Posted on May 2, 2019
Filler is anything we inject (into the face usually) which adds volume. Think: Restylane, Juvederm, Voluma, Lyft, Refyne, Defyne. These are hyaluronic acid based, and they give you immediate gratification. (There are other fillers which take time for your body to make the collagen like Sculptra which I am not addressing right now).
Basic things to remember before doing filler:
- Your face is asymmetric. It is common one cheek is fuller, higher, etc. Study your face ahead of time so you can help direct your doctor to things you notice and bother you.
- Stop doing anything which increases the risk of bruising for 2 weeks prior to your injection. This is aspirin, advil, motrin, fish oil, flax seed, omega. BLOGS ON FILLER are HERE.
- Usually when I am injecting filler I do little amounts and let you see it as I go along. I reserve the last little bit so you can see if anything “grabs” your attention. Commonly I will do the injection evenly- use even amounts on both sides- so I do not cause an asymmetry. As I get to know patients, I always mark down how I injected, so we can tweak things in the future.
- Don’t do things right after injection which would increase swelling and the risk of bruise- working out, lifting heavy objects, etc.
So what do you do if your face looks off after filler?
- BREATHE. The HA fillers are all reversible. So if you hate it, we can reverse it.
- WAIT. Anytime I inject a filler, there is always a risk of swelling and bruising. It doesn’t matter if it is with a needle or cannula, there is always the risk. When we inject into areas superficially, you may see the bruise. When we inject deeper, like in the cheek area, you may not see a bruise.
- Is the area swollen?
- Do you have bruising?
- Does it feel sore?
- LET IT SETTLE. I don’t reevaluate things until 2 weeks have passed to make sure any swelling or bruising has resolved. You don’t want to “fix” something only to find out it wasn’t a filler issue, it was just swelling.
- I can’t do “touch ups” for fillers. Unlike botox, it comes in a 1cc syringe.
If it looks like too much?
- Remember it needs to settle. Swelling usually peaks 24-48 hours out. If you have a bruise, it can take 1-2 weeks to fully resolve.