Belotero Thai label

The maker says the Belotero range uses Dynamic Cross-Linking Technology. Anteis SA is a Swiss company that Merz acquired in November 2013, and Merz sells the range in more than 90 countries.

According to the Belotero Balance Lidocaine instructions, one carton holds a leaflet, one pre-filled glass syringe of ready-to-use gel, two traceability labels and two sterile needles, all for single use.

The volume and syringe count are printed on each model's carton, and the Soft, Balance and Intense cartons read 1 x 1 ml. Only the gel is sterile, not the outside of the syringe.

The U.S. FDA calls filler injection a medical procedure, not a cosmetic treatment, and advises against injecting it yourself. It says the main serious risk is unintended injection into a blood vessel, which can cause tissue death, vision problems or stroke. Choose a doctor experienced in dermatology or plastic surgery, and contact the treating doctor straight away if anything unusual happens after treatment.

Tell the doctor about allergies to any ingredient, to products made by bacterial fermentation, and to amide-type local anaesthetics such as lidocaine if the chosen model contains it. Also mention infection or inflamed skin at the site, a history of cold sores, pregnancy or breastfeeding, medicines and supplements, and earlier fillers.