Help us make Dermal Fillers safer........SIGN OUR PETITION 

We’re terrified the public will be harmed by unqualified people injecting contaminated or counterfeit filler after a law change unintentionally removed all regulations!

Did you know that dermal filler can cause serious problems like blindness, stroke and disfigurement in the wrong hands? 

We need to keep you safe! Please sign this petition to Health Minister, David Clarke, calling for filler treatments to be limited to trained health professionals like doctors, nurses and dentists. 

The photo is of Carol Bryan who was treated by a doctor overseas with silicon. Silicon is a permanent filler. NZSCM advises against permanent filler and few trained injectors in NZ use them. However since deregulation, there has been a case in NZ of a member of the public self injecting permanent filler.

We are fearful that deregulation will lead to more problems with untrained injectors who don’t understand the risks. Carol has agreed to the use of her image. She now campaigns for better regulation of dermal fillers and has helped by approaching the NZ Ministry of Health to reinstate filler regulation.

Find out more about Carol’s recovery at savingfaceinitiative.com

SIGN OUR PETITION HERE

" Beauty treatments...but some of the results are quite ugly." Regulations are struggling to keep up with reality.

TV 3 Newshub item airing our concerns for better regulations around dermal fillers.

newshub Feb 2019 from NZSCM on Vimeo.

Rare Risks of Filler Treatments

Yes You Can Suffer Blindness and Stroke From Filler Treatment.

Not many people know that blindness is a rare risk of filler treatment. Even fewer know there is also a risk of stroke.

It is rare these days for patients not to be told of the risk of the risk of vascular occlusion. This uncommon complication (about one in 1,000 treatments) develops when the needle or cannula used to inject filler finds its way into one of the arteries supplying blood to the face.

If filler is injected into part of one of these arteries it can block part of the blood supply to the face.This is usually recognised straight away or within a few hours and able to be treated with a series of filler dissolving injections.

If all the filler is dissolved inside of five days permanent tissue death and scarring can be avoided. Read more here 

NZSCM's Six Top Tips for Safe Dermal Filler Treatments.

Did you know that the use of dermal fillers isn't well regulated in NZ?

That means you need to be cautious about who you choose to have treatment with. Click here for our advice on  How do you know if your injector is safe and well trained?

NZSCM's Six Top Tips for Safe, Effective Laser and IPL Treatments. 

If you're considering a laser or IPL to improve your skin, we have important advice to make sure you're safe.

In New Zealand , there are no regulations to stop untrained people from using lasers and IPL machines. To keep safe, you'll need to pick your operator carefully and ask the right questions yourself. Click here to see what to look out for.

In the media:

How fillers nearly cost one woman her face and nearly her life.

Sydney woman Jenny Winnall had been receiving Botox for years when she decided to try fillers.

"I had been sick and I had lost a lot of weight in my face," she tells 9Honey. "I'd had Botox by the same doctor."

Jenny began receiving regular injections for years, until 2013 when a lump formed on her face.

"I noticed a lump had appeared on my cheek," she says. "I was really concerned.". 

Read Jenny's story here: https://honey.nine.com.au/2018/11/17/10/23/cosmetic-procedure-risks

NZSCM would advise 

This article describes a problem with a permanent filler, Acquamid. It’s said that “permanent fillers cause permanent problems”. NZSCM agrees, and we advise both patients and our members against using permanent fillers. 

Permanent fillers can cause problems like infection many years after placement, and are difficult to remove, often requiring disfiguring surgery. 

This is not the case with hyaluranon fillers. Hyaluranon fillers are quite different. They can be easily removed with a dissolving enzyme called hyaluronidase. This gives hyaluranon fillers a high level of safety when used correctly by a well-trained injector. 

For peace of mind, check if your injector is a member of NZSCM. Our NZSCM doctors have completed two years of training in cosmetic treatments and follow the highest standards of patient safety and care. NZSCM is the only qualification in NZ that is recognised by the Medical Council of New Zealand.

You can see if your injector is a member of NZSCM click here

The appearance medicine industry is bracing for change

Donna-Marie Lever: 1 News reporter 13th August 2018 

The appearance medicine industry is bracing for change as it deals with an increasing number of Asian clients wanting to Westernise their faces. The rules around who can apply dermal filler is also set to be tightened, because of the threat of rare, but serious health risks.

Asian aesthetics was a major discussion topic at the New Zealand Society of Cosmetic Medicine (NZSCM) conference in Queenstown over the weekend, attracting more than 220 doctors and nurses from the industry.

Hans Raetz, President of the NZSCM says, "We've certainly seen an increase over the past few years of five per cent a year on the year before. We estimate around 20 per cent of our clients are now of Asian extraction."
Popular procedures include reshaping of noses, lips, eyelids and cheeks using dermal filler - but it comes with risks.

"If you inject into this area and you hit one of the arteries or veins you can cause issues at the back of the eye that can cause blindness." Dr Raetz told 1 NEWS. read more here