My First Time Getting Dermal Fillers at Laser Clinics Kotara

I recently went in for a consult at Laser Clinics Kotara and met with one of the lovely injectors there named Steph. Steph is a registered nurse with years of experience with injectables. I ended up getting a few different things done and I wanted to share with you all the whole process and answer any questions that you may have. 
I collected a few questions on my Instagram stories a little while ago. I'm going to go through the entire process, and then answer the questions that I have received at the end. If you have any questions that I haven't answered in this, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram. 
I had done a little bit of research about facial fillers and injectables before the appointment, some of which was through the Laser Clinics website which has a very informative section on fillers and what procedures it is that they offer. 

The Consult

Steph is so incredibly lovely! (So is everyone at Laser Clinics Kotara!!) She made me feel super at ease and comfortable, which I find incredibly important as I was about to let her stick needles in my face. I had a vague idea of what I was after,  but I was open to suggestions and really wanted to know what my options were. 
Steph took some photos of my face from multiple angles, and then we viewed them together on a large iPad. I pointed out areas that had been bothering me and she suggested other areas of interest as well as what I could do to enhance them. An immediate stand out was my dark circles under my eyes. A constant battle of my own as well as an area I had done a lot of research on in the past. 
My dark circles were likely genetic, and the less padding or fat that is underneath there, the more you can see the darkness. I had circles that no amount of sleep would remedy, and they also seemed impossible to cover with any level of concealer. 
On a little diagram of a face, Steph circled what areas she could inject and what she could do.  I am generally very trusting, and I do like to think that it is because I am a great judge of character. So I pretty much said, what the heck, let's do it all! I was both excited and a little bit nervous. Nervous about the needles and about potential results. 
I filled out a form that includes a lot of questions about things like allergies and medical history as well as travelling internationally within the next few weeks. It was all very thorough and I felt as though I was in very safe hands which helped to quell any nerves that I might be having. 
The fillers actually need to be prescribed by a doctor, so the next step was skyping on the iPad. Which I thought was such a wild concept but also incredibly cool. We chatted to the doctor for a brief minute, and she approved everything. 

The Process

I was ready to go! I sat in the very comfortable client chair and got a little apron and hair cap. Steph applied numbing cream to my face and then left it to settle in before wiping it off.  My main area of concern was my under-eye bags, which are generally treated with a filler process called "Tear Troughs filler". Except you can't just go straight for that, you have to create a kind of platform for it, through the use of cheek fillers first.  Now I just had my eyes closed from here on out while Steph worked her magic. But the exact things that I got done were as follows;

• Anterior cheek treated with a structural product to support tear trough
• Lateral cheek treatment right side to balance cheek fullness and height in the left side
• Tear trough treatment via cannula with ultra-soft blending filler
• Chin treatment with the long-lasting structural filler

Now in terms of needles, no one likes needles really do they? I have tattoos, which doesn't really count in the same way and I've always been a little bit freaked by needles near my eyes. Rightfully so. But I went into this appointment with the mindset, that these tiny needles are nothing compared to the giant needle that went into my open wound to deliver anaesthesia before I got stitches in May last year. Anything after that is cake, and that mindset kept me chill as a cucumber the entire process.

I didn't feel any pain from the needles, more like a slight pressure every time it was inserted. Like you could feel what was happening but there wasn't pain with it. Steph told me that botox has more of a stinging feel to it, But as the filler has lidocaine (a local anaesthetic) in it, that helps as well. 

It did seem to go for a while, but I had quite a few things done. I wasn't uncomfortable at any point and Steph talked me through the entire thing. Explaining every little bit she was doing. Including how for some areas, they make a little pathway from the side.  For example, the fillers under my eyes were injected from the tops of my cheeks. 

Steph was incredibly thorough with a great eye for detail, she took great care during the entire procedure and I felt incredibly comfortable being there. Once all of the injectables were complete, she massaged my face to mould the fillers accordingly. Then we were done!

Afterwards / Aftercare

When Steph showed me my face in the mirror after the procedure had ended I was so impressed. I said "I didn't know what I expected. I look like me but better." I had an ice pack on my face for a little while and also used one briefly at home to help with any potential swelling and bruising.

I also couldn't lay down for at least the next 6 hours after the procedure.

I had a small bruise under my chin that went black and then faded away after a week, but that was the only bruising that I had on my entire face. Immediately after receiving the fillers I was put under the Laser Clinic's yellow LED light which helps with healing and any bruising. 

All of the above has been retold by memory, so it's possible that small details are inaccurate.

Before & After Shots

I look at these and I can't believe my dark circles were that bad.  These images were taken immediately before and after the procedure. 

Some Questions Answered

 I got a lot of the same questions through Instagram stories, so here are the main ones and their answers.

How Did You Get Rid of Your Eye Bags/Dark Circles?

I had filler injected into my tear troughs. You can read more about this procedure here.

How Long do Dermal Fillers Last?

It can differ between people, but dermal fillers can last up to three to six months and in some cases longer. 

What kind of pain can you relate getting injectables to?

 Honestly, it didn't hurt. The feeling I would relate it to is maybe pushing a pin through like a really tough bit of skin on your foot. A weird description, but all I really felt was pressure and not any pain. 



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