Ashleigh Robinson is a Cosmetic Nurse Practitioner and a health and beauty business owner. She has extensive experience in the cosmetic injectable field as well as delivering professional training for the Cosmetic Professional Development Institute of Australia. Ashleigh is a highly passionate and talented injector, her clients’ satisfaction and safety are paramount, and she strongly believes it is essential to approach each as an individual, working with them to map out tailored treatment plans based on their specific needs. 

Here, Co-Founder of Arnicare, Sam, interviews her sister and Co-Founder, Ashleigh, to share some insights and advice to people who are considering lip fillers for the first time.

Ash, let's use our expertise and your experience of being a clinic owner to squash those first time fears for some of our readers, and support them in maximising results.

Let's do it!

First off a couple of nice and easy questions; Where did you go to school, what is your favourite holiday destination and where did you go to school?

Mexico, because I love the sun. I went to Deakin university right through from completing an undergraduate degree in nursing through to completion of my masters in nursing and becoming a Nurse Practitioner and I used to work in a fish and chip shop back in the day!

I know you make a mean Souva!

Some of our readers might be the nervous nelly type about getting cosmetic injectables of any kind. What are some things a first time patient should be aware of when getting lip filler?

That’s a really good point, a lot of patients come in and are really nervous, that’s actually quite a good thing! It is really important to do your research about the clinic you are going to, making sure your injector has experience using dermal filler, that you are getting an appropriate consultation and assessment, and finally, that they take time to go through what a dermal filler is and how it works. Also make sure they talk to you about the downtime that can be associated with dermal filler.
 
When we talk about down time, what are we referring to?

With dermal filler it is a type of injection, and we are injecting a hyaluronic acid. This can be in the body for a six to 12 month period, so it isn’t just a straight forward procedure. We generally see some localised inflammation immediately and then there can be bruising in and around that lip area, there can also be some pain, tenderness and redness around the area.
 
I noticed you mentioned hyaluronic acid, I know this has been one of the most Googled words in beauty in 2020. What is hyaluronic acid and what is the purpose in dermal filler?
 
Hyaluronic acid is a powerhouse beauty ingredient, you will find it in most skin care products, and it is the primary substance of a dermal filler. Surprisingly, hyaluronic acid is found in our body naturally and provides our joints lubrication and gives our skin that gorgeous glow. As we age, we are naturally losing that hyaluronic acid, our body is naturally breaking it down along with collagen and elastin, all of those key things that give our skin that plumpness and hydration. A dermal filler is a lot longer lasting due to a process called cross-linking, which actually stabilises that dermal filler to stay in the skin for 6-24 months. This provides more plumpness, more definition and more hydration to the lip or cheek area, depending on where it is being injected.
 
So you mentioned 6-24 months, that is quite a variation in time..

Good question, there are lots of dermal fillers on the market and they all have different thickness. Which is another good point, you really want to do a bit of research and see what type of filler is the best for the area being injected, and each practitioner may use a different brand. As I mentioned, there is different types of cross-linking, and something called G prime which refers to the firmness of the filler, so something with a higher G prime is more firm and may be injected into the jaw which will have a longer lifespan up to 24 months whereas a softer filler will last 3–6 months.
 
One thing I am interested in is the variation in lip size, Kylie Jenner’s lips have certainly been a talking point (duck lips). What do I tell my practitioner to avoid such a drastic look?

It should definitely be up to that practitioner to do a thorough assessment on you and your lips, everyone has a different lip shape and size so for those patients that want to achieve a really big lip - 100% we can do that. However, these days people tend to lean towards a more natural looking lip filler result, so it will depend on the filler that the practitioner uses and how many sessions of dermal filler you have. For most first timers 1ml of lip filler is definitely going to be sufficient and will be with a really nice soft filler. I definitely believe less is more and achieving a bigger lip can always be done over time if that is the look you are going for.
 
I have heard about something called a lip flip, is that the same thing as lip filler? Or a combination treatment?

So a lip flip is actually done using botulinum toxin (botox) that is placed around the top of the lip targeting really specific muscles. There are two types of lip flips that may be done. The first one is to treat what is called a “gummy smile” which occurs when the lips are pulled up by a specific muscle beside the nose. We can inject a few units of botulinum toxin and drop that elevator. We can also inject a muscle around the mouth called the obiculis oris to relax it. This can also be combined with a lip filler to provide support and structure to the lip area, and then use an antiwrinkle filler to relax that muscle to create a more fuller lip look.
 
Ahh that makes sense! Now you mentioned downtime earlier. What can we do to reduce downtime associated with lip filler?

There is so many things we can do, one thing to remember is that if you do bruise it is normal. Before your procedure avoid NSAID’s like aspirin, supplements such as fish oil can lead to more bleeding and bruising so avoid for 48hrs pre and also vigorous exercise. One thing I recommend to all my patients is arnica. Arnica cream is a naturally occurring substance that we can use topically to reduce bruising. Combine that with ice to reduce inflammation, or if there is bleeding post treatment it helps reduce this too. The great thing about arnica is that it is also great to use in the days after the procedure when you are no longer using ice for inflammation.
 
Do you stock something in clinic or where can clients get this from?

We have recently begun to stock Arnicare® and our clients are going crazy for it. Arnicare® offers a lip balm and a cream that both contain arnica and other ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and turmeric, which are all great for reducing inflammation. It's Australia’s first for aesthetic medicine. Before Arnicare® we would have to send our clients to the pharmacy for standard arnica creams made for sporting injuries and body bruising, so it is great to have something in clinic for them to use.
 
So, if post-procedure you have applied your arnica cream and used ice and you are still a little bit concerned what would the best course of action be?

I always give my clients an after hours number but also just give the clinic you attended a call and always go back for a follow up to reassure yourself. Unfortunately, though sometimes those bruises can be quite deep if quite a large vessel was hit which can happen, the bruising may last a bit longer. However, using arnica and ice will be a great way to assist with this.
 
Great to chat, Ash, I knew you would have some great advice for our readers! Where can our followers find you?

Always here to help! You can find me at Toxbar in Geelong. I am a Nurse Practitioner so I am the main prescriber for my clinic and we have a lovely team of 15 staff where we do a wide variety of different treatments from dermal filler, antiwrinkle and medical skin treatments and Vitamin infusions.



 
 Special thanks to Toxbar's Ashleigh Robinson for her expert advice. Find out more information about Ashleigh and Toxbar at @toxbargeelong