Cosmetic Treatments: Everything You Need To Know

Considering a cosmetic procedure, but aren’t sure what to expect? Cape town based general and aesthetic practitioner dr jan nel offers his valuable insights

- Catlin Geng

How painful is Botox? Can you afford dermal fillers, and how much of a difference will they really make? And what exactly is a ‘vampire facial’? Dr. Nel explains.

Dermal fillers

‘These are my speciality and one of my favourite treatments!’ says Dr. Nel. ‘Dermal fillers are 99% pure HA – hyaluronic acid – a natural building block of collagen in the skin. They’re comprised of a soft gel substance that’s injected with a very fine needle into different aspects of the skin. Although it’s generally known that fillers have the ability to ‘lift’, they actually ‘push’ certain areas too.’

WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT FROM THE RESULTS?

‘Dermal fillers give absolutely stunning results if done in moderation and placed correctly. Together with other treatments, it’s possible to obtain perfect results,’ explains Dr. Nel. They’re especially useful for treating:

Facial areas with volume loss

Lifting a brow

Enhancing cheeks and chins

Softening sunken, dark eyes

Softening forehead and nasolabial lines

Improving skin texture in the neck and décolletage

Enhancing lips in combination with other treatments without giving the ‘pout’ look

HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?

Dermal fillers usually start at R3 000 per vial. The number of vials needed varies between clients – you may require as little as half a vial, or possibly one or two vials depending on the volume loss in the area you’re having treated.

PAIN LEVEL

Jan scores the pain level for dermal fillers a 3-4/10.