Cleft Scar Filler Draws Patient Praise

Two young women in Wales say dermal fillers for cleft lip scarring have restored their confidence after years of social anxiety and insecurity. Both received the treatment to reduce the appearance of scars left from childhood surgeries. The procedure is currently available through the National Health Service and private aesthetic clinics.

Amber Dorgan, 20, from Neath, was born with a cleft lip and underwent five operations as a child. She also spent years in speech and language therapy. Dorgan now receives free dermal filler for life through The Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate at Morriston Hospital in Swansea. She attributes her current social ease to the treatment.

"Now I feel like I can just go out and talk to anyone, be more social and just be confident," Dorgan said. Before the filler, she described herself as shy and prone to anxiety when leaving the house. She believes the treatment should be available to everyone with a cleft lip because it improves happiness and self-esteem.

Emily Evans, 21, from Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, is a stay-at-home mother of two. She had two surgeries, one as an infant and another at age 10 to smooth her lips. Evans was discharged from cleft services at 17 and was not offered filler at that time. She found the treatment through social media after noticing peers with different facial features.

"Nobody hates anything more than being different," Evans said. She added that she often joked about being bitten by a shark during her school years. Evans believes more people would choose the treatment if it were a more widely known option. She found a practitioner in Somerset who occasionally holds pop-up clinics in Wales.

That practitioner is Summer Rose-Dorland, who runs a clinic in Somerset and works with the non-profit CleftInject. Rose-Dorland qualified four years ago and has completed 20 training courses since. She said some practitioners associated with CleftInject offer first treatments free of charge. She noted that many clients previously felt compelled to stand sideways in photos to hide their scars.

Experts are calling for regulations in the aesthetics industry, which currently lacks specific rules for these treatments. Dr. Neil Brierley, a consultant cleft and plastic surgeon in the West Midlands, said it is important for patients to engage with NHS teams before choosing private care. He warned that filler placement in certain areas can prevent future revisional surgery.

"What we don't want is to have people who are potentially vulnerable who are looking for maybe a quick fix or a solution to feel that they don't have an option to come back to the NHS," Brierley said. He added that while the field is unregulated, many excellent practitioners exist. He advised patients to inform their cleft team of any private treatments to avoid complications.

Dr. Nicola Stock, an associate professor at the University of the West of England, said research indicates a growing interest in dermal fillers among adults with cleft lips. She warned that the aesthetics industry is deliberately targeting this group through social media marketing. Stock said this leaves patients vulnerable to potential harm and exploitation.

Stock recommended that anyone considering treatment research their options and contact their local NHS cleft team or the Cleft Lip and Palate Action charity. Dermal filler is used to restore symmetry and add volume after cleft lip surgery. The condition affects one in every 700 babies born in the UK, and initial surgery typically occurs between three and six months of age.