Fillers are nearly miraculous in their ability to provide results that are quick, cost-effective and relatively painless. There is little downtime and minimal side effects. The only pesky hurdles to enjoying your beautiful results are bruising and swelling, and as always, WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK. We compiled this guide to help you avoid bruising and swelling after fillers. Our aim is to support a positive filler experience so that you are able to meet your beauty and wellness goals without surgery and with as little discomfort as possible!
We must state that, unfortunately, nothing can absolutely guarantee the absence of bruising and swelling. Some people will bruise, even with the best preparation, the best injector, and the best post-filler care. However, if you are diligent in following these tips, you
can walk intoyour next filler appointment confident that you will avoid or at least minimize these pesky side effects.
PREPARATION
Let’s start by discussing preparation. Most of us know to be careful the day before the filler appointment, but full, optimal preparation begins as early as two weeks before you plan to be injected. A little extra planning will help to increase your chances that you will avoid bruising and swelling after fillers.
Avoid medications and supplements that thin the blood for 2 weeks before receiving filler. The following list to avoid is not exhaustive, but it covers the most common culprits. Avoid these and you will likely avoid bruising and swelling after fillers:
- Aspirin
- Exc
edrin - Ibuprofen (Motrin, Aleve, Advil)
- St. John’s Wart
- Fish Oil
- Vitamin E
- Ginko Biloba
- Ginseng
- Fenugreek
- Garlic
Take Arnica for 4-5 days before treatment. Arnica montana derived from a perennial plant in the sunflower family and is likely stocked at your local drug store, grocery store, or homeopathic shop. It is generally taken sublingually or
in pill form, but it can also be applied topically after treatment.
Avoid coffee and green tea for 1-2 days before treatment.
Avoid alcohol for 24 hours both before treatment. Drinking even one glass of wineor one shot of liquor relaxes and opens the blood vessels, increasing risk of bruising and swelling. This is known as vasodilating.
POST-FILLER CARE
The 24-48 hours following your appointment are crucial if you wish to avoid bruising and swelling after fillers. Like preparation, optimal results will be obtained if you extend your post-filler care for about 2 weeks.
Wait 24 hours to apply makeup.
Avoid both sun and heat during the initial swelling phase.
Apply ice packs during and after treatment.
Avoid intense exercise in the first 48 hours following your filler appointment. Light movement should not cause problems, but your favorite cycling class or heavy lifting session should wait a day.
Avoid drinking for 24 hours after treatment. Vasodilating from even one glass or one shot is likely to cause bruising and swelling.
Touch the treated area as little as possible for the first 4 hours following treatment, and absolutely do not rub it.
Avoid applying any pressure after treatment fortwo weeks. This means no massages or facials. After lip fillers, be especially careful when eating and drinking and ditch straws for two full weeks.
Continue taking Arnica for 4-5 days after treatment. You can also apply Arnica gel to the treated area 5 times daily to reduce swelling after treatment.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Although these tips will greatly decrease, shorten, and even eliminate bruising after receiving dermal filler, we recommend scheduling treatment at least 2 weeks prior to any important events or photoshoots.
As always, we recommend starting with our freeconsultation to communicate exactly what you want and learn exactly what to expect. This will also give us a chance to assess you in-person and give personalized instructions and recommendations (such as how Botox or other treatments might work with filler to help you reach your goals).
xoxo Rachel & Ryan
