If you know me out in the ol’ real world, then you’ll probably know I’ve spoke about having lip fillers for about four years. No exaggeration. But like a lot of things – learning to bake or committing to an ab routine, for example – it was starting to seem like one of those things I wasn’t ever really going to get round to doing.
Mainly, this was because I wanted to be sure I was going to the right place. For me, when it comes to these sort of treatments, word-of-mouth recommendations and being able to see previous results is everything. So although I’d been offered lip fillers in the past, I hadn’t been comfortable going ahead with them if I wasn’t absolutely confident in their work.
So Why Now?
I was recently contacted by Dermoperfection, who are located in Birmingham City Centre and offer a range of aesthetic treatments. The clinic looked great, but I still initially planned to just pop in for one of their peels, rather than go for anything ‘risky’ like lips. But then I saw that the lovely Chloe from Unwritten Wardrobe had visited the clinic for lip fillers, and hers looked uh-mazing. I slid into the DMs and she told me about the great experience she’d had with Dermoperfection, and finally I decided to don my sassy pants and get them lips did.
The Clinic & Consultation
I went along to Dermoperfection, which is conveniently located just around the corner from New Street Station in Birmingham. My consultation and treatment were with the lovely Amy, who put me at ease straight away as we discussed the sort of results I was hoping to achieve.
I explained that I was looking for something very subtle with it being my first filler experience, and Amy recommended I start with 0.5ml of filler. I know of friends who have been for consultations at other clinics and had therapists try to pressure them into having larger amounts, so I felt like it was a great sign that Amy was happy to take this gradually.
At Dermoperfection they only use Juvederm, which I know to be one of the best brands for dermal fillers. Juverderm fillers are made from Hyaluronic Acid, which is a naturally occurring substance in the body. This is why the filler naturally absorbs into the body over time, though the fillers have different consistencies that impacts on how long they will last. I think I had Volift, which is one of the longer-lasting fillers that Juvederm offers.
The Treatment
When I came back for my treatment, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew a numbing cream would be used so I wouldn’t feel pain, but expected it to still be quite uncomfortable. However, I found the whole thing absolutely fine. The numbing cream was applied around 10 minutes before the treatment, which – apart from giving you that paranoid feeling you get at the dentist where you think you might be dribbling all over yourself – made the whole thing so easy. There was an initial scratch when the needle went in, but then I couldn’t really feel anything.
Amy was brilliant throughout the injections, regularly pausing to take in how they were looking and talking me through each step. I felt completely involved during the whole experience, and most importantly confident that I was in safe hands.
Swelling & Bruising
I purposely chose to have my fillers on a Saturday morning when I didn’t have much planned for the weekend. I’m the kind of girl that ends up with week-long bruises if I brush past a door handle a bit quickly, so I fully expected to be swollen and bruised the day after my treatment. I’d even started plotting what lie I could tell my colleagues if I was still puffy on the Monday morning (“bee sting or allergic reaction? Which is more believable when I never venture outside and live off a diet of Greggs vegan rolls?”)
However, I was SO pleased to find that I actually had hardly anything. The tiny pin pricks were easily covered with concealer the next morning, and I didn’t have any bruises. I saw family members later that night and the next day and nobody noticed a thing.
Results
Overall I’m SO pleased with my results. As the photos show, the change was very subtle but noticeable to me. My top lip has been balanced out and overall my lips are looking naturally plumper. My side projection is more pronounced now, whereas before my top lip kind of disappeared from a side view. I’m really happy that I opted for the 0.5ml for my first treatment as I now feel confident to build them up in the future if I want to (and let’s be honest, that’s probably going to happen VERY soon…)
Costs
My treatment was complimentary in exchange for an honest review, but prices for 0.5ml of filler at Dermoperfection start at £160. I know from my research over the years that this is really fairly priced (and I’d advise anyone against going to clinics that offer filler too cheaply, as the product is likely to be of a lower quality) and is great for the level of expertise you’re getting. I would 100% recommend visiting Amy or Stuart at Dermoperfection for any aesthetic treatments, and know I’ll be booking in again soon.
