DERMAL FILLER
AFTER CARE TREATMENT
IMMEDIATELY AFTER DERMAL FILLER TREATMENT YOU MAY NOTICE
• 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 Arnica.
Vascular laser is also an option for the treatment of bruising.
Some patients take Arnica 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.
COSMETIC 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 aesthetician 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 aesthetician if this occurs.
JAWLINE FILLER
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.