Fillers are taking over the world! Or at least over the beauty industry. In fact, there is a good argument to be made that the filler has long ago won the battle against traditional plastic surgery, as an effective and quick method for removal of facial wrinkles and enhancement of facial features. Filler procedures are quicker, safer, substantially less invasive, more affordable and more. The list of the advantages that fillers as a solution to help against the signs of aging or perceived imperfections of the facial features, goes on and on. Still, there are certain considerations to be take in account and today we will look how to prevent, possibly, the most common adverse effect of filler treatment – bruising. But before we do, let’s review shat filler are, how they are used and why they are better than more traditional “beautification” methods.
How it used to be done
There are many methods to fight the signs of aging and traditional upkeep using cosmetics has never really fallen out of style in favor of filler treatment. I fact, in many ways, they are complementary, as having a daily routine of skin care can definitely help to rid it of wrinkles or, at the very least make them less visible. Using special dermal solutions can also be a part of the post-filler care, but more on that a bit later.
Still, when it comes to immediate wrinkle removal or some form of aesthetic intervention, then plastic surgery has been the go-to method for many decades, as this point. However, surgery has many-many downsides, and while it still has its place as a form of making yourself look younger and prettier, fillers have gradually taken over, as bruising from beauty injections is a very minor inconvenience, when compared to traditional downsides of surgical beautification, which include:
- Significantly longer down time – while a filler session lasts just 30 minutes and you can continue with your regular schedule afterwards, surgery will always require certain amount of downtime. Safety protocols dictate that a person, who has undergone even a minor surgery, will often have to have a hospital stay of at least three days. And the more
- Much higher risks – plastic surgery is… well… surgery. As any doctor will tell you, any form of surgical intervention, be it aesthetic or health warranted, carries a certain amount of risk. In comparison, fillers are very unlikely to cause adverse reactions beyond bruising, the prevention of which we’ll be discussing today.
- (Very) costly – while the rates of plastic surgeons will vary wildly depending on where you live, you’ll have a hard time finding a “cheap” offering for plastic surgery treatment. And if you do – you’d be wise to stay away. Dermal fillers, on the other hands are affordable, even when using premium brands like Juvederm or Restylane and the combined price point of filler and procedure is much lower and can help most patients to stay within budget.
- Difficult or impossible to reverse results – everybody has seen horror stories about plastic surgery done bad. Sometimes, it’s just the procedure going wrong. Other times it’s the person overdoing the number of procedures. And sometimes it just looks off. The problem is that reversing or “fixing” a plastic surgery gone bad is nowhere near as easy as waiting for (or helping) the filler dissolve or waiting for the bruising from lipolytics on the face to go away, as another example.
Recovery time and postential strong adverse reactions, in particular, are among the main reasons why people have started to opt for filler enhancements, as opposed to plastic surgery. The fact is that bruises after hyaluronic acid injections are only a minor inconvenience, when compared to the post-op recovery beauty surgery usually requires. That being said, as most powerful beauty procedures HA fillers will also create a certain amount of discomfort, bruising and swelling being the most common problems to deal with.
What leads to bruising as a result of injections?
Fillers, be it Hyaluronic acid based or using another core ingredient, are applied directly into the dermis. Regardless of the depth the dermis, the filler is added to (surface, mid or subcutaneous), the procedure itself does lead to some, usually very minor skin reaction.
Bruising is the most common, as the filling process can affect very small blood vessels in the area where the filler is applied. Curiously, often bruises after facial injections resemble those from getting hit after a fall. Fortunately, the actual severity or, to be precise lack thereof, is nowhere close and is in reality is very minor.
Other mild inconveniences that patients will probably have to deal with, include redness, itching and minor post procedure pain and discomfort. These, along with the bruising, will subside very quickly. Normally, in just 48 to 72 hours, a person will be almost completely rid of any visible signs they received fillers treatment. If the procedures was done right, in other words by a skilled dermatologist or other licensed practitioner, then at this point the result is virtually indistinguishable and appears completely natural.
It is, however, recommended that patients, follow certain guidelines and pre and post procedure protocols to ensure their overall skin wellness. As quicks as reactions to using fillers will subside, there is a lot that can be done, that even these minimal inconveniences are limited even further.
A guide to protecting your skin after filler treatments
Below, is a list of the top ten recommendations that professionals would most likely provide any person that is interested in getting filler enhancement and/or anti-age treatment. Most of them fall in the “common sense” category, but it could be a good idea to have them listed, as a simple reminder (or a checklist), just in case you miss something in the excitement of getting your face rejuvenated.
So, here are the most common tips from dermatologists and licensed beauty professionals to avoid bruises after facial injections. All of this will be covered in the preliminary interview professionals do with people, prior treating their skin with fillers:
- Check what medications you’re currently using – certain medical products can increase the risk of bruise formation and make you more prone to it. Even, popular ones like Aspiring and Ibuprofen. Same goes for certain herbal supplements. Your practitioner will possibly recommend temporarily stopping the usage of any non-essential products that might cause blood thinning, as a precaution.
- Avoid drinking alcohol before the procedure – alcohol is a known blood thinner, meaning that it automatically increases the risk of bruising. So, instead of googling “how to quickly remove bruises on the face after injections” post procedure, just don’t drink liquor before it. It’s probably best that you skip on it for a couple of days after, just in case.
- Apply cold compresses on the treated area – cold can help to limit the effects of bruising a lot. Not to mention it will dull any immediate discomfort in the area where the filler was applied and rid you of the unpleasant feeling. While creative solutions like a bag of ice or a pack of frozen peas are popular in the movies, it’s recommended to opt for a good old cold compress or a quick cooling patch, used for sports contusions.
- Use homeopathy (after consultation) – certain homeopathic products can help a lot with bruises and contusions, after sports. These are ideal for calming the area of the HA gel was applied. Most are completely safe and require no prescription, but make sure you consult your dermatologists / licensed practitioner beforehand. They are likely to recommend a specific product.
- Keep your head up while sleeping – the elevated position of your head can help to reduce problems like swelling and bruising. It helps with the blood flow but also makes it less likely you will sleep on your side, which can cause discomfort regardless if you have lip swelling or black eye after injection.
- Be gentle – it probably goes without saying, but if you want to rid yourself from any bruising, redness or swelling caused by getting filler treatment, you need to go easy on the part of your face that was boosted. Don’t touch that spot unless you really have to and only with clean hands. Do not massage the area, unless the specialist has explicitly instructed you to do so.
- Hydrate VERY well – any person should be drinking lots of water, for varios reasons. Our body needs it. One of the negative effects of inadequate body hydration is our skin becomes more prone to bruise. Drink lots of water once your filler has been applied. Any doctor will tell you – it will help a lot.
- Eat healthy food – just like the previous point, you should be doing this regardless. Certain foods can have a profound effect on how prone your skin is to bruising. Unsurprisingly, healthy diets lead to healthy body and healthy bodies are less susceptible to skin bruises. A notable mention goes to pineapples and foods rich in Vitamin K, in general. On the opposite end, your dermatologists / treating beauty professional, will certainly consult you on foods which to avoid.
- Limit exercise for a couple of days – increased physical activity impacts the blood flow of the body and can lead to longer lasting bruises. Limit it for two or three days and, if possible, up to a week, after getting your fillers. Walks and other normal activities are fine, but keep tone things at the gym down. It will help.
- Listen to your practitioner – last, but actually the most important advice. Follow what your doctor or licensed practitioner’s instructions to the letter and you will be fine. If anybody knows better – it’s them. A licensed practitioner will know all about the fillers, possible reactions and how to remove a bruise from an injection. They will develop a pre and post procedure plan you should follow strictly, ensuring you endure minimal discomfort and are rid of brusing and swelling in no time.
These are some of the basics of what to do before getting skin filler or afterwards. Take care to follow the last advice as it is the most important one.
How to prevent bruising after filler injections
Wait didn’t we already answer that? Yes, but there is another aspect that people often miss – the filler itself matters. The quality of the Hyaluronic acid gel or, more precisely, the lack thereof, could be a major factor as to why there are bruises after injections. In the oversaturated beauty market, you’ll definitely need some help to figure out which brands are good. Choosing the right filler is something your doctor, dermatologist or licensed practitioner will help you to do, but you are most certainly free to inquire about a specific product or brand and have them on check it out if they are not acquainted with it. The big brands are the obvious go-to place – Juvederm, Teosyal, Restylane etc. But there are some great and more budget options, that are also worth exploring:
- Neuramis – a quality brand of fillers to begin with, Neuramis has a lower concentration of HA – just 20mg/ml and tends to be softer than most products in the respective class. Perfect for those looking for a softer feel and less bruising, in general.
- Revolax – the most famous brand of HA based fillers to come from Korea, Revolax has earned it’s global fame for offering the same quality, as the Western manufactured brands, for only a fraction of the price. High quality and premium brand of filler, for sure.
- Dermalax – it is essentially, the cousin of the Revolax brand. While a bit lower key, Dermalax offer the same premium quality at similar prices. While differences are minimal, certain adjustments to Revolax’s formula in recent years, have made Dermalax the preferred choice of some specialists and patients.
- Rejeunesse – the Korean Juvederm, Rejeunesse is a high quality, highly effective brand of dermal HA based fillers. Lasting effect and minimal adverse reactions post application make it one of the top choices in the budget segment of the market. Fairly similar to Revolax and Dermalax.
