Dermal Filler Aftercare
It is important to follow instructions about dermal filler aftercare.
For detailed information, please see the instructions from one of the most popular worldwide providers of dermal fillers.
Immediately after your dermal filler treatment you may notice a few of the following things:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Red needle puncture marks
- Asymmetry
- Tenderness
- Itching in the area
These issues above are common with dermal filler aftercare, and should resolve over the next few days to weeks. Your final result will be seen at about 4 weeks after treatment, and you can be reviewed to see if further treatments are required to achieve the planned results.
Immediately after the injections you face will be cleaned. You should not touch your face for 6 hours. After this you may clean your skin with water and a gentle cleanser.
If you would like to apply makeup after 6 hours, there are brands like Oxygenetix, which have been created for this purpose, although it is ideal to avoiding makeup on the day of the procedure
Things to avoid:
- Do not expose the area to intense heat (eg solarium or sauna)
- Avoid pressure on the treated areas for the first few nights (i.e. sleep on back of possible)
- Avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours.
- Avoid alcohol for 24 hours
- Do not use AHA, Retinols/Vitamin C therapy or oil based make-up for 24 hours
- Avoid facials, facial waxing, Glycolic or AHA peels, IPL or energy based treatments and microdermabrasion for two weeks after treatment. Please check with your physician before undergoing other facial treatments within this time
Pain relief
Pain is usually mild and sometimes moderate after filler injections. There are areas which can be quite painful like the chin and the lips. Pain relief such as paracetamol may be taken as directed by your Physician
Swelling relief
Apply a cool compress for 10 minutes every hour on the day of treatment (do not apply ice directly on your skin). A cool compress applied regularly for the first 24 hours after injections may help to reduce the amount of swelling. Some patients use arnica before and after treatment to reduce the swelling.
Bruising relief
Patients on aspirin, fish oil or other drugs associated with increased bruising may find their risk increased. For the treatment of bruising, there are over the counter treatments available, including Bruderm and Hirudoid.
Vascular laser is also an option for the treatment of bruising.
Some patients take Bromelaine as a preventative for bruising.
Massage
Massage of the filler areas may or may not be advised by your doctor. Gentle massage may be used once the pain and tenderness has resolved and if advised by your doctor.
Cold sores and dermal filler
There may be a small chance that a treatment may induce an outbreak of facial cold sores in patients with a previous history.
Some patients take preventative Lysine or antivirals to help reduce the risk of cold sores. If you get cold sores after a treatment, you should see your doctor.
Aesthetic review
Reviewing the results of dermal filler should be performed at 4 weeks (except for cosmetic emergencies like infection or vascular occlusions, which should be reviewed immediately)
Reviewing prior to 4 weeks is not useful as there is often a small amount of swelling still present, so the results cannot be judged until this has resolved. This is particularly important with regards to symmetry. Symmetry should not be reviewed prior to 4 weeks.
Retreatment
Retreatment should occur at any time between 1-6 months after a first treatment. Once peak filler has been achieved, and the patient is on maintenance injections, they might have filler once per year.
Complications
Cosmetic complications include vascular occlusion and infection. Vascular occlusions mostly occur in the treatment chair, and doctors are able to see that they are happening and treat them. An area may go white, or there may be an area of skin that looks like fishnet stockings, or there may be skin discolouration in a distant area where the skin wasn’t injected. After an occlusion, there may be an area that has small blisters on the skin. If the doctor is concerned then they will need to check the capillary return of the skin. If patients see any of these things on their skin, they should call their prescribing doctor immediately.
Early infections may occur after a few days after the treatment. The patient might notice increasing redness, tenderness, swelling, pain, heat, nodules or pus. Patients should see their doctor if this occurs.
Lip filler After care
Lip dermal filler aftercare needs a special mention: When the lips are injected, the upper lip tends to swell much more than the lower lip and often patients think that their upper lip has had too much filler injected into it. Once the swelling calms down, they realise this is not the case. The typical ratio that most people choose for their lip proportion is 40% in the upper and 60% in the lower, so most likely the upper lip is going to be smaller than the lower lip once the swelling resolves (unless the patient has asked for a less natural-appearing lip).
Please see our lip filler aftercare page
Temple fillers
Headaches are common after temple biostimulator injections. Panadol should be used to treat them if required. Often the veins in the temple protrude and become more obvious temporarily after fillers.
Jawline fillers
Often you may feel dermal filler lumpiness along the jawline. This will resolve over the next few weeks as the filler integrates with the skin
Forehead fillers
Lumpiness is a common issue after forehead fillers. Several treatments may be required to achieve the best results on the forehead
Concerns after filler treatment
If you are concerned post-treatment, please call your clinic. If you are unable to contact your clinic or your doctor and you are concerned that it is an emergency, please visit the emergency department of your local hospital.