When Does Swelling Lessen Naturally After Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are a wondrous non-invasive cosmetic injection that provides the aesthetic benefits of plastic surgery without any of its lengthy downtime, potential complications, and uncomfortable side effects. However, a common side effect shared between dermal filler treatment and plastic surgery is swelling.

So how long does swelling last after a dermal filler treatment? Swelling and other expected side effects should last for a maximum of 2 weeks after receiving a dermal filler or a lip filler. Proper pretreatment steps, home remedies, and an expert injector will lessen the level and duration of swelling or even prevent it completely.

How Long Should I Wait for Swelling to Decrease After Dermal Filler?

It can be discouraging to witness swelling just after a dermal filler treatment or a lip filler injection as it can be mistaken for extra volume or it can be difficult to continue daily activities with a bulging lip or cheek. However, this is a well-known and recorded symptom of lip filler injections and will naturally pass over time — within a few days or 2 weeks.

The swelling should begin within 2 days of receiving the dermal filler or lip filler. While the injected filler may already be adding volume, it may start to feel a bit heavier or look bloated compared to what the treated area looked like prior to the filler treatment. They may be bruising, redness, and pain that will accompany the swelling.

However, these are expected symptoms that are best dealt with through rest. If the pre-injection and post-injection instructions were followed, the swelling and other associated side effects should only be limited to a couple of days and will not be disruptive to your daily routine, the overall look of your face, and will not affect the results of the dermal filler treatment.

Why Swelling May Happen After Dermal Filler

Swelling, redness, and bruising are part of the body’s natural reaction to the dermal filler injection. The target areas for dermal filler injections are filled with numerous tiny blood vessels in the tissues under its surface like the lips, cheeks, and tear troughs. Even with a professional injector and a microneedle, there may be minor trauma or damage in the injected area because the needle could have grazed one of the many little blood veins in the face.

The body will begin healing the minor trauma through inflammation. Once the damage is detected in the tissues of the skin, the cells in it will release chemicals like histamine and prostaglandins to help signal repair needs to be done. This will cause the damaged blood vessels to leak out, causing swelling, redness, and/or bruising. When the tissues have been repaired with enough time, the inflammation, and its symptoms, will lessen and subside.

Seek an Expert Injector at Dr. Lanna Aesthetics for Filler Treatment

The best form of prevention against the side effects of dermal filler and lip filler treatments is to receive it from a reliable and professional injector. Not every dermal filler treatment will be the same as there may be different injection spots for your face or lip that require a specific amount of dermal filler.

Other complications like persistent swelling, heavy bruising, chipmunk cheeks or apple cheeks, duck lips, high levels of pain, and uneven results can be a result of the improper injection, too much dermal filler used, or frequent filler injections.

For a first-class filler treatment with minimal to no difficulties, schedule a consultation with Dr. Lanna Aesthetics. Our leader, Dr. Lanna Cheuck, and her term as aesthetician has served hundreds of clients across the U.S., including celebrities, with her efficient and effective dermal filler treatments. We can provide the best dermal filler treatment tailored fit to your skin, expectations, and lifestyle.

Ways to Treat Swelling at Home

Swelling and other symptoms of inflammation can be easily treated with these aftercare steps. These actions will naturally lessen the impact and duration of swelling in the tissues of the skin as it recovers from the dermal filler treatment.

1. Take Time Off Work & Other Activities

Dermal fillers are known as “lunchtime procedures” because it is possible to finish the treatment within your lunch break. Side effects occur within a few hours or a day after the injection. However, it is best to keep your schedule free from stressful and extraneous activities for two weeks after the treatment, especially if the patient is sensitive to the effects of inflammation.

Ample time to rest is the most effective way of letting the swelling lessen naturally. Adding stress in the recovery period will make it harder to treat the swelling and may even affect the results of the dermal filler. Avoiding activities that may include intense physical activity will also prevent further swelling and bruising.

2. Ice Compress

Gently applying a cold compress in the affected area will help lower the swelling by narrowing the blood vessels and decreasing the blood flow in the area. It can also help ease pain and bruising. Don’t put too much pressure on the treatment area as it may move the injected dermal filler or lip filler away from its intended area.

3. Arnica Oil

Arnica is an herb that is well-known for its organic anti-inflammatory effects like lessening swelling and bruising, relieving pain, and boosting the healing process of the body. Arnica oil can be applied to the treated area to help lower swelling and other inflammation-related symptoms. It can even be used 2 days before the dermal filler or lip filler treatment if the patient is sensitive to bruising.

Other Expected and Harmless Side Effects

The expected side effects that may manifest a day or 2 after the treatment are also due to inflammation triggered by unintentional blood vessel damage in the face. These may also happen at the same time as swelling and will also lessen naturally within the same time.

1. Bruising

Bruising happens when blood starts to pool from a damaged blood vessel. It can be a distressing symptom as it discolors the skin. It is common in the lips after a lip filler injection because any changes in the blood flow will be completely visible.

Follow any instructions given by the dermatologist for preparation before the injection and aftercare steps after the treatment, particularly if you have a history of persistent or frequent bruising. These may include avoiding blood thinners, stopping alcohol consumption and smoking, and staying away from extraneous physical activity to limit increases in blood flow after the dermal filler or lip filler treatment.

2. Redness

Redness is another symptom of skin discoloration that can occur alongside swelling especially in injection sites with shallower areas of skin like the lips. It will most likely be accompanied by any swelling as it’s a documented effect of inflammation. It is a minor side effect that will be gone in a day or 2 after it has appeared.

3. Pain

Moderate levels of pain may be experienced within days after the dermal filler treatment. Though the skin care procedure itself is painless through anesthesia and the use of microneedles, the pain may occur within days after the injection. The aforementioned aftercare treatments will also be effective as well as painkillers that do not thin the blood like Tylenol and paracetamol.

When Should I Get Checked for Swelling?

If the swelling has gone past the intended 2-week period for side effects, consult a dermatologist or a doctor immediately as it may signal an infection or over-inflammation in the treatment area. Other urgent side effects include unbearable levels of pain, uneven or asymmetrical results, persistent skin discoloration through redness or bruising, and no improvements after home remedies.

If the injected filler is causing further complications, there are methods for its removal. If hyaluronic acid fillers were used in the treatment, your dermatologist may suggest a hyaluronidase injection to quickly resolve any complications brought by the initial filler injection. But note that if it’s made of other materials, other adjustments or invasive methods may be used to remove the ineffective filler.

How to Prevent Swelling Before Dermal Filler Treatment

There are several substances and activities the patient must avoid to protect their face from swelling after a dermal filler or a lip filler treatment. These are done within a week or a day before the injection.

Any substances that constrict the blood vessels and increase the blood flow should be avoided well a week before the injection to lessen the chances of swelling and bruising. These include blood thinners — like garlic, ginger, ginseng, aspirin, and vitamin E —, smoking, and alcohol. These should also be steer-cleared in the 2-week period after the dermal filler treatment.

First-rate Dermal Filler Expertise at Dr. Lanna Aesthetics

Dermal fillers can provide long-lasting anti-aging benefits in an instant. After a short period of side effects, you have the rest of a year to enjoy the wondrous effects of the dermal filler. However, the worry of these side effects can still be at the back of your mind.

At Dr. Lanna Aesthetics, swelling will only be a minor inconvenience or may not even occur at all after our world-class dermal filler treatment. With the experience of a thousand cosmetic procedures and the latest filler products and technology, we can provide you with a natural and youthful look without any hassle. Call us at (929) 565-7539 or book a consultation online to receive the best filler injection in New York.