Before you get dermal fillers, it’s important to understand the recovery timeline so you can set realistic expectations and get the best results. Here’s what to expect during the recovery process after dermal fillers.
Immediate Aftercare (First Few Hours Post-Treatment)
For the first few hours after your treatment, apply ice to the treated areas 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off. This will help reduce swelling and discomfort. Don’t apply makeup or do anything that could introduce bacteria into the injection sites as this can cause infection. Avoid any activities that increase blood flow to the face like exercise or sauna for at least 24 hours.
First 24 Hours
In the first 24 hours after treatment, patients will often experience significant side effects like redness, swelling, tenderness and bruising at the injection sites. This is normal and means your body is responding to the injections. Continue to use ice packs as needed and take over the counter pain relievers like acetaminophen for discomfort but avoid NSAIDs like ibuprofen as they can increase bruising. Sleeping with your head elevated will also help reduce swelling.
First Week
As you get into the first week after treatment, you will notice a significant decrease in swelling and bruising. This is the critical period where the fillers will settle into their final position in your skin. Keep your skincare gentle – avoid harsh treatments or products that can irritate your skin, focus on hydration through water and moisturizing products. Continue to sleep with your head elevated and don’t put pressure on treated areas.
By the end of this week, most of the immediate side effects should be gone and you can start to see some early results of your fillers. But remember final results may take a few weeks to fully manifest as fillers integrate with natural tissue.
Long-Term Care (After First Week)
To get the most out of your fillers and maintain skin health after treatment, sun protection is key; UV exposure can break down fillers faster. Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen daily and reapply as needed when outside. A consistent skincare routine with antioxidants can also protect against environmental damage and hydration.
Follow-up appointments with your practitioner are necessary to check on the fillers and plan any touch-ups or adjustments based on your results.
Potential Side Effects During Recovery
Most side effects are mild – redness or tenderness – but there are rare but serious complications that can arise and need immediate medical attention. These are signs of infection (increased pain or warmth), filler migration (where the filler moves from its original site) or other unusual symptoms.
Going through each phase of recovery requires patience and following aftercare instructions for a smooth healing process to get long lasting results from dermal fillers.
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