Filler Post Care

Most patients have no problems after facial filler treatments. Overall, it is extremely safe and very satisfying! Fillers cannot always last as long as desired or improve wrinkles as much as hoped. Fillers do not “get rid” of all your wrinkles. Patients should expect “significant improvement” not complete wrinkle removal. If the patient doesn’t get the results may want, often the answer is more filler. This means purchasing more products. This is not a problem; extra filler can be safely added shortly after the first treatment or at any time. It usually leads to improved results and increased satisfaction. If extra product is needed to get the desired result, the office strives to give you the best price for the needed filler.

General Care After Fillers:

• Bruising and Swelling – ice as much as possible for the first several days. 20 min. on and 20 min. Off – 5 times a day. Extra icing can help.
• Headache Pain or Pain at Injection Site – Tylenol or Motrin usually is all that is required.
• Redness, Welts, and Itching – Benadryl is best. This is available over the counter.
• Lumps or Bumps: Massage the area with constant pressure for 2 minutes. Repeat 4-5 times a day.
• Results – Understand Realistic Results. Additional treatment requires more product and has an additional expense.

Facial Fillers may cause:

• Bruising and Swelling – recovering from fillers such as Juvederm is usually extremely easy. Most people have minimal to no bruising and can resume normal activity immediately. Occasionally, someone gets unlucky and gets more bruising. Although disappointing, it is important to understand it will not affect the results of the filler. It just takes time for the bruising to resolve. Makeup can be used to hide the bruising following these procedures.
• Headache or Pain—Headache or pain at the injection area can also happen after fillers. This is usually very little and goes away quickly. We recommend Tylenol or Motrin for this kind of headache or pain.
• Redness, Welts, and Itching—Minor redness or welts can occur after filler such as Juvederm. Sometimes, it will cause itchiness as well. This is normal, and please do not worry. Benadryl is recommended for this problem and its symptoms.
• Lumps or Bumps – this sounds scary but is common. Most lumps are just fluid or some bruising from the injection and will get better quickly. If you feel lumpy spots, push on the spot with continual pressure for about 2 min. Repeat this 4-5 times a day. This is called “massage” and helps resolve bruising, swelling, or lumpiness. In extremely rare cases, a product can dissolve the hyaluronic acid in fillers. This is also easy and works great. It is not very common to need this after cosmetic facial fillers.
• Results – It is extremely important to have realistic expectations of the results of fillers. Most patients are extremely happy with fillers for cheeks, fillers for lips, fillers for folds, and other facial filler uses. However, fillers do not “get rid” of your wrinkles. The patient should expect “significant improvement,” not complete wrinkle removal. If the patient doesn’t get the desired results, the answer is often more filler. This means purchasing more products. Some people should know that surgery might be better than filler. If the results aren’t as much as they want or desire, a cosmetic facelift or eyelid procedure might be another choice or better option. This surgery can give rejuvenation on a much bigger scale with fillers. Please do not hesitate to ask us about these procedures.

Fillers are gradually absorbed and don’t always last as long as desired. Fillers last a different amount of time for each individual. Usually, they last between 9 and 12 months. How long fillers last does not depend on the doctor but on how quickly you absorb them. It isn’t bad if it is absorbed early; it’s just how quickly your body metabolizes it. In this case, it can be disappointing, but nothing is wrong. Additional products can be purchased, and that is usually the answer. It can be safely added anytime and usually gets better results and satisfaction.

If you have any additional concerns after treatment, please don’t hesitate to call our office.