The 7 Most Common Filler Fears

If you have filler fear, know you’re not alone.

We’re uncovering the 7 most common filler fears that we hear about in clinic.

We’ve heard some of the stories that circulate in the media, and we’d be scared too if we weren’t experts in filler. So, we’re going to address this head on and try to calm your fears. If you live in Denver or surrounding areas, are thinking about filler, but haven’t scheduled a consultation yet, let’s uncover why not. We’ll bring 100% honesty.

What we’re hearing that people are fearing…

I fear looking fake or overdone.

I’m worried it will hurt too much.

Filler is too expensive.

I’m scared of how it will settle.

What if I don’t love it?

I’m scared of the bad things that could happen.

How do I know who to trust?

BUT FIRST…A PSA:

Injecting Dermal Filler is not a DIY project.

Don’t ever attempt to inject any dermal filler product at home, or have it injected by someone from their home. There are injuries associated with filler when done improperly, without a license, without any training or when it’s not done in a safe space. Injecting filler requires extensive training and experience. Not all, but many scary filler stories come from inexperience.

A couple things to keep in mind:

WHERE IS THE PRODUCT COMING FROM? Is it being sourced legitimately? Meaning is the dermal filler coming directly from the manufacturer (i.e. Allergan or Galderma), OR is it coming from an Amazon vendor or Auto Zone (yes, the auto company). Yikes! Our medical spa ONLY works directly with the manufacturer. This leaves no room for error or question on what’s in that syringe. Botox is Botox, etc.
ARE YOU IN GOOD HANDS? Who is injecting you? What’s their education, do they participate in ongoing and continuous education and trainings? It’s one thing to learn how to inject dermal filler it and another thing to practice it. What’s the frequency that the injector actually injects patients? Facial Aesthetics nurse injectors put their knowledge to work all day, every day. They don’t perform any other aesthetic service than injectables. With more frequency comes more experience, and different talents and techniques are utilized to get you to your beautiful end result. Also – are you being injected in a safe space? A medical spa or physician’s office is the safest place to be injected. Please think twice about receiving treatment anywhere else.
CERTIFICATION. Do you know what the acronym CANS means? Look for these little initials next to your injectors name. CANS stands for Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist. This is the highest certification a nurse can have in the aesthetic space (think board certification in aesthetic nursing). Neither an aesthetician nor a Physician’s Assistant (PA) can be a Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist – this certification is recognized by the Plastic Surgical Nursing Certification Board and Aesthetic Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and is for nurses only. Check your injectors credentials. If you see those four little letters, you can be confident you’re in good hands. We are so proud to offer our patients the talents of our Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialists.

Please think twice if your friend is having an “injectable party”. Ask WHERE it will be. If it’s in their home, don’t go. If it’s in a reputable med spa or doctor’s office, you can feel comfortable knowing that you are in a safe place. Know your injector’s credentials. Make sure they are certified.

Here’s what we know about HOME PARTIES:

lighting is never as good as what is used in a med spa or physician’s office
proper consultations are less likely to happen
product supplies may not always be sourced properly

Now let’s dive in to 7 of the most common filler fears that we’re hearing right now:

I FEAR LOOKING FAKE OR OVERDONE. Filler results can always be subtle and natural. There doesn’t have to be anything “fake-looking” about it. The #1 fear patients have about being treated with filler is that they will look unnatural or overdone. We understand this. But take a look at our Before and After images and you’ll see that subtle, natural results are our specialty. That said, we look for your aesthetic perfect. If you desire larger lips or fuller cheeks, we can provide that result also. With the proper placement from our expert nurse injectors, and knowledge of facial proportion, this strategic treatment will help you reach your aesthetic goals, as subtle, and natural as you desire.
I’M WORRIED IT WILL HURT TOO MUCH. Filler is generally not painful, but there are options available to make treatment more comfortable. Many fillers today include lidocaine, a pain numbing agent, in them. A good injector uses that numbing to their advantage through massage and needle placement. That said, to help patients relax and feel more prepared for the injection, we can also use ice or topical anesthetic to numb prior to treatment or use a Zimmer machine (applies cool air to the treated area). As always, we provide a calm environment in our clinics to help you relax.
FILLER IS TOO EXPENSIVE. Filler is more expensive than Botox but lasts about 4 times longer. If you think the cost of filler is something to fear, think again. Many of the fillers we offer may last up to one year, some of them having a lifespan that extends to 14-16 months. After the first filler treatment, many subsequent treatments can have a lower price point since we are now maintaining the result achieved from the prior treatment. Compared to the cost of other treatments, filler is often longer lasting and more cost effective. We know that filler is expensive. And we know cost is a very important factor when considering this treatment. So that’s why on the FIRST Friday of every month, we offer the filler special below. Why Friday? It gives you the weekend to heal from any swelling or redness you may experience.
I’M SCARED OF HOW IT WILL SETTLE. The truth: after your treatment, the treated area will be swollen. Swelling is unavoidable, it’s part of the process in reaching your end result. Swelling is the resolution of the filler settling. It will take 1-2 weeks for filler to settle and be natural looking. Any little lumps or bumps you feel typically resolve in this 1-2 week period. As far as placement and settling, an experienced injector knows where to place the product so that when the swelling goes down you will be left with a natural result.
WHAT IF I DON’T LOVE IT? We take pride in giving you the most aesthetically pleasing results with a natural look. The most important thing for us is that patients are happy with their results. We always recommend you give it some time. Wait at least one month to determine if you really do not like the result. Typically, after the swelling is resolved and the filler has settled, many patients opt for more. However, if you feel the problem is that you are overfilled, depending on the filler that was injected, it can be resolved. If we’re asked to fix a treatment performed by an outside injector, we have the ability to resolve the issue. This isn’t available everywhere which is another thing you should note. Can your injector help if you must have it resolved? Safety first.
I’M SCARED OF THE BAD THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN. We would never lie to you and tell you complications with filler can’t happen. This isn’t meant to scare you; it’s meant to educate you.While it’s rare with a qualified, experienced injector, and does happen more often to patients who opt for inexperienced injectors, there is always a small chance of them presenting in either situation. The biggest factors for dealing with complications is education and environment. Our injectors are extremely knowledgeable, especially from their experience injecting all day, every day. Ensuring you’re in the best hands from the start, our med spas are supported by the guidance and oversight of a plastic surgeon at our foundation. While adverse events are rare, they’re what make it important to choose who you work with wisely. Never shy away from talking to your injector about complications and their experience. Oh, also… don’t confuse complications with side effects. Filler side effects are: swelling, tenderness, bruising, firmness, lumps/bumps, redness, pain, discoloration, itching, and dryness. Note that these side effects are temporary. They usually resolve within 1-2 weeks. The good news is we consistently hear from our patients that the beautiful results achieved by filler far outweigh a few days, or even at max, weeks, of side effects experienced.
HOW DO I KNOW WHO TO TRUST? Your injector matters. Just like you can pick a 2-year old’s art project out of the mix, chances are good you can pick out a filler treatment performed by an inexperienced injector. It’s not the syringe. It’s the injector. Filler is a treatment that requires strategic placement and an injector who understands proper facial proportion. Years of experience matters. The frequency with which they inject, makes them a better injector. With more experience, the eye becomes better trained to understand beauty. Having a good consultation is so important. It’s where you can build trust, which is the most important thing… and trust typically translates to a good result. Being confident you are in the best hands will make the entire experience more enjoyable.

There we have it! We tackled them.

Key takeaways: filler is a strategic treatment that can provide beautiful results – seeing the right experienced injector can make a huge difference, but as you’ve read, some of it does have to do with how your body responds and you can prep prior to treatment to ensure you’re doing everything you can do to help your body respond in the best way possible. Have a look at our pre-treatment instructions on filler here, and then book a consultation and discuss your potential treatment with the best injectors that Denver, Greenwood Village, and surrounding areas have to offer (and that’s not even us being biased).