Dermal Filler Pre & Post Care Instructions

Pre-Treatment Instructions

• Plan this treatment at least 2 weeks before any important event to allow adequate time for possible swelling and bruising to subside.
• Medications or supplements that may increase your risk of bleeding should be avoided 3-7 days before treatment. These include, but are not limited to, anticoagulant medication, antiplatelet medication, aspirin, aspirin-containing medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, fish oil, flaxseed, garlic, Ginkgo Biloba, ginseng, omega 3 fatty acids, St. John’s Wort, and vitamin A or E. You should consult with your physician before discontinuing anything prescribed or recommended by your physician.
• Stop drinking alcohol 1-2 days before injections.
• Consider taking Arnica the day of treatment.
• If you have a history of cold sores of Herpes Simplex Virus, you may be recommended to take an antiviral medication before treatment.
• Eat a meal or light snack before treatment. Notify the clinician if you have a needle phobia, prior to treatment. This allows the clinician to take the appropriate precautions to ensure your treatment is as comfortable as possible.

Post-Treatment Instructions

• Avoid touching the treated area for 6 hours. After that, light makeup can be applied and the area can be gently washed with soap and water.
• Immediately after the treatment, there may be slight redness, swelling, tenderness, and an itching sensation in the treated area. This is a normal result of the injection. The inconvenience is usually temporary and generally disappears in less than 6 hours after injection into the skin and less than 1-2 days after injection into the lips. Occasionally the initial swelling after lip treatment may last longer. Occasionally some patients experience swelling for about 1 week and the lips can look somewhat uneven during this time. This means that the result directly after the treatment should not be seen as the final result. 
• If you have swelling, apply cold compresses to the treatment area for 5-10 minutes every hour as needed.
• If you have previously suffered from facial cold sores, there is a risk that the needle punctures could contribute to another eruption of cold sores.
• If you have any pain, you may take Tylenol.
• Avoid alcohol for 24 hours after treatment.
• Avoid strenuous activities 1-2 days after the procedure. Walking is acceptable.
• No excessive sun or heat until any initial swelling and redness have resolved.
• Avoid squeezing or massaging the treated areas for several hours after treatment as this could subtly change the results.
• Apply sunscreen with broadband protection (UVA and UVB) and have a sun protection factor of SPF 30 or more.
• Medications or supplements that may increase your risk of bleeding should be avoided 2-3 days after treatment. These include, but are not limited to, anticoagulant medication, antiplatelet medication, aspirin, aspirin-containing medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, fish oil, flaxseed, garlic, Ginkgo Biloba, ginseng, omega 3 fatty acids, St. John’s Wort, and vitamin A or E.
• This treatment is temporary and the duration of the effect can vary from patient to patient. You may wish to consider additional treatments before the effect has completely dissipated.
• Optimal results are generally achieved with patients who continue treatments routinely.
• Contact the office or seek medical attention if any concerning or unusual side effect occurs.