Dermal fillers are huge right now. Cheeks, lips, chins - even liquid nose jobs. The non-invasive aesthetic treatment can - if done correctly - make our skin look younger, smoother and line-free in just one session. But there have been way too many media stories in recent years of dermal fillers that have gone horribly wrong. Usually because they have been performed by someone who doesn’t know what they are doing.
Despite all the recent buzz around dermal fillers, they are far from new. In fact, they have been around since the late 19th century. And you can imagine how revolutionary yet dangerous they would have been back then (eek!)
Let’s have a look at the earliest celebrity to get dermal fillers, dermal fillers gone wrong, and the importance of finding a medically qualified practitioner.
The first celebrity to get dermal fillers?
When dermal fillers first came about in the late 1800s, the solution that doctors used was paraffin (or occasionally mineral oil) - I know - holy shit! - doctors were actually recommending this as a cosmetic treatment.
The first celebrity dermal filler advocate that we know of was Gladys Deacon a French-born socialite who later went on to become the Duchess of Marlborough - a major star of that time.
Gladys was considered to be an extremely beautiful woman, admired by many men around that time, including Rodin and Proust, for her gorgeous looks. However, she was obsessed with achieving the appearance that many women wanted at that time - the grecian profile - and sought out a doctor who could give her the look at the age of just 22.
As you can imagine, paraffin wax wasn’t exactly an ideal substance, and, unfortunately for Gladys (and no doubt countless others), the hot wax dripped onto her chin and nose, and the treatment led to disfigurement. Gladys is said to have been so distraught that she later banished all mirrors from her home, and after the breakdown of her marriage, she became a recluse - allowing only one servant to see her face.
Pretty extreme, huh? Thankfully, wonderful new developments in cosmetic treatments mean that they are much safer now - as long as they are performed by medically qualified practitioners. However, botched jobs are still happening thanks to people claiming to know what they’re doing...
Dermal fillers gone wrong
We live in an age where beauty and ‘perfection’ are everywhere - on TV, social media, in magazines. This can make the average person feel pretty self conscious - no surprise there so far. But, unfortunately, there are people out there who are willing to take advantage of our insecurities for their own benefits.
With online courses and the likes, people can train quickly in a range of disciplines. But here’s the thing - without the right sort of training and experience, there are some things you simply should not do. And non-invasive treatments like fillers are a good example of this. Did I mention that needles and hyaluronic acid are being used here? That’s why it’s so important that your practitioner is medically qualified.
With treatments like dermal fillers, prices vary depending on where you are in the country, and the clinic you go to, but if you’re being offered a session that is way cheaper than everywhere else, think twice because there’s probably a good reason for this. Even if the person offering the treatment has done hundreds of dermal fillers, would they know what to do if the treatment goes wrong? Are they using the right amount of filler? What are their before and after pictures like?
Check out our treatment guide for what you should expect to pay for dermal fillers, and really do your research before booking an appointment. Your face is fabulous, and you really don’t want to take a risk on it - after all it’s a pretty difficult part of your body to hide.