Thank you for being here! I am excited to share the top seven tips how to prevent bruising after injections, which is usually related to comfort during your appointment and at-home healing time duration. Therefore, please know that it is okay if you never knew about these unless you knew someone who gets injectable treatments or completed lots of research before the first injectable appointment. Here are some insights on the things you can do to decrease your risks of bruising and massive swelling every time you get a dose of filler or wrinkle reducers (Botox, Dysport, etc.)
1. Arnica boost, yes, it is a pre-treatment recommendation if you are not allergic to it
Arnica Montana over-the-counter supplement is plant-based and is recommended to be started about one week before your injectable treatment date, and it has been proven to decrease swelling, bruising, and speed up healing time. It is available at Walgreens, Whole Foods, Amazon, and herbal-based stores. Most patients consider the gel form of arnica, but patients can also get the oral tablets and continue them for a few days after their appointment according to the package insert instructions.
2. Avoid not-prescription blood thinners 10 to 14 days before your injectable appointment date
This should be discussed with your heart doctor or your primary care provider if you are on prescribed blood thinners before booking an aesthetic appointment. Prescribed blood thinners can increase bruising likelihood, and any bruising on prescription blood thinners can last up to 21 days; therefore, it is not going to be fun since bruising also looks asymmetrical and will extend healing time of the injected area(s) as well. Otherwise, people without prescribed blood thinners are usually able to stop aspirin, fish oil, ibuprofen (Advil), garlic, gingko, vitamin E one to two weeks before their injectable appointment, and if not stopped appropriately, any bruising will last about three to five days.
3. Avoid alcohol 48 hours before your appointment time, and two to three days afterwards
Unfortunately, alcohol prevents our cells from sticking together, and this interferes with our bodies’ healing process, specifically clotting, and if your body cannot clot the injection sites, it will be a bloody mess during your appointment and a bruising disaster afterwards, which is usually accompanied with massive swelling since alcohol also dehydrates our bodies. Alcohol is a potent diuretic, and it rids our bodies of water through urination quickly, and it is more potent when no water is consumed along it.
Dehydration can harden the filler in your face, and it is way worse than an extended ugly bruise, as you will need to come see me to massage and hydrate the area with the administration of sterile water.
4. H20, water, plain water is essential along a regular meal completed in the last two to three hours before your appointment time.
As an experienced injector, I try my best to provide snacks to patients who come on an empty stomach since this can increase lightheadedness from being nervous, not from pain, but from being anxious about the appointment or just too excited in a good way.
Therefore, please be aware that a history of fainting, dehydration, and an empty stomach are the perfect combination to passing out. Do not come to your appointment with a boatload of nervousness, all wired up on two coffee expresso shots, and an empty belly. Please come with a boatload of nervousness on one liter of plain water and a healthy protein-rich meal in your belly, and I can surely help you decrease your nerves because I love what I do, and I am confident you will feel that as I walk you through the treatment process. You will not be able to pay attention to me, or listen to what I have to say, if you are about to faint before I start your treatment, and no, you will not be able to talk to me if you faint.
5. Avoid a heavy intensity workout on the day of your appointment and two days afterwards
You want to be calm and relaxed, and pumping all your blood through a workout before your appointment is going to increase your risk of bruising. Anything that increases your core body temperature is intense, such as spinning, CrossFit, infrared sauna, hiking, and so on.
6. Take prescribed antiviral
Take prescribed antiviral (by your primary care doctor or neighborhood nurse practitioner found in most Walgreens or CVS pharmacies) four to three days before your treatment date if you got cold sores history (herpes labialis). Acyclovir is the most common prescribed cold sore antiviral, and it greatly decreases the chances of getting a cold sore break out. Herpes labialis is dormant virus in our bodies, and it is often woken up by emotional and physical stresses, which decrease our overall immune system. When the tiny needles insertions from an injectable treatment occur, they are sensed as trauma, and this can trigger cold sores flare-up a few days after the treatment appointment due to the lack of planning. I feel it is frustrating to get cold sores on freshly enhanced lips as this can also interfere with the end results and extend the overall healing time of the area(s) affected by the cold sores.
7. Do you have an important event coming up?
Such as getting married. If yes, BRIDES ALERT! Please do not come in for an injectable treatment less than five weeks before your big day. I have not said yes to any brides, so please do not expect me to promise you no swelling and no bruising when you are getting married in one week or so. The general recommendation by most experienced injectors is that you give yourself three to five weeks before any major event. Other major events are your anniversary, birthday, job interview, meeting your future husband or wife, or whatever you are super excited about; please book your injectable appointment after that event. Although concealers are amazing, I am sure you don’t want to spend a whole bottle of it to cover it up.
Well, these are the top seven tops to make your injectable appointment as bruise-less as possible, reading it two times to digest it before applying any of these recommendations is what I usually do whenever I desire to experience a new beauty treatment or product. At BELLA, we utilize delicate injection techniques, and we share pre-care recommendations every time you book an appointment.
By following the recommendations described above along coming to us, at BELLA aesthetic medical spa, will ensure that your experience will be different than if you do not plan and prepare. We will see you soon, and again thank you so much for stopping here to read how to prepare and optimize your overall injectable experience.
WE TRULY APPRECIATE you made it here.
Karla Cabrera, FNP-C, Medical Director, Advanced Aesthetic Injector
