How much filler do you need?
Dermal fillers are used in several ways, from filling deep lines in the skin to revolumising certain facial features to adding structure or improving symmetry. They are usually made from hyaluronic acid, which holds many times its own weight in water, and this hyaluronic acid is ‘crosslinked’ to keep it stable within the skin, thus providing soft volume under the skin, which plumps up deflated cheeks, thin lips, or hollow temples, or sharpens the jawline. If you’re considering getting dermal fillers, you may be wondering how much filler you need. 0.5ml filler? 1ml filler? 2ml filler? What does it actually mean? And how much will give you the results you want? Whilst the amount injected will differ for each person, read on for a rough idea of how much filler you may need.
How much filler do I need?
The amount of filler you require to achieve optimal results depends on a variety of factors:
- The amount of volume your face has lost
- The area being treated
- The depth of your wrinkles
- Your face shape and features
Everyone is different and will have a different goal for what they would like to achieve when seeking aesthetic treatments. When placed strategically, even a small amount of filler can give subtle yet impactful results. The beauty of filler treatments is that they can be built gradually over time to help you achieve the most natural-looking results.
How much do different areas of the face require on average?
If you’re in your 40s, 50s or 60s and are exploring treatments for the first time, we will likely need to treat multiple areas to help bring balance and harmony to the face as a whole. Here is a guideline to approximately how much filler is usually required to treat specific areas…
Cheek filler
Using fillers to augment the cheeks not only creates the illusion of stronger or higher cheekbones but it can also act as a replacement for bone lost with age and support the tissues of the lower face. Again, the amount you need all comes down to how much volume you have lost and the results you’re looking to achieve, but practitioners will generally use 1-3ml cheek filler per cheek.
Tear Trough filler (under the eyes)
Sunken hollows beneath the eyes are a common ageing concern and can give you an ‘always tired’ look. They come about due to a loss of volume in the undereye area, and lead to the appearance of dark circles. Careful placement of a lightweight filler gel made from hyaluronic acid can fill in this sunken area and offset the appearance of hollowness. Usually, just 0.5ml-1ml of filler per eye is required to rejuvenate this area. But in most cases, treatment to the cheek will need to be performed first to give structural support to the undereye.
Non-surgical Rhinoplasty
In non-surgical rhinoplasty, injectable fillers are used to reshape the nose. By adding volume to certain areas, a good practitioner can straighten a hooked nose, lift a drooping nose tip, balance out a wonky bridge by disguising prominent bumps, and much more. In this area, expect to require upto 1ml of filler in most cases.
Lip filler
We can use filler in this area in various ways – to plump up thin lips, make asymmetric lips more symmetrical, or replace lost volume and hydration in older lips. Lip fillers can also, by fractionally raising the outline of the lips, stretch out the fine ‘barcode’ lines that tend to accumulate above the upper lip with age. A youthful pair of lips may only need 0.5ml to give them adequate shape and definition. And 1ml is usually sufficient for ageing lips, but this can, of course, be added to various treatment appointments if necessary.
Chin and jawline filler
The chin is one of the central pillars of the face, and if your chin is out of proportion, the rest of your face could look out of balance. When placed strategically, the filler can help create that coveted heart-shaped face for women, while for anyone with a ‘weak’ short, retracted chin, filler can help define the lower third of the face offering a more chiselled profile, reducing double chins, making the nose appear smaller, and making jowls less prominent. The amount of filler required does depend on the individual, you’ll likely want between 1ml and 6ml of filler in total to shape and define.
Temple filler
Like the rest of the face, the temples deflate with age, losing volume as fat pads, collagen, and bone gradually erode. Injectable fillers can restore temples to their former proportions, softening the face in the most discreet way. Likely between 0.5ml filler and 3ml of filler for each temple will be needed.
How long will the results last for?
How long your filler lasts will depend on where you have the treatment and how dense the product is. For example, a small amount of a soft filler in the lips, which is a very mobile area, will be broken down much more swiftly than a thicker filler used in the chin and jawline. Timeframes can range from three months all the way up to two years.
If you’d like to learn more about fillers and what may be right for you, click here to book a consultation.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that results and benefits may vary from patient to patient taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.
