1. Preparing your first consultation

If you are considering having a dermal filler injection, it is crucial that you find a highly-qualified practitioner with an extensive knowledge of facial aesthetics.

Whether this is your first hyaluronic acid injection or you have previously had other fillers or botulinum toxin injections, an experienced practitioner can also advise which treatment options would be best. Do not hesitate to ask your practitioner to show you before and after pictures of patients he or she has treated to see the results. (32-34)

Before starting, these are a few questions you could ask about the procedure:

• Is there any pre-treatment preparation?
• What exactly does the procedure involve?
• Which brand of dermal fillers would you recommend, and why?
• How long does the injection take?
• Are the injections painful?
• Can I go back to my usual activities immediately after the injection?
• Are there any things I should avoid doing after the injection?
• How often should the injections be repeated?
• What results can be expected?

A thorough discussion will help you understand what dermal fillers can, and cannot do for you. (35)