How Long for Bruising to Go Away Following Dermal Fillers

Dermal filler injections have an amazing reputation for being a safe and effective anti-aging alternative to facial plastic surgery. Although these cosmetic injections rarely have serious complications, patients may still experience common side effects like pain, swelling, and bruising after their treatment.

So exactly how long does it take for the bruising to fade after a dermal filler treatment? Like other kinds of common but mild injectable filler side effects, bruising may last up to 5 to 7 days. It goes away on its own, but patients can also speed up their healing process by applying a cold compress on the treated area and avoiding blood thinners before and after the procedure.

How Long Does Bruising Last After a Filler Treatment?

Soft tissue facial fillers are a popular minimally invasive treatment with over 3.4 million procedures performed in the country alone. These injectables are often used to erase fine lines and wrinkles, but they can also restore volume in other parts of the face like the lips and cheeks.

When considering an injectable treatment like lip filler or cheek filler, it’s only natural for patients to research the possible side effects that they need to be aware of. Bruising in the injection site is one of the body’s unpleasant reactions to facial fillers, but it’s not something that patients should be scared of.

Why Bruises Form After Dermal Filler Treatments

Both non-surgical facelift treatments and lip injections can cause bruising. This happens when the skin is damaged, so the bruise you have after bumping into a desk isn’t different from the bruise you get from filler treatment.

Bruising is a small hematoma that also occurs when the needle accidentally punctures the blood vessel under the skin. It’s common for lip filler injection treatments since the lips are vascular, meaning the blood vessels are difficult to avoid because there are too many of them. When bruises form on the skin, patients may feel a dull ache and increased sensitivity in the area, but the injury itself isn’t serious.

Risk Factors that Increase the Chances of Bruising

Although a lot of patients may experience bruising after their filler treatment, some patients are more likely to develop worse bruises than others because of these risk factors:

• Alcohol – Alcohol consumption increases the blood pressure and heart rate of a patient. With higher blood flow, the chances of bruises appearing also increase if the provider damages a vein or artery.
• Heat – Heat directly affects bruises caused by filler treatments the same way alcohol does. It dilates the blood vessels, making it easier for the needle to accidentally penetrate any vein or artery.
• Exercise – Exercising also temporarily elevates blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the patient’s risk of bruising and swelling.
• Medicine – Some medications increase blood pressure and dilate cardiovascular vessels. But instead of simply stopping the medication to reduce bruising, the doctor should also consider how it affects the patient’s overall health.
• Needle control – Having good needle control greatly helps in reducing the trauma caused by the treatment. Make sure to get fillers from an experienced injector to minimize bruising.

How Long It Takes for Injection Wounds to Heal

The puncture wound from the facial filler needle may take a day or two to fully heal, but the bruising and swelling may last for about 5 to 7 days after the facial or lip filler treatment. The good news is that the bruises go away on their own, revealing smoother skin or luscious lips after they fade.

It’s also normal for some patients to take a week or two for the bruises to fade. As long as the treated area gets better every day, then patients can take it as a good sign that their skin is slowly healing from the injections.

How Much Bruising Patients Should Expect

This varies per patient because of how they respond to the treatment. Most patients experience mild bruising that lasts for a few days, while others might bruise badly and have it for a week or two. Some lucky patients also don’t experience bruising at all.

The dermatologist or plastic surgeon usually allows up to 2 weeks of swelling and bruising after the filler treatment. Otherwise, the patient is asked to return to the practice to check for other side effects and see if the bruising is a sign of a cold sore or an allergic reaction to the hyaluronic acid filler and its ingredients.

Other Common Side Effects of Dermal Fillers

In addition to bruising, patients may also experience other mild but common side effects after their HA filler treatment. These symptoms usually last for about 5 to 7 days, but others may experience them for up to 14 days. Common side effects go away on their own even without special intervention or medication, but it’s still important to contact the provider if they persist or worsen.

• Pain, tenderness, and swelling – Like bruising, the pain, tenderness, and swelling at the injection site are also a result of minor skin trauma. Swelling is the body’s natural response to the treatment as the injected area heals. Injection sites around the chin, cheeks, and temple are less likely to experience swelling because the filler is placed deep into the skin.
• Lumps – Lumps may seem serious at first, but they’re actually as harmless as other mild side effects of filler treatments. They may form along with bruising and swelling. They may also develop as the plastic surgeon deposits more product in the injection site, but they usually resolve on their own after a few days.

Tips to Reduce Bruising After Filler Injection

Each patient is different, which means they respond differently to the treatment. Their bodies might also be more or less prone to bruising than others. If you want to reduce the risk of bruising after a dermal filler treatment, here are some tips to follow:

• Keep yourself hydrated after the treatment.
• Apply an ice pack or cold compress over the injection site but make sure to avoid putting too much pressure. If using an ice cube, wrap it in a clean cloth first so it doesn’t directly touch the treatment site.
• Limit your sodium intake and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables instead. Pineapples may help decrease bruising while leafy greens have vitamin K to help blood clot.
• Use gentle products for the skin and follow the skin care instructions prescribed by the injector.
• Avoid alcohol consumption for about 48 hours after the appointment.
• Stay away from the sun and its UV rays for the first few days. Wear a powerful sunscreen and cover up the treatment sites well if you must go out.

Is it Possible to Prevent Bruising Caused by Filler Treatments?

Each filler provider recommends different things to prevent bruising, so we strongly recommend our patients listen carefully to what our experts have to say. It’s crucial to follow their instructions instead of others since each injector uses slightly different approaches or products. We provide tailored and personalized advice to our patients to help them achieve the best results and minimize side effects like pain, bruising, and swelling.

Since dermal filler treatments are minimally invasive, there isn’t much preparation needed before the appointment. But at Dr. Lanna Aesthetics, we advise our patients to avoid taking blood-thinning medications about a week before their appointment. We also ask them to avoid drinking for about 48 hours before the appointment.

Enhance Your Appearance With Fillers by Dr. Lanna Aesthetics

Bruising is a minor side effect of dermal fillers which usually goes away on its own after a few days even without medications. When the bruises fade, the treated area looks smoother and fuller thanks to the filler treatment.

At Dr. Lanna Aesthetics, we always make sure to put the comfort and safety of our patients above everything. We perform dermal filler procedures inside state-of-the-art facilities using high-quality products to help our patients enhance their appearance and achieve the best results every time.

Call us today to book an appointment or ask about dermal filler bruising.