Why Can’t You Drink Alcohol After Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures and supposedly have no downtime. Patients should've been able to immediately return to their normal activities, but there are still limitations like being advised not to smoke or drink alcoholic beverages after the procedure.

So why can't you drink alcoholic beverages after dermal fillers? Dermal filler injections and other cosmetic injections like Botox procedures and alcoholic beverages don't go together because alcohol "thins" the blood, leading to an increased risk of bleeding, bruising, and swelling after the procedure. A reduction in the efficacy of the filler treatment may also be expected due to drinking alcoholic beverages.

How Alcoholic Beverages Affect Your Dermal Fillers

Drinking alcoholic beverages can inhibit the function of platelets, which are responsible for the formation of blood clots and making our blood thicker. 

Ethanol, which is found in alcoholic beverages, acts as a blood thinner by inhibiting platelet functions like a decrease in their aggregation or clumping together. It can also prevent the formation of new blood cells, effectively decreasing the number of platelets present in the body.

In moderate amounts, then, alcoholic beverages may provide beneficial effects in that the flow of blood may not be impeded, resulting in a reduction in the occurrence of congestive heart failure.

However, cosmetic injectable treatments and alcoholic beverages don't go well together. It's best to avoid alcoholic beverages after dermal filler injections to avoid showing up with unwanted side effects that may be aggravated due to this blood-thinning reaction of the body upon alcohol consumption.

Another issue with drinking is that a study also shows that the consumption of alcoholic beverages can make your facial features appear less youthful, with even moderate drinking resulting in midface volume loss and under-eye puffiness.

This adverse effect of alcohol on aging may make the effects of dermal fillers that aim to make you look more youthful look less noticeable, thus making you think that the dermal fillers had no beneficial effect.

Consuming alcoholic beverages also can make you dehydrated and have dry skin, further decreasing the efficacy of the cosmetic procedure. It may even shrink the fillers you have been injected with.

Other Dermal Filler Aftercare Tips

Aside from avoiding alcoholic beverages, there are other things that you should also keep in mind after the procedure, in order to make sure that you won't aggravate the side effects associated with the procedure and facilitate and hasten the healing process after the procedure.

Things to avoid after dermal filler injections include:

• Exposure of the area injected with fillers to very hot temperatures like in saunas and solariums;
• Putting pressure on the area administered with fillers;
• Undergoing strenuous exercise within 24 hours;
• Using oil-based makeup or other skincare products like AHA, retinol, and vitamin C;
• Undergoing other facial treatments like facials and microdermabrasion at least 2 weeks after the treatment, especially without consultation with your healthcare provider.

Side Effects of Dermal Fillers

Dermal filler injections are minimally-invasive procedures with mild side effects. Potential side effects associated with this non-surgical cosmetic treatment include the following:

Early Onset (Days to Weeks)

Delayed Onset (Weeks to Years)

Injection site reactions - Mild swelling - Mild redness - Minimal bruising - Pain in the injection site - Itchy skin - Infections Allergic reactions to the dermal filler products which include collagens, hyaluronic acid, and poly-L-lactic acid - Inflammation - Solid nodules Lumps due to improper distribution of the filling product Tissue necrosis (death of tissues; rare) Embolism with blindness (rare)

Granulomatous inflammation/foreign body reaction Nodules Migration of the implanted filler Scarring of the site injected with the dermal filler Asymmetry or uneven appearance of the area applied with dermal fillers

Managing Complications of Dermal Fillers

In managing the complications of dermal fillers, it's best to first ensure that preventive measures are observed because prevention is easier done than managing the complication. Precautions to avoid complications associated with dermal fillers include:

• Applying temporary fillers initially, so that the patient and the physician may assess the effect of the fillers on the patient before proceeding to a more permanent procedure;
• Avoiding blood-thinning medications and placing ice packs on the area injected with dermal fillers must be done to minimize swelling and bruising;
• Facilitating a thorough understanding of the injection procedure to avoid injection site reactions especially when the injection is done too superficially;
• Skin testing of dermal fillers especially bovine-derived collagen products to see if the patient has allergic reactions to them.

Similarly, if the complications weren't able to be avoided, some tips in managing the complications associated with dermal fillers include the following:

• Use of oral corticosteroids and antihistamines when swelling or allergic reactions occur;
• Removal of the filler within the first few days of treatment if ridging or beading is deemed to be necessary to be removed (although this may resolve through time);
• Applying heat, massaging the area, and applying nitroglycerin paste must be done when blanching and pain persists;
• Use of intralesional or systemic corticosteroids or antibiotics if granulomas or foreign body reactions occur.

Who Can’t Receive Dermal Fillers

Undergoing dermal filler procedures isn't for everyone. People would want to have dermal fillers must consult first with their physician to determine if they're fit for the procedure, as people with the following conditions are advised not to undergo this procedure:

• People with active infection;
• People with allergic reactions against the dermal filler product like hyaluronic acid;
• People with glabellar necrosis or death of the tissues in the forehead;
• Allergy to the numbing agent to be used in the procedure like lidocaine.

Experience World-Class Cosmetic Treatments from Dr. Lanna Aesthetics

Dermal filler treatments are minimally-invasive procedures with mild side effects, meaning people who underwent this procedure may immediately go back to their normal activities afterward. However, limitations must still be observed like avoiding alcoholic beverages to avoid aggravating the side effects associated with the procedure.

At Dr. Lanna Aesthetics, we provide anti-aging treatments that are guaranteed to be at par with the standards of world-class cosmetic services. Our team is headed and carefully trained by Dr. Lanna, and has done over 10,000 successful cosmetic procedures so you're sure that you're in safe and professional hands. Have your cosmetic fillers done with us by contacting us today.