PRE & POST PROCEDURE CARE
Decide on a suitable time to have your treatment
Check your work schedule and upcoming personal commitments.
Anticipate bruising or swelling and the possibility that people may notice.
Be aware that in some cases, recovery time can be longer than expected.
Consider that anti-wrinkle injections may take 2 weeks to reach full effect.
1 week prior
Avoid over the counter medications or health supplements that may cause blood thinning:
Ibuprofen, aspirin, fish oil, large doses of vitamin e/garlic or gingko biloba
If you are prescribed medication by your doctor that causes blood thinning, advise your treating practitioner but DO NOT stop taking your medication.
48 hours prior
Avoid alcohol as this also has a blood thinning effect and can exacerbate bruising and swelling, resulting in a slower recovery.
The day of Treatment
Be sure to eat a meal and drink plenty of water prior to having your treatment.
If you wish to exercise on the day, please ensure this is at least 3 hours before your appointment. This is to allow enough time for your blood pressure and heart rate to recover, helping to reduce the likelihood of significant bruising and swelling.
Ask lots of questions during your consultation and make sure you are happy with all the answers provided. Let your practitioner know if anything is unclear.
Before your treatment
Ice Packs
Prepare several small ice packs to use following your treatment. Ice packs will help reduce swelling, bruising and discomfort.
Hand Sanitiser
Practice good hand hygiene and avoid touching your face or the treated area for several hours afterwards. This significantly reduces the chances of developing an infection. Hand washing with soap and water can be just as effective if you do not have hand sanitiser.
Antihistamines
Non-drowsy antihistamines can help further reduce swelling, following lip fillers or under eye fillers. I suggest ZYRTEC.
IF YOU ARE PRONE TO ALLERGIES OF ANY SEVERITY PLEASE TAKE A ZYRTEC JUST BEFORE OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER TREATMENT.
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO SCARE YOU, JUST TO ASSIST YOU TO HAVE AN UNEVENTFUL COMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE
Antivirals
These are recommended for patients receiving lip fillers and who experience regular cold sores. Your practitioner can recommend suitable medication that does not require a prescription.
Essential items
If your preference is to stay at home while you recover to reduce the chance of other people knowing what you have had done, make sure you are well stocked with everything you need so you can avoid extra trips to the grocery store.
Things to have handy after your Treatment
Follow the instructions of your practitioner!
General things to consider
Avoid touching the treated area for several hours afterwards to avoid infection. If you do need to touch your face or the treated area, wash your hands first and be gentle.
Side effects are normal and must be anticipated
Most side effects are caused by the needle or cannula and not by the injectable product. The mechanical action of piercing the tissues results in a mild trauma which stimulates a healing response by the body.
This may include redness, swelling, bruising and discomfort, all of which usually resolve spontaneously after a few days.
The treatments that are most likely to cause this are DERMAL FILLERS, FAT DISSOLVER, PDO THREADS, PRP and the COLLAGEN STIMULATOR.
If you have any concerns, please contact me ASAP
PH 0457722081
Managing swelling, bruising and discomfort
Ice packs are the most effective treatment for this.
Ice packs should be used for 10 mins every half hour, for the first few hours.
Ice packs can be beneficial over the next few days if swelling persists.
Paracetamol can be considered for ongoing discomfort which is not relieved by an ice pack. Non drowsy antihistamines can be useful for reducing swelling.
Bruise creams ie Arnica can be sourced from a pharmacy and may slightly reduce the duration of a bruise.
Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that has beneficial effects on swelling and bruising and can be considered as an additional way to potentially manage those side effects.
Drink at least 2L of water per day to ensure your body can function properly and heal the treated area as quickly as possible. Dermal fillers also draw in water and being well hydrated will help them to even out and look their best.
Swelling and bruising can make the treated area appear uneven. Do not be concerned as this generally settles once the side effects have resolved
Massage
Massage is often not required but may be recommended by your practitioner depending on what treatment you had. It is normal to feel firmness under the area that has been treated with fillers, however this will subside over several weeks as the filler integrates with the tissues. Massage should only be commenced if a bump of filler is visible and preferably once tenderness and surrounding swelling has resolved.
Lip filler is the most common area to experience small bumps in the few days following treatment. These is often due to the lip stretching and animating with expression and speech.
Most bumps will settle naturally without massage and should not cause concern. If any bumps are visible, then massage can be used several times a day to mould the filler and encourage it to sit more deeply in the lip tissue.
The collagen stimulator treatment does require massage following the treatment. The massage protocol is 5 mins, 5 times a day for 5 days. This is a very specific massage protocol which is only for collagen stimulator treatment. Your practitioner will demonstrate how to do this.
Things to avoid
Avoid applying firm pressure to any treated areas following dermal fillers. Pressure can flatten the gels and lessen the lifting effect on the skin.
This should be adhered to for at least 3 days
Avoid heat, sun exposure, sun beds, spas, saunas and exercise for 48 hours following treatment. These things will increase bruising and swelling and slow your recovery.
Avoid smoking for 48 hours following dermal fillers, especially lip and perioral fillers. Smoking reduces oxygen and blood flow which impairs circulation and wound healing – this increases the risk of infection. Additionally, the pressure and heat from drawing back on a cigarette can melt lip filler causing an uneven result.
Avoid wearing makeup and skin products (other than gentle cleansers, mineral based makeup and un-fragranced moisturisers) for 24 hours.
Applying these too soon can increase the chance of infection.
Avoid facials and beauty treatments, such as micro-dermabrasion, for several days or until any side effects have fully settled.
Avoid laser treatments and procedures such as skin needling for at least 2 weeks after injectables.
Follow up
If you have any concerns following your treatment including unexpected side effects such as significant pain, unusual bruising or skin discolouration, please contact the team at Quay Aesthetics for advice.
Follow up appointments are sent to patients 2 -4 weeks following treatment. Complimentary clinical reviews are also available but not essential as the majority of patients are totally happy and do not need a review. We will arrange a clinical review automatically when we believe we need to assess the outcome of your treatment. If we have not arranged a review and you would like one for any reason, we will be more than happy to do that for you.