Dermal Fillers

When it comes to treatment with dermal fillers, every patient is evaluated on an individual basis. The discretion of our trained medical staff will determine if it is the right time for you to begin filler treatments.

To avoid the risk of any additional irritation, it is recommended to discontinue the use of Retin-A products one week prior to your appointment.

We recommend arriving at your appointment with clean skin free of makeup and lotion. However, the beauty of injectables is that they can be quick “lunch-break” appointments that fit right into the middle of your day. For your convenience, we have everything in the office needed to clean your skin and wipe off makeup prior to your appointment. After, it is advised that you avoid putting makeup back on for a few hours to reduce the risk of skin breakouts.

When properly placed, cheek or mid face filler is meant to help define and contour facial features. Puffiness may occur temporarily after treatment due to swelling but should subside within a couple of days as the product settles.

Once you have healed for a couple of days and the filler settles, the finished product should be smooth, defined, and well-hydrated lips.

It is possible that a filler can move within the area it was injected, but it is not likely. After your treatment, we will make sure the product is lying smooth under your skin and not lumpy. For the first 24 hours after dermal filler treatment, it is advised that strenuous activity be avoided to help expedite the healing process.

JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® dermal fillers are considered temporary because they are hyaluronic acid-based. Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are broken down and metabolized out of the body naturally over a period of approximately six to 18 months.

Mild bruising is one of the most common side effects of dermal fillers. The good news is that if bruising does occur, it should only last a couple of days and has no impact on the overall results of your treatment.

Below are simple recommendations to help reduce your chances of bruising:

• Avoid taking NSAID medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, Aleve®, Advil®, etc. for three to five days prior to AND after your appointment.
• Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before and after your treatment.
• Taking Arnica Montana (commonly known as just Arnica) for four to five days before and after your appointment can help keep bruising to a minimum. This natural supplement can be found over the counter at most health food stores.
• Apply ice or cold compresses after treatment.

Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are known for their safety and effectiveness. The most commonly seen side effects with HA fillers in the JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® families include redness at the injection site, swelling, lumps/bumps, and bruising. All side effects are generally mild and resolve within three to five days.

Many patients report little to no pain during or after their filler injections. Depending on the area you are having treated, we may offer to apply topical numbing cream prior to treatment. Immediately following treatment, ice will be applied to the treated area to provide comfort for any soreness that may be present.

At the end of your appointment, we will make sure all of the product is lying smooth under the skin. There is no need for you to perform any additional massaging after the appointment.

It is recommended to wait until the following day before applying anything to the skin after your injectables appointment. This will give the needle puncture sites time to close and heal, reducing the chances of skin breakouts or irritation.

It is best to wait one to two weeks after your dermal filler appointment before receiving any other facial service. This will ensure that the skin has healed completely and the product placed has taken complete effect.

If you are unsure if your additional service may interfere with the results of your dermal filler, just give us a call!