Dermal Filler Aftercare

It is important to follow instructions about dermal filler aftercare.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.

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.

Vascular laser is also an option for the treatment of 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.

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.