Despite their recent surge in popularity, dermal fillers are not new, in fact, it may surprise you to find out that they were first used as early as the 1890s! Many people feel unsure about the use, effectiveness and cost of dermal fillers but here is a quick overview of their history as a treatment and how they have evolved to become one of the most successful and popular cosmetic treatments in the 21st century.

We have been using artificial methods of intervention to plump our skin for over a hundred and twenty years, since the 1890s when doctors started to extract fat from patients’ arms and inject it into their faces to smooth wrinkles. Early on in the 20th century, paraffin wax was experimented with as a substance to be injected into the face, but with disastrous results both in terms of appearance and adverse health effects. Then in the 1940s, injectable silicone emerged as a potential filler with excellent aesthetic results, however, it was subsequently taken off the market as the silicone was found to be leaking around the body, again causing adverse health affects.

From the 1970s onwards, a whole host of new products were developed as the technology advanced. For many years injectable collagen derived from cowhide was used across the industry, until the development of liposuction meant that human fat again became the product of choice, however in the 1980s, widespread concerns about AIDS and other blood diseases lead to human collagens falling out of favour. Hyaluronic acid is now the favoured product as it is man-made but imitates the behaviour of a natural material. Enrolling on cosmetic courses, lip filler courses or signing up for some Botox training or enrolling onto Botox courses will enable you to keep up to date with the latest developments as they happen.