Well-being: Derma fillers complement Botox

Leanne Cashmore from Skin Centre Tauranga has been injecting Botox for many years. Photo/supplied

Ever since Cleopatra we women have been searching for that elixir of youth. While she bathed in the milk of asses, today women have at their disposal a plethora of oils, serums, moisturisers and masks, many of which promise to 'reduce the signs of ageing', 'smooth wrinkles' and restore a youthful look.

Any skincare product that turns back time sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately that is because it is.

Although scientific advances mean there are creams out there that really can help skin look better, this is likely to be superficial and temporary. Any product that you put on top of the skin is always going to be limited in the miracles that it can achieve.

But that does not necessarily mean you need to either embrace wrinkles and sagging skin, or plan a full facelift and brace yourself for the scalpel.

Non-surgical injectables like Botox and dermal fillers can have a dramatic effect on your appearance, are relatively affordable (particularly if you factor in what you might otherwise spend on expensive skincare routines), fairly painless, and require little downtime.

No longer are non-surgical enhancements a clandestine affair. Botox has become so mainstream for smoothing lines on the forehead and around the eyes that it is now offered in many beauty salons or hairdressers as a service.

However, what you may miss out on if you shop around with different Botox providers on an ad hoc basis is a holistic and experienced approach to your appearance medicine - someone who will assess your needs, get to know your personality as well as your expression lines, and also how your face adapts to treatments.

It is also helpful if this person does not just offer Botox, for there may be different options and products which can work alongside it, and complement the work the Botox is doing.

It is why for Botox I alway see Leanne Cashmore at the Skin Centre Tauranga, and have been a client of hers since I have lived in Tauranga. You know with Leanne you are in good hands - she has been injecting Botox for many years, appearance medicine is all she does, day in day out, and she will never advise you on more or less than you need.

So when Leanne suggested I try some dermal fillers to complement the Botox I had been having, I trusted her opinion.

Restylane is a filler utilising biodegradable non- animalhyaluronic acid which occurs in the skin naturally, and it can stimulate collagen production, adding to elasticity and firmness.

I had tried Restylane before to plump up lips, but what many people including me do not realise is that fillers can be used elsewhere in the face to smooth wrinkles and restore volume.

Leanne explained that one of the areas we lose volume as we age is our cheeks. Think of a baby's chubby cheeks that you just want to pinch which last until early 30s. As we age the 'fat' of cheeks that gives that young, fresh apple cheeked look disappears, which can give a look of , not quite gauntness or sunken cheeks, but certainly noticeable sagging which contributes to a tired and aged look.

I was a little apprehensive about having filler in my cheeks - I definitely didn't want that Melanie Griffith or Housewife of Orange County look with noticeably pumped and shiny cheeks.

Leanne assured me the effect would be subtle - much like in the lip treatment, in that people afterwards might comment that you look well or good, but might not be able to pinpoint what was the difference.

I was also comfortable about the safety of the product. Restylane products have been researched, have a proven record and there have been more than 15 million treatments worldwide, according to the Skin Centre.

The injections would implant the filler under the skin of the cheeks to slightly augment the cheeks. Leanne intensively assesses exactly where to put them. The filler can also correct an appearance of one cheek which has less volume than another so correcting a lopsided look, which is very common.

There is anesthetic in the filler injection that numbs the area being treated from the inside. The pain is minimal - a sting as the needle goes in, but after that no pain, a little sensation as Leanne massages the filler in place but it is not uncomfortable, in fact it is quite a pleasant sensation!

Leanne finishes by injecting the last of the filler into my chin area-which she notes scrunches as I smile or talk expressively.

Again this is the advantage of seeing one experienced practitioner for appearance medicine, as it is likely she will come to know your face better than you. When we examine our face in the mirror often we are expressionless.

Leanne, on the other hand, will be watching you carefully as you talk from the moment she meets you to see how your face moves. This is essential in achieving the overall natural look - no one wants their expression frozen - and Leanne is a firm believer in enhancing your unique look to achieve a fresh, natural - and yes - younger you, because that is what we all want too!

The whole procedure only takes 30 minutes.

Leanne advises side effects can include bruising, redness, swelling, and tenderness. If you were having this treatment and wanted to keep it on the down low, you could arrange it so you are going straight home after.

It would not be necessary to take a day off work as if you did have bruising or redness it could be covered by makeup (mineral makeup is best after injections).

I did feel some tenderness after the treatment, but it wasn't painful. The best way I could describe it is the tenderness you might feel if you had had a facial with some blackheads or milia extracted. I used an icepack for a couple of hours, took panadol and antihistamine to reduce swelling. If I looked closely I could see some redness but I had no bruising at all.

However, as this treatment can cause swelling and some bruising, Leanne recommends do not have it straight before a big party or event - have it at least two to three weeks before.

After a week I could see the effect of more volume in the cheek but it was totally a natural look, giving me a fresher appearance, less dull and tired. My partner did not notice, which I took as a good thing. I told a couple of colleagues and they commented it looked good but that if I hadn't 'fessed up to what it was they would have just thought my skin looked really healthy and that I looked "rested".

Another advantage of Restylane is that it lasts about nine to 12 months, sometimes up to 24 months, compared with four months for Botox. I was thrilled with the overall look which for me I will continue as a complementary treatment to Botox. There is no stigma to Botox or dermal fillers. For me, investing in one's face is a necessity, just like taking care of your health and maintaining a nutritious diet.

You deserve it!

*Leanne Cashmore is a registered nurse and has been delivering appearance medicine at the Skin Centre for almost 20 years. To arrange a complimentary consultation with Leanne about Botox or Dermal fillers, phone the Skincentre on 0800 754 623.