Aesthetic medicine · patient guide
Dermal fillers, honestly explained.
Volume, contour and definition — with a medically registered injector, reversible product where possible, and a written vascular-emergency protocol in the room. A 6-minute read.
Why patients choose us
- 01
Medically registered injectors only
Every practitioner in our network is on the GMC, GDC or NMC register. No beauticians, no back-room clinics, no exceptions.
- 02
Reversible HA fillers preferred
Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if there’s a problem. We reach for permanent products only when there’s a strong reason.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What dermal fillers cost in London.
Indicative ranges across our vetted network. Send the areas you’re thinking about and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A syringe of HA in a medically registered clinic: £300–£650, results at two weeks.
| Treatment | Indicative range | Typical duration | Result seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lip augmentation (0.5–1 ml HA) | £300–£600 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
| Nasolabial / marionette lines (1 ml HA) | £350–£650 | 30 min | Same visit |
| Cheek augmentation (1–2 ml HA) | £500–£1,200 | 45 min | Same visit |
| Tear trough (0.5–1 ml HA, cannula) | £450–£900 | 45 min | Same visit |
| Chin / jawline contouring (2–4 ml) | £800–£2,400 | 60 min | Same visit |
| Sculptra (biostimulator, per vial) | £450–£750 | 45 min | 2–3 sessions |
| Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite, 1.5ml) | £500–£850 | 45 min | Same visit |
| Hyaluronidase (dissolving) | £250–£500 | 20 min | Same or next day |
| Consultation only | £100–£250 | 30 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by product, brand, volume and the clinician’s seniority. Beware of prices well below this range — they usually mean an unregulated injector or a diluted product.
The problem
The UK injectables market is a regulation gap.
Anyone can legally inject filler in the UK today — no medical training, no register, no insurance required. New CQC licensing is coming, but until it lands, the burden is on you to pick a medically registered clinician.
-
Who’s actually holding the needle?
Ask for a GMC, GDC or NMC number. If they can’t produce one, walk out. Save Face and JCCP registers are the additional check.
-
What’s in the syringe?
You want a named, in-date, brand-labelled HA product with a batch number — not a decanted, unlabelled or grey-market filler.
-
What happens if it goes wrong?
Hyaluronidase on-site, a written vascular occlusion protocol, and a real emergency number — not a Facebook DM at 11pm.
The journey
From enquiry to two-week review — what happens, in order.
Consult, patch test if there’s a concern, treatment, two-week review. Nothing rushed, nothing skipped.
Phase 1 · Before treatment
Consult, product selection, patch test
Phase 2 · On the day
45–60 minutes in clinic
Phase 3 · After
Two-week review
- 01
Before
You tell us what you’d like
A short, confidential form — the area you’re thinking about, your medical history, and any previous filler.
- 02
Before
We match you to a clinician
Within one working day: a named GMC, GDC or NMC registered injector, product options, and an indicative price.
- 03
Before
Face-to-face consultation
A proper in-person consult — not a rushed WhatsApp. Realistic outcomes, product choice, and a patch test if there’s any concern.
- 04
On the day
Treatment day
Photographs, topical anaesthetic, then careful placement — cannula or needle depending on the area. Usually 30 to 60 minutes.
- 05
On the day
The technique
Small aliquots, layered where needed, aspiration or cannula around danger zones (glabella, nose, tear trough) to reduce vascular risk.
- 06
On the day
Home the same hour
Bruising and swelling for a few days is normal. Written aftercare, an emergency number, and a two-week review booked.
- 07
After
Two-week review
Final result at two weeks once swelling settles. Small top-ups if needed, and honest advice on when — or whether — to repeat.
Typical end-to-end: 1–2 weeks from enquiry to treatment. Final result visible at two weeks.
Areas we treat
Where dermal fillers actually help.
The areas we see most, plus the one red flag that means walking out of a clinic rather than sitting down in it.
-
Nasolabial folds
The lines from nose to mouth. Softened, not erased, with 1 ml of HA placed in the deep layer.
-
Marionette lines
The downward lines from mouth corners. Small volumes lift the corner and soften the shadow.
-
Cheek augmentation
Structural HA or Radiesse on the zygoma restores mid-face volume and gives a subtle lift.
-
Tear trough
A technically demanding area — cannula only, thin HA, small volumes. Wrong product here causes lasting swelling.
-
Lip augmentation
Volume, hydration or shape. Reversible HA, injected conservatively — one syringe is usually enough.
-
Chin projection
Balances the lower face on profile. HA or Radiesse placed on the bone for structural change.
-
Jawline contouring
Defines the mandibular border and softens jowls — often paired with chin work for a full lower-face result.
-
Red flag: non-medical injector
UK law still allows non-medics to inject filler. If your practitioner isn’t GMC, GDC or NMC registered — walk out.
Product and technique options
Not all filler is the same product.
The product and the technique matter as much as the injector. What each option involves, and where it fits.
-
Hyaluronic acid (HA)
Juvederm, Restylane, Belotero, Teosyal, Neuramis. Reversible with hyaluronidase — the default for most areas.
-
Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse)
Thicker, more structural. Good for jaw and chin. Not reversible, but breaks down over 12–18 months.
-
Poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra)
A biostimulator — stimulates your own collagen over 2–3 sessions. Gradual, natural volume restoration.
-
PMMA (Bellafill)
Permanent microspheres. Higher complication risk, no way to remove — we rarely recommend it.
-
Cannula technique
Blunt-tip cannula through a single entry point. Lower vascular risk in danger zones like the tear trough and nose.
-
Needle technique
Sharp needle, precise placement. Preferred for lips and superficial lines where a cannula can’t reach.
-
Layered technique
Deep structural product on bone, medium volume in fat compartments, fine product superficially. Restores facial architecture.
-
Hyaluronidase (dissolving)
Enzyme that dissolves HA — used to correct migration, Tyndall effect, nodules, or an unwanted result.
Our vetted network
Registered clinicians only, we picked them.
Doctors, dentists and nurses on the GMC, GDC or NMC register. Introductions made privately, once we understand what you’re looking for.
Selection criteria
How we choose every injector in our network.
-
GMC, GDC or NMC registered clinicians only — no beauticians, no unregulated practitioners
-
Save Face or JCCP registered where possible
-
Face-to-face consultation before every first treatment
-
Hyaluronidase and emergency vascular occlusion protocol on-site
Safety, complications and red flags
The complications you must know about.
Bruising is trivial. Vascular occlusion and blindness are not. Chronic infection, delayed nodules and Tyndall effect are all reasons to pick your injector carefully — and to know what to do if something looks wrong.
-
Bruising and swelling
Almost universal for a few days. Ice, arnica and avoiding blood-thinners for 48 hours help. Lips can swell dramatically for 24–48 hours — that isn’t the final result.
-
Vascular occlusion — the emergency
Filler entering an artery blocks blood supply and can cause tissue death within hours. Sudden blanching, severe pain, or a dusky patch after treatment needs hyaluronidase immediately.
-
Blindness — rare, catastrophic
Filler travelling into the retinal artery — usually from glabella, nose or tear trough — can cause permanent blindness. Immediate visual disturbance during injection is a 999 emergency.
-
Tyndall effect
HA placed too superficially shows through the skin as a bluish tinge. Common in tear troughs. Dissolvable with hyaluronidase.
-
Nodules and granulomas
Small lumps can form early (usually product-related) or late (usually inflammatory). Early lumps often massage out; delayed ones need medical review.
-
Delayed-onset nodules
HA fillers can react months later — often triggered by a vaccine, flu, or dental infection. Treated with antibiotics, steroids or dissolving.
-
The UK regulation gap
Injectables can currently be given by anyone in the UK — no medical training required. New CQC licensing and a PSA aesthetic practitioners scheme are coming, but aren’t here yet.
-
Permanent fillers — we rarely recommend
PMMA (Bellafill) and silicone can’t be removed if something goes wrong. Reversible HA is safer for almost every indication.
-
Red flags
Blanching, severe or worsening pain, visual changes, spreading redness, fever or a hard growing lump after treatment — call the clinic immediately or 999.
Emergency — call now
Immediate visual disturbance or blindness after an injection is a 999 emergency. Blanching, escalating pain or a dusky patch of skin needs hyaluronidase within minutes — call your clinic first, then A&E.
Reading your treatment record
Your treatment record in four parts. Keep it.
A proper injector writes down what they used, where they put it and how much. That record matters if you ever need dissolving, or if a delayed reaction appears months later.
A quiet reminder
If your clinician can’t give you a batch number, you don’t have a real treatment record.
We keep a copy for you and can share it with any future clinician you see.
- 01 Header
Areas treated and product used
The exact brand, batch number and volume placed in each area — keep this record for future top-ups and in case of any reaction.
- 02 Technique
Cannula, needle and depth
Whether cannula or needle was used, entry points, and the tissue plane (bone, deep fat, superficial dermis) for each area.
- 03 Findings
Immediate result and any bruising
Post-treatment photographs, any bleeding or early bruising, and confirmation that no vascular event occurred during the session.
- 04 Impression
Aftercare and two-week review
Read this first: what to avoid, when to worry, the emergency number, and when to come back for the two-week review.
Our clinicians are recognised by major UK insurers
Aesthetic filler treatment is almost always self-pay — insurers don’t fund cosmetic work. We confirm any cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about dermal fillers.
Quick answers on safety, cost, longevity, and the complications that actually matter.
-
Are dermal fillers safe?
In the hands of a medically registered injector using reversible HA, they’re a well-established, relatively low-risk treatment. The risk isn’t the product — it’s who’s injecting it. UK law still allows non-medics to give filler, which is where most serious complications come from.
-
What’s the difference between HA and non-HA fillers?
Hyaluronic acid (Juvederm, Restylane, Teosyal, Belotero) is reversible with hyaluronidase and lasts 6–18 months. Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite) is thicker and structural. Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) stimulates your own collagen over months. PMMA (Bellafill) is permanent and higher-risk — we rarely recommend it.
-
What is vascular occlusion and why does it matter?
It’s when filler enters an artery and blocks blood flow to the skin — the most serious complication in aesthetics. Signs are blanching, disproportionate pain, or a mottled patch appearing within minutes to hours. It needs immediate hyaluronidase to prevent tissue necrosis. Every clinician in our network has hyaluronidase on-site and a written protocol.
-
Can dermal fillers cause blindness?
Rarely, yes — filler injected into or near facial arteries (particularly around the glabella, nose, or tear trough) can travel to the retinal artery and cause permanent blindness. It’s catastrophically rare, but real. It’s why we insist on medically trained injectors using cannula technique in danger zones.
-
How much do dermal fillers cost in the UK?
Roughly £300–£600 for lips, £350–£650 for a syringe in nasolabial folds, £500–£1,200 for cheeks, £450–£900 for tear troughs and £800–£2,400 for chin and jawline packages. Sculptra is around £450–£750 per vial. We confirm a firm quote within one working day.
-
How long do dermal fillers last?
HA fillers typically last 6–18 months depending on the area and product. Lips break down fastest (6–9 months), structural placements on bone last longest (12–18 months). Radiesse lasts 12–18 months, Sculptra 2 years or more. Everyone metabolises product differently.