I do still do lips only! But please be aware that I may say "no" if doing the lips alone will do your lovely face a disservice. 

In any case, the full amount does not need to go in the lips - this will depend on your anatomy & goals. It is important to understand that the amount is “up to” 1 syringe in the lips themselves. The whole amount either way is not injected for the sake of it if not required. If you are unsure which amount you will need to pay for & need to plan for this, please book a consultation at an earlier date. The right plan for you will be discovered!

It is safe to say: "expect some swelling - prepare for a lot". Some people barely swell at all - while for others it can be quite startling. Lips in particular are prone to swelling. Ice & antihistamines can certainly reduce this. Lulu will speak with you about what may be "normal" so that you can be prepared. It is advised to not have major plans for at least 4 weeks (such as a wedding). Most of the swelling usually subsides within 24-72 hours & is often worst on day 2.

This is a long, flexible, blunt “needle”. It allows for gliding through the facial tissues as opposed to ”piercing”. Treatments with cannula are generally comfortable though you may feel a "pushing" sensation. In many areas, there are less risks involved with this technique- however some areas/cases are best suited to needle work.  

The minimum time is 2 weeks - however 4 weeks is ideal. Sometimes more than one dissolving session will be required (usually when there is a LOT of filler & certain filler brands) and this will be charged at the same rate.