Dermal FillersFeminine softness.
Masculine definition.

It can help when lost volume creates a hollow and a shadow. Restoring that volume can soften the transition between neighbouring areas and make the face look more rested.

Brown pigmentation and puffiness need a different assessment. Adding filler to an already swollen area may make it look heavier.

The right alternative depends on what is causing the change:

• Lines caused mainly by expression: assess the muscle movement; a muscle-relaxing treatment may be more suitable.
• Uneven colour or rough texture: skincare, a chemical peel or another skin treatment may help.
• Loose skin or pronounced eye bags: a surgical assessment may be more useful than adding volume.

Some fine lines can be treated with filler. The aim is to choose an approach that addresses the cause of your concern.

Ageing changes the shape of the bones, the amount and position of facial fat, and the tissues that support the skin. These changes do not happen evenly. A cheek can lose fullness while the lower face becomes heavier.^[3][26]

Filler may replace some missing volume. It does not reverse every change in the supporting tissues, so treating a hollow and treating sagging are different decisions.

Weight loss can reduce facial fullness and make loose skin more noticeable. Filler may help a selected hollow, but trying to fill all the looseness can add unwanted bulk.^[4]

If your weight is still changing, the face may change further too. The timing of treatment should take that into account, alongside whether the main concern is lost volume or loose skin.

No. Filler adds volume within the tissue. Treatment that reduces muscle activity works on the movement that repeatedly creases the skin. A fold caused by lost volume and a line caused mainly by movement may therefore need different treatment. Some concerns involve both.

A softer gel may suit an area that needs flexibility; a firmer gel may be selected when greater definition or support is needed. The depth of placement and the way the area moves also matter.^[8][41]

I explain which material is proposed and why it suits the intended change. The same gel is not suitable for every feature.

If extra volume is unlikely to improve the concern, if the expected change is too small to justify the risk, or if there is a medical reason to delay. Previous filler also needs to be considered, but having had filler before does not automatically rule out further treatment.

I explain the reason clearly, together with any more suitable option. You can also choose to leave the area untreated.

Your medical history needs to include medical conditions, including autoimmune conditions, allergies, medicines and supplements, previous filler or implants, reactions to treatment and cold sores. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, dental plans and current skin problems also matter.

This information can change the timing, pain relief or treatment plan. For example, medicines that affect clotting can increase bruising. Do not stop prescribed medication on your own to prepare for treatment.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, we’ll leave filler treatment for another time. I may also need to wait if the skin I would be treating is broken or infected, or if a medical condition needs to be brought under control first. An allergy or a previous serious reaction may mean that a particular filler is not suitable for you.^[47]

Routine dental treatment should be scheduled at least two weeks before or after filler treatment. Recurrent cold sores and medicines that affect immunity or bleeding need individual advice. They are not all automatic exclusions, but should be discussed before the appointment.

You can use the consultation to understand your options and decide later. It helps to describe a specific change you would value, rather than feeling that your whole face needs correcting. If the likely improvement would not be worthwhile to you, there is no obligation to proceed.

A cosmetic procedure cannot reliably resolve wider distress about appearance. If a concern is taking over your daily life, that deserves attention in its own right.

The amount is estimated after examining the area and checking any previous filler. Restoring cheek volume may need a different amount from a small change to the lips or chin. A photograph alone cannot reliably establish how much you need.

I explain the proposed amount and total cost before treatment.

Yes, these are different reasons for considering filler:

• Facial beautification: refining a feature or its proportions, such as the projection of the chin.
• Facial masculinisation: considering a more defined or angular contour, often around the chin or jaw. The intended shape is based on your preference and anatomy.
• Structural rejuvenation: replacing selected volume lost over time, for example in the cheeks.

These terms describe the intended change. They do not mean every area needs treatment, and filler cannot reproduce every change achievable with surgery.

An overfilled appearance can come from too much product, unsuitable placement or repeated top-ups over filler that is still present. Early swelling can also make a recent treatment look fuller than it will once settled.

That is why I assess what is already there and allow swelling to settle before considering another treatment.

One appointment may be enough. For a larger change, or if you would prefer to build the result gradually, we can plan treatment in stages.

After the first stage has settled, we review how it looks and how you feel about it. There is no commitment to continue if you are happy with the result.

Faces are naturally asymmetric. Filler may reduce selected differences in volume or contour, but perfectly matching both sides is not a realistic aim. Bone shape and muscle movement can contribute to differences that filler alone cannot correct.

The starting differences are discussed so that you know which ones the proposed treatment may improve.

Follow the preparation instructions I send you, and have your medical information and any previous filler records ready.

Let me know before your appointment if your health has changed, a cold sore or skin infection has developed, or you have arranged dental treatment. If you are unsure about an instruction, contact me. Do not stop prescribed medicines on your own.

I am Piotr Wojtowicz, a GPhC-registered Pharmacist Independent Prescriber. I assess and treat you personally.

You can read about my qualifications, training and approach on the About me page.

Photographs record your starting appearance, including differences between the two sides of your face. They help us compare the settled result with how you looked before treatment.

I take them with your consent as part of your clinical record. They are not permission to publish your photographs.

If you book a treatment appointment, assessment and discussion come first, and treatment can follow when the agreed plan is suitable. A consultation-only appointment gives you time to explore the options and decide later. You can check the appointment types in online booking.

A needle has a sharp tip. A cannula is a thin, blunt-ended tube introduced through a small entry point. They allow different approaches to placement, and either may be appropriate depending on the area.

A cannula may reduce bruising in some situations, but it is not risk-free. The choice is made for the anatomy and intended placement, rather than treating one device as automatically safe.^[25][42]

See the reported needle and cannula complication rates.

Often you can return to ordinary activities, but visible swelling or bruising may affect how comfortable you feel going out. Lips and other sensitive areas can be more noticeable during recovery. If your work involves physical exertion, follow the activity advice given for your treatment.

Allow several weeks before an important event, particularly for your first treatment. The timing needs to leave room for swelling to settle and a review if needed.

Travel plans should be considered before booking filler. Leave time for recovery and access to follow-up. Your departure date, destination and access to medical care help determine a suitable treatment date.

I will give you written aftercare for your treatment. It covers skincare, make-up and when to resume your usual activities.

Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours after treatment. A longer alcohol-free period can be agreed as part of your aftercare. Alcohol does not help your body heal. Common advice includes avoiding strenuous exercise and intense heat for the first 24–48 hours. Do not press or massage the area unless I have specifically advised it. Follow the timings in your own instructions.^[47]

Contact me so I can assess it, rather than trying to massage or correct it yourself. Early swelling and firmness can affect the result, while a persistent lump or visible unevenness may need a different approach.

Depending on the cause, we may allow more time, treat a complication or discuss an adjustment or dissolving. If you have urgent warning symptoms, seek help immediately.

We agree when to review the settled result according to the area and treatment you have had. At that appointment, we compare your photographs and talk about how you feel about the change.

You are welcome to return with questions or concerns before a planned review. Contact me if you would like the area checked.

At odNOVA, your care does not end when you enter your PIN. If you are unsure about your recovery, have an aftercare question or want to talk about the result, I am here to help.

You can message me on WhatsApp, email me or call. I cannot answer a call while I am with another patient. For urgent warning signs, seek help straight away rather than waiting for a message reply.

Different products are designed for different depths and amounts of movement. A gel used for lip shape does not behave exactly like one placed deeply for cheek support. Your tissues, previous filler and the amount used also affect the result.

I explain the expected duration for the actual product and area in your plan; one figure cannot describe every filler treatment.

Yes. Imaging studies have found filler years after the last treatment. That does not tell us how long the cosmetic improvement lasted, or how often this happens across all patients. Read the MRI findings and their limitations.

Keep your treatment records, and tell a clinician arranging facial or head imaging that you have had filler.

Not necessarily. If some correction remains, a smaller amount may be enough. At other times a similar amount may be useful, or I may advise that you do not need more. We make that decision from your face at the time, rather than repeating the previous dose.

You are not committing to lifelong treatment. As the filler breaks down, its visible contribution usually reduces gradually. Your face also continues to change with age and weight. Some material may remain longer than expected, so stopping does not mean an immediate return to an exact pre-treatment appearance.^[5][9]

Yes. Delayed swelling or inflamed lumps can develop after the early recovery period. Reactions have been reported after illness, dental procedures or vaccination, although the cause is often unclear. New swelling or a lump needs assessment; it should not simply be treated as normal settling.^{[18][19][20][54]}

Keep a record of the product, date and treated area. This can help a clinician assess a later problem, even if the visible effect has faded.

Contact the treating clinic immediately for severe or increasing pain, skin turning persistently white, grey or mottled, unusual coldness, or blistering. A blood-supply problem can occur without severe pain.^[14]

Any sudden change in vision needs immediate emergency assessment. Call 999 for sudden facial or limb weakness, difficulty speaking, or a severe allergic reaction with breathing difficulty or throat swelling.^[16][46]

Increasing redness, warmth, tenderness or discharge may indicate infection and also need prompt medical advice.

Yes. Filler can move away from where it was placed. Technique, excessive volume, unsuitable placement or too much injection pressure can contribute.^[48]

Choosing the product, amount and placement is my responsibility. If the shape changes, I need to assess the cause: swelling, overfilling and movement of the gel can look similar.

Before injecting, I check the anatomy, previous filler and your medical history, then choose the product and approach for that area. These steps reduce avoidable risk, but no injection technique removes it entirely.

I record the treatment details and provide written aftercare, including how to contact me.

No. Hyaluronidase acts on hyaluronic acid; it does not dissolve every filler material. This is why knowing what was injected matters. Even with HA filler, how much can be removed and how the area will look afterwards need to be assessed.^[21][23]

Before elective dissolving, I will go through the risks with you, including allergic reactions.^[21][24]

Bring any previous treatment records, including the clinic, date, area and amount if available. If the material or its location is uncertain, further assessment or imaging may be needed before deciding whether to add or dissolve filler.

You do not need to reconstruct the history perfectly yourself. Explain what you remember; missing information is a reason to investigate, rather than guess.

No. An unwanted cosmetic result can usually be assessed after early swelling has settled. Suspected loss of blood supply requires urgent assessment and treatment. Do not wait for a routine review if you have warning symptoms.^[14][24]

Before having HA filler, make sure your practitioner has hyaluronidase immediately available on site and is trained to use it in an emergency. If it is not available, do not go ahead with treatment there.^[14]