Will I bruise after Injectables?
Bruising occurs when blood vessels are punctured by the needle used to inject. It should be expected that there will be some degree of bruising whenever we have an injection. This is for both medical or cosmetic injections. Our faces are full of blood vessels, some we can see but most we cannot see.
Our practitioners avoid the ones that are visible, however, they cannot always avoid those they cannot see. It is not realistic to expect no bruising when undergoing any injectable treatment.
How long will the bruise last?
This will depend on your body’s tendency to bruise as well as the severity of the bruise. The bigger the bruise the longer it may take. On average we can expect most bruises to settle by 7 days however, for some it may take 14 days.
Can I minimise my bruising?
There are a few things you can do to minimise your bruising, these include not drinking alcohol the night before your treatment, avoiding anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen, fish oil, aspirin and vitamin E. All these things should be avoided (unless under medical advice)at least 72 hours prior to your treatment. If you are on any of these, please discuss with your prescribing doctor.
Arnica tablets can also be taken the day before, the day of and the day after your treatment to minimise swelling and bruising. Ice maybe used at the time of injecting.
Is swelling a complication?
Swelling is your body’s natural response to treatment/trauma in the area. This is your body’s way of trying to repair itself. Swelling is completely normal. The degree of swelling will however, vary from person to person. Swelling will start to subside after 3 days however, it may take 4 weeks to completely resolve. Some patient’s swelling takes longer to resolve than others
Can I do anything to reduce swelling?
As previously mentioned arnica is a natural supplement and this can aid in improving swelling. We also recommend ice or a cool compress which will reduce inflammation post treatment. Avoiding excessive heat post treatment is will also help reduce swelling. Saunas and sweaty gym sessions should be avoided for 24 hours after your injectable treatment as the inflammation may be prolonged if exposed to heat.
Concerning Signs and Symptoms after Filler Injection
There are a number of signs and symptoms that you should have reviewed urgently, these can include the following:
- Signs of infection including, redness, tenderness, swelling, pus, pain, heat
- A white area or a darker or grey area of skin
- An area of skin that looks different (eg darker/greyer/whiter/red that is not at the site of injection
- A netted or motley or honeycomb pattern of skin
- The “Capillary Return” of skin is affected, ie when you press the skin, it goes white and then colour is slow to return compared with the unaffected side or other areas of skin.
- A difference in temperature of the skin
- Severe pain
- Blistering
- Small white pustules
If any of above occurs, please review immediately. In the case of visual disturbance it is a medical emergency.
Should I call the clinic?
If you are concerned, please call the clinic on 93315005 and organise a review.