Dermal fillers are medical aesthetic treatments used to support volume loss in the face, balance facial contours and reinforce the skin’s underlying structure. The aim is not to fill a gap. It is to support the face’s own architecture, restore the balance of light and shadow, and produce a more rested, proportionate appearance.
I do not treat fillers as a single-area procedure. At your consultation I look at the area causing the problem rather than the area you are pointing at — a fold beside the nose usually needs cheekbone support, a hollow under the eye usually needs the cheek supported first. Treatments that skip this order look good briefly and do not hold.
Which products I use
Every treatment described on these pages uses hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a molecule found naturally in your own tissue. It provides volume support where it is placed and binds water. Its most important safety property is that it is reversible: it can be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase if needed. I explain this in detail on the filler dissolving page.
Among cross-linked hyaluronic acid fillers, Juvéderm, Restylane and Teosyal are the most widely used product families. I work with products from this class that carry manufacturer traceability and a certificate of analysis; which product I use is decided at your consultation according to the area and what the tissue needs. The hyaluronic acid fillers I use are approved for facial volume support and softening the appearance of lines, CE-marked and licensed for use in Turkey.
What about biostimulators? Products such as calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) stimulate your skin’s own collagen production. I use these to support skin quality rather than to shape the face — a different purpose and a different plan. Their effect builds over weeks and usually needs more than one session. I cover those treatments separately on the biostimulator treatments page. A hybrid filler that combines hyaluronic acid with calcium hydroxyapatite in a single product sits between the two groups; I describe it on the HarmonyCa page.
The distinction matters: one supports the architecture of the face, the other supports the skin itself. They can be planned in the same session, but they do not replace each other.
If the aim is not to shape the face but only to support the skin’s hydration and elasticity, filler is not the right tool; that need belongs to mesotherapy, which works with non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid and similar products.
Which treatment for which area
The face works as a whole, but each area has its own anatomical need.
- Lip filler — natural shape, volume and hydration for thin or asymmetric lips.
- Under-eye light filler — for the shadow and tired look created by hollowing beneath the eye.
- Mid-face filler — for lost volume in the front of the cheek.
- Cheekbone filler — to define the outer frame of the face and the bone line.
- Jawline filler — to sharpen the jaw and balance the lower face.
- Chin filler — to bring a recessed chin forward and balance the profile.
- Temple filler — for temple hollowing and support beneath the brow tail.
- Nasolabial fold filler — for the deep shadow running from the nose to the corner of the mouth.
- Non-surgical rhinoplasty — to camouflage a dorsal hump and support the tip.
Cheekbone or mid-face?
These two are often confused. They do different things.
Mid-face filler addresses the front of the cheek, the apple. It replaces lost volume and softens a tired expression. Cheekbone filler addresses the outer line of the face, over the bone. It creates contour and shadow and carries tissue upward.
In most cases they are planned together. Which one takes priority is decided at consultation, and more often than not only the part that restores balance is needed, not the full correction.
Planning by age
Twenties and thirties. The approach is preservation and proportion. Small refinements to lips, chin or jawline are usually enough. The thing I say most often at this age is that nothing is needed.
Forties and fifties. Bone and fat loss becomes more evident. The aim is to carry tissue upward with cheekbone and temple support, soften the nasolabial shadow, and produce a rested expression.
Later years. Volume support is planned alongside treatments that improve skin quality. Filler alone does not deliver the expected result if the quality of the tissue itself is not addressed.
How the treatment works
- Assessment. Facial proportions, asymmetries and the degree of volume loss are evaluated. I look at the area causing your concern as much as the area you are concerned about.
- Product selection. The product is chosen according to whether the area is load-bearing or soft.
- Application. A needle or a blunt-tip cannula is used depending on the area. The treatment takes about 20 minutes.
The effect is visible immediately. As the mild swelling of the first two to three days settles the result becomes clearer, and it takes two to three weeks to settle fully.
Longevity varies by area and product; with hyaluronic acid fillers it averages 6 to 18 months 12. It is shorter in mobile areas such as the lips and mouth, longer in static areas such as the temples and nose.
Safety and anatomy
The main consideration in filler treatment is placing the product in the correct plane relative to the tissue and the vascular anatomy. For that reason I prefer a blunt-tip cannula in suitable areas, working in the deep plane and advancing slowly. In a large published cohort study, the rate of vascular events in experienced hands was reported as roughly one in 6,400 syringes with a needle and one in 40,000 with a cannula — infrequent with either technique, and less frequent still with a cannula 3. Experience also matters: in the same study, rates were markedly lower among physicians with more than five years of practice. The fact that hyaluronic acid based products can be dissolved if needed provides an additional margin of safety; I explain this on the filler dissolving page.
Aftercare
A few simple points on the first day are enough to keep the result where we planned it:
- Do not apply make-up or cosmetic products to the treated area for the first 24 hours.
- Do not massage or rub the treated area.
- Avoid very hot showers for the first 24 hours, and saunas and steam rooms for the first week.
- Avoid heavy exercise and intense cardio for the first week.
- Avoid alcohol on the day of treatment, and do not smoke for the first 4 hours.
- Drink plenty of water; hyaluronic acid binds water in the tissue, which helps the result settle.
Short-lived mild redness, tenderness or a small bruise may appear at the injection points; these resolve on their own within a few days. Because an allergic reaction can occur rarely, treatments are carried out under medical supervision.
What we review together at your consultation
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Active skin infection or an unhealed wound in the treatment area
- Known hypersensitivity to filler components
- The active phase of an autoimmune condition, if you have one
- Permanent filler previously placed in the same area
- Your current medication and general health
If one of these applies to you, we plan a more suitable alternative rather than the treatment.
Planning your visit
The clinic is in Nişantaşı, Şişli, Istanbul, about 45 minutes from Istanbul Airport. A stay of 2–3 days covers arrival, consultation and treatment, and departure. Injectable fillers need no recovery period; mild swelling may last two to three days, so if you have an event we plan the appointment around it. I do not commit to a plan over messages: we speak before you travel so you know what is realistic, and we confirm it in person on the day. Flying is usually fine 24 hours after an injectable treatment. Remote follow-up and contact are provided, and consultations are held in English.
Frequently asked questions
How long does filler last?
With hyaluronic acid fillers it averages 6 to 18 months. The area is the deciding factor: 6 to 12 months in the lips, 9 to 12 months under the eyes and in the nasolabial folds, around 12 months in the mid-face, and 12 to 18 months in the cheekbones, jawline, chin, temples and nose 12.
Will my face look swollen or artificial?
The overfilled look comes from placing product in the wrong plane and in greater quantity than the area can carry. When I place product deep, on bone or in the deep fat layer, the face is not widened forwards — it is supported upwards. My own approach is to suggest less than what is asked for, and I frequently recommend reducing the amount at consultation.
Is the treatment painful?
Most of the fillers I use contain lidocaine, so the area begins to numb from within as soon as the treatment starts. I apply topical anaesthetic beforehand. For lip treatments, in patients who are particularly anxious about the procedure, I can also use a regional block — anaesthesiology is my specialty, so this is familiar ground. Most patients describe pressure rather than pain.
Can I wear glasses afterwards, and how should I sleep?
Sleeping on your back on the first night, ideally with your head slightly elevated, reduces swelling and helps the product settle. Heavy-framed glasses press on the bridge of the nose, the cheekbones and the under-eye area; if any of these were treated I recommend a break for the first few days. The exact duration depends on the area and I go through it with you afterwards.
Will I bruise, and can I go back to work?
Bruising is not common when a cannula is used in suitable areas. Mild swelling can last two to three days and is usually not enough to interrupt normal social life. If you have an important event, we plan the appointment around it.
Can filler be dissolved?
Hyaluronic acid based fillers can be dissolved with hyaluronidase. This means that if you are unhappy with a result, or something needs correcting, there is a way back. The detail is on the filler dissolving page.
Can you tell me the price?
Under the applicable regulations, price information cannot be published on our website. The cost of a treatment depends on the product used, the technique chosen and the extent of the treatment. You can call the clinic for detailed information.
References
- Prager W, Wissmueller E, Havermann I, et al. Dermatol Surg. 2012;38(7 Pt 2):1143-1150. PMID: 22759250 PubMed
- Narins RS, Coleman WP 3rd, Donofrio LM, et al. Dermatol Surg. 2010;36(Suppl 3):1800-1808.
- Alam M, Kakar R, Dover JS, et al. JAMA Dermatol. 2021;157(2):174-180.
- Safety and Potential Complications of Facial Wrinkle Correction with Dermal Fillers: A Systematic Literature Review. PMC11766492. PMC
Medically reviewed by Uzm. Dr. Ömer Fatih Şahin, Specialist in Anaesthesiology and Reanimation Published: 22 February 2026 · Last updated: 2026-09-22