What are dermal fillers and how do they work?
Dermal fillers are soft gels made of hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural sugar in your skin that holds water. The gel is lightly cross-linked so it lasts for months, and many contain lidocaine for comfort. Your doctor places small amounts at just the right depth to replace lost volume and support the skin. You see the effect straight away, your body slowly absorbs the gel over time, and if ever needed it can be dissolved with an enzyme.
Dermal filler benefits
- Instant results: you see the difference before you leave the clinic.
- Softer lines and folds: smile lines and marionette lines look shallower.
- Volume where it was lost: cheeks, lips and chin regain shape and balance.
- A natural look: small, careful amounts keep you looking like yourself.
- Little downtime: most people are back at work the same or next day.
- Reversible: hyaluronic acid gel can be dissolved if you ever need it.
Fillers for smile lines (nasolabial folds) and marionette lines
With age, the cheeks lose volume and slip down, deepening the folds from nose to mouth, called nasolabial folds or smile lines, and the marionette lines from the corners of the mouth to the chin. Your doctor often places a little gel in the cheeks first to lift from above, then softens each fold directly, so the result looks natural rather than filled. For a single area, see our pages on lip fillers, cheek, chin and jawline fillers and under-eye fillers.
Dermal fillers before and after
Before, deep folds and hollows cast shadows that make you look tired or sad; after, they look softer straight away, and the result settles at about two weeks once any swelling has gone. In a study of 75 people with moderate to severe smile lines, 97% responded well to a hyaluronic acid gel, and with one top-up the improvement lasted up to 18 months. Our patients share their own results in the videos below.
Dermal fillers price in Pakistan
Dermal fillers cost from Rs 35,000 per ml, the same at all 12 of our clinics. Many people need 1–2 ml, and your doctor confirms the amount before anything is done.
Korean filler
Hyaluronic acid gel, a good fit for most areas
Rs 35,000 per ml
Hyamax
Hyaluronic acid gel; Hyamira is Rs 50,000 per ml
Rs 35,000 per ml
Restylane
The Swedish hyaluronic acid gel used in the smile-line study above
Rs 80,000 per ml
Filler dissolver
Hyaluronidase, to correct or remove hyaluronic acid gel
Rs 10,000 per treatment
Free consultation first · Any current offer is explained at the clinic
Who shouldn’t have dermal fillers?
The treatment isn’t suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with active acne, a cold sore or an infection in the area, with a bleeding disorder, or if you have severe allergies or a lidocaine allergy. Tell your doctor about blood thinners and any earlier work in the area; your doctor checks all of this at your consultation.
Your dermal fillers, step by step
- Free consultation: your doctor studies your face and plans each area and how many ml.
- Preparation: the skin is cleansed; numbing cream is applied if needed.
- Treatment: small, careful injections; about 30 minutes in all.
- Review: a check at about two weeks, once any swelling has settled.
- Top-up: usually every 6–12 months to keep results going.
Results and recovery
You see the difference the moment you look in the mirror, and the final result shows at about two weeks; it usually lasts six to twelve months, depending on the product, the area and your body. Swelling, tenderness or a small bruise are common for a few days, lips can stay swollen a little longer, and most people go back to work the same or next day.
Aftercare
- No make-up for 12 hours
- No gym, sauna or steam for 24–48 hours
- Don’t press or massage the area
- Avoid strong sun and heat for 48 hours
Why choose Cutera Aesthetics
- Doctor-led: your treatment is assessed, planned and performed by our qualified doctors.
- Free consultation: an honest assessment and a clear plan before you commit to anything.
- Dermal fillers near you: at all 12 clinics in 7 cities, at the same price. Find your nearest clinic.
Sources
- US Food and Drug Administration. Dermal fillers (soft tissue fillers). Approved uses, risks and advice for patients.
- US Food and Drug Administration. FDA-approved dermal fillers. Filler materials, and why most are temporary.
- Narins RS, Dayan SH, Brandt FS, Baldwin EK. Persistence and improvement of nasolabial fold correction with nonanimal-stabilized hyaluronic acid 100,000 gel particles/mL filler on two retreatment schedules: results up to 18 months. Dermatologic Surgery, 2008; 34 Suppl 1: S2–8.
- Signorini M, et al. Global Aesthetics Consensus: avoidance and management of complications from hyaluronic acid fillers. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2016; 137(6): 961e–971e.
- Kroumpouzos G, Treacy P. Hyaluronidase for dermal filler complications: review of applications and dosage recommendations. JMIR Dermatology, 2024; 7: e50403.
Treating wrinkles and fine lines? See how our doctors plan it
Treating sagging skin and jowls? See how our doctors plan it
