Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What people ask before they book, and what they ask afterwards. Questions about a specific treatment are answered on that treatment's own page.
Treatment information from
Dr Sultan Hussein, MRCS, member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Booking and cost
Is the consultation free?
No. A consultation is £150, and it comes off the cost of your treatment if you go ahead.
You are paying for Dr Sultan to assess you properly and tell you what he thinks, including when he thinks the answer is no treatment at all.
How do I book?
Send a message through the contact form and the clinic will come back to you to arrange a time.
If you would rather not type it all out, message the clinic on WhatsApp instead. That is also where to send a photograph if you have one.
Is a top-up included?
Yes. Top-ups are included in the fee for your initial treatment, up to two to three weeks after the procedure.
Dr Sultan invites you back for a review within two to three weeks whether you need one or not, so he can see how the result has settled.
What it is like
Will people know I have had something done?
Apart from the first 24 to 72 hours after fillers, while there is still swelling, no.
People tend to comment on your skin rather than work out what has changed.
Are fillers painful?
Discomfort is minimal. Dr Sultan uses a numbing cream on the skin beforehand and the smallest needles available in medicine.
When will I need a top-up?
A wrinkle treatment lasts around three months. Fillers last six to twelve.
Both depend on your own metabolism and how active you are, so the range is real rather than a hedge.
Safety
Are wrinkle treatments safe?
Allergic reactions are extremely rare. Discomfort afterwards is usually limited to bruising, and Dr Sultan recommends paracetamol and an ice pack for it.
What about side effects?
Like any medicine there can be side effects, and not everybody gets them. Most are harmless and pass.
You may feel the needle going in. Some people bruise or bleed a little at the injection sites.
Very rarely, an anti-wrinkle injection can cause muscle weakness away from where it was injected. If anything worries you, contact the clinic and you will be seen without delay.
What can I do about swelling?
Ice packs, arnica and paracetamol.
Swelling after filler can get worse over the first 24 hours before it settles over the following few days. The product may feel firm or uneven while that is happening, and the two sides may not match. Judge the result at two weeks, not at two days.
Afterwards
How soon do anti-wrinkle injections work?
They usually start working in two to three days, and take up to fourteen days for the full effect.
How quickly depends on the strength of your facial muscles and how you respond. The result lasts roughly four months.
What should I avoid after anti-wrinkle injections?
For four hours: stay upright and do not bend over more than you have to.
For twelve hours: no extreme facial expressions, no heavy drinking, no make-up.
For two days: do not rub or massage the treated area, because that can move the product into nearby muscles. No exercise.
For two weeks: no strong sun, no saunas, no extreme cold, and no facials or facial massage.
What should I avoid after dermal filler?
Most people carry on with their day. You may have redness, pin-prick marks, some swelling, particularly in the lips, and possibly bruising. Both can look worse the next day than they did on the day.
No make-up for twelve hours.
For fourteen days avoid alcohol, hard exercise, sunbathing and extremes of heat or cold. All of them make swelling worse and make it last longer.
Bruising can take a few days to come out. Arnica helps it clear. Avoid aspirin and alcohol for the first 12 to 48 hours.
Contact the clinic if redness, tenderness, itching or swelling is getting worse after three days rather than settling.
Anything athletes should know?
Some ingredients in these products can show up on an anti-doping test. If you compete, say so before you are treated.
How should I plan around an event?
Book at least two weeks before anything that matters.
Avoid alcohol and anti-inflammatory painkillers before your appointment. Both make bruising more likely.
Still not answered
Every treatment page carries its own questions, and the glossary explains the words. If none of it covers what you want to know, ask Dr Sultan directly.
Please read These answers describe Dr Sultan's treatments in general terms. They are not medical advice and they are not a diagnosis. What is right for you can only be decided by Dr Sultan after he has examined you. If you are unwell, or under the care of another doctor, tell him before you book.