Pre and
Post Care
Bruises
How to prevent bruising after fillers or other aesthetics treatments?
Sometimes this one is hard because life gets busy and we forget about our upcoming appointment or maybe you were able to get in last minute due to a cancellation. Probably not a good idea to get fillers the day before a vacation.
- Step 1. Stop taking any anti-inflammatory medications one week prior to your filler appointment. This includes NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Motril, & Advil) and Aspirin. These interfere with the activity of your platelets and can cause prolonged bleeding or bruising.
- Step 2: Do not drink any alcohol (yes even you my wine lovers) one week prior to your appointment. Alcohol causes your blood vessels to expand, and if they break more blood will leak out and cause bruising.
- Step 3: Purchase Arnicare Gel and apply it to the area at night once per day for a week prior to your appointment. You can also purchase Arnica Pellets from any natural grocer like Whole Foods. Made from Arnica Montana, these products work naturally with your body to reduce swelling and discoloration from bruising.
All of these methods will help you to prevent getting a bruise after injectable fillers. But let’s say you didn’t do these things, and you just came home from your appointment. Your face hurts, you’re starting to see that bluish mark form, and just have the feeling you could be in for a bad bruise.
What now?
Other Treatment Post Care Instructions:
How to Prevent a Bruise from forming or Getting Worse Immediately After Fillers:
- Step 1: ICE ICE BABY. Yes, ice that bruises like crazy. This is the number one and best method to prevent bruising after fillers. Icing causes your blood vessels to narrow and close faster. It can also prevent excess leakage out of the blood vessels. If you haven’t left your appointment, ask for an ice pack if you haven’t been given one by your provider. Don’t apply the ice directly to the skin, make sure you have something in between the ice and your skin, so you don’t burn your skin and make it look even worse! The recommendation for icing is 5 minutes on and 5 minutes off for 1-3 hours post fillers. This may sound like a lot, but it’s worth it.
- Step 2: Keep the area elevated. This is pretty easy since it’s your face but this is also important when you sleep at night. Don’t sleep on your stomach or side. Sleep on your back only. This will help the blood not to pool around the bruise.
- Step 3: For the first day or two, keep exercise to a minimum. If you are lifting weights that’s usually fine but any running, jumping or aerobic activity could be painful and make the bruise worse.
What happens days 2, 3 and 4 post fillers and your bruise is there and not looking like it’s leaving in the foreseeable future? Here are some tips to get rid of a bruise and FAST.
How to Get Rid of a Bruise After Fillers:
- You’re on a mission, this bruise needs to go away and fast. What can you do daily (or even multiple times per day) to get rid of a bruise after fillers?
- Massage Lightly with a Toothbrush: Do NOT do this the first day or two after fillers (especially if the bruise is sore). But day 3 and on, you can lightly massage the area with a soft toothbrush. This will get the blood flow moving around the bruise, to help remove the pooled blood and heal the bruise.
- Arnica: Apply Arnica Gel or Cream to the bruise 2-3 times per day. One study found that applying Arnica to the skin sped up healing time when compared with placebo.
- Aloe: Aloe Vera has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation…so why not? Give it a shot.
- Vitamin C: Apply a Vitamin C Serum to your bruise twice a day. Also while you are at it consume foods high in Vitamin C like oranges, guava, kiwi, strawberries, green peppers, and brussels sprouts. Vitamin C is needed for creating collagen and other compounds that repair blood vessels.
- Lavender Oil: This is the best oil for healing bruises because it reduces inflammation and swelling. Apply 3 times per day.
- Pineapple: Stock up and eat daily! Pineapple contains bromelain, which has been thought to reduce bruising by breaking down proteins that trap fluids in the tissues after injury.
- Heat: After the first two or three days, applying warm compresses to a bruise may help open up healthy blood vessels around it. Try compresses for 15 minutes three times a day.
How to Hide a Bruise After Getting Fillers:
Let’s just say there are A LOT of YouTube Videos on this topic but this is one simple way to diminish visible bruising.
STEP 1
Wash and cleanse your face. Effectively hiding or concealing bruises and discoloration begins with a clean face.
STEP 2
Apply colored concealer, covering the bruised or discolored area. Colored concealers neutralize the bruise or discoloration, creating a seemingly even skin tone. Green-tinted concealer is best used on reddish bruises. Yellow tinted concealer is used with purple or bluish bruises, while a lavender tint is used with yellow or brown bruises. Gently pat and blend the concealer into the desired area, and a little beyond its edges, with a concealer brush or your finger.
STEP 3
Apply concealer over the entire face. The concealer should match your skin tone in order to create an all-over balance. Liquid concealer is ideal for seamlessly blending and concealing. You can blend the concealer with a makeup brush or your finger around the edges of the bruise, or discoloration. It’s also a good idea to blend the concealer at the edges of your face. Wait at least 5 minutes to ensure the concealer has dried before applying powdered foundation.
STEP 4
Apply powdered foundation over your entire face. The powdered foundation needs to match your skin tone. If you’re using a sponge, gently stroke foundation in a downward motion over your entire face. If you’re using a brush, blend the foundation in a circular motion over your entire face.