Looking wan and withered like a prune? Consider filling in the blanks, so to speak, by plumping up your craters and cavities with facial fillers containing hyaluronic acid spheres – yes, that same mighty moisture magnet found in everything from the lightest of lotions to the creamiest of cold creams.

Now, when it comes to injectables, it’s absolutely imperative to do your research – you wouldn’t want to wind up looking like a battered burn victim the next day at work. To that end, yours truly has picked the brains of a few aesthetic experts for their advice on one of the most effective anti-ageing treatments available today – fillers are well and truly my newfound skin saviours!

Of course, crucial caveats apply: This story doesn’t sub for a proper sit-down with a qualified aesthetician, for one, and the onus is on you to select an SMC-registered practitioner. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, it’s time for the fun stuff – needles and bloodshed!

Be a prudent patient and always ask your physician what sort of filler he or she is intending to use on your face – you’re better off playing it safe with non-permanent and reversible hyaluronic acid or collagen fillers, as these contain a failsafe option in the form of enzyme injections to dissolve any defective lumps and bumps. Permanent fillers, on the other hand, are a dicey dare best not taken, as you don’t have the luxury of a “backspace key” if anything goes awry.

The “beauty” of this minimally invasive treatment, so to speak, is the near absence of downtime: You can conceivably sneak out during your lunch break and be back in an hour with your colleagues being none the wiser for it.

Of course, some swelling and bruising is par for the course, especially if you’re getting work done around sensitive spots like your peepers and puckers, but it’s nothing a judicious dab of concealer won’t solve. That said, it’s incredibly important that you do your research and select a qualified doctor who can handle any complications which may arise. If you notice any lingering lumpiness, persistent pain or changes in vision – touch wood! – seek medical attention immediately.

As versatile a treatment as any, opt to have your full face fixed, or spot-correct regions requiring a little smoothing and softening: The haggard hollows encircling your eyes; dimpling around the décolletage; or the back of your hands, if you’re a woman of the well, Madonna persuasion.

“Eye” especially love injecting the indentations under the eye for a beautifying boost. Here’s a quick test to see if you’re a good candidate: Simply peer down into a mirror placed flat on a table. If you spy shadowy and sunken hollows under your eye, a judicious shot of non-permanent filler injected deep into the dermis in that region (impress your doctor by referring to it as the “tear trough”) can replace lost volume and make you appear like you’ve been enjoying a solid eight hours of sleep daily. How’s that for a shot of instant gratification?

Glad you asked. Another (pun alert) cutting-edge facial filler technique makes use of tiny doses of hyaluronic acid to simulate the dewy K-Beauty effect that’s bang on-trend right now. Said to steep your skin with a thirst-quenching torrent of moisture, this so-called “skin-boosting” method involves multiple micro-injections of non-permanent filler all over the face.

This novel form of filler placement promises a beguiling boost in plumpness that’s incredibly subtle and well-nigh undetectable – your skin, only better, with the sort of lit-from-within dewiness that’s the very definition of Mul-guang, or watery glow. In other words, you can expect firmer skin that’s glistening and glowy 24/7, with none of that telltale tautness that’s a mark of “over-filling.”

Right, then. Had your fill of fillers? Have fun lifting your spirits and your skin, and continue fighting the good fight against gravity!

Medical advice courtesy of A/Prof Vincent Yeow and medical director Dr Por Yong Chen from Dream Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery Singapore.

Text: Eugene Quek, Her World Plus / Additional Reporting: Arissa Ha

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