The sheer number of options out there when it comes to dermal fillers can make things complicated. At Pur Skin Clinic, our skin care experts take exceptional pride in ensuring you have a customized experienced and will make recommendations tailored to your specific skin care needs.

If you’re thinking about getting dermal fillers for the first time, then you probably have a lot of questions about the process and about what you can expect during and after the procedure. Maybe you’ve done a few Google searches or talked to friends who have had fillers before. Here are some common questions I hear from first time dermal filler patients that will help give you a better insight as to what to expect.

How do I prepare for dermal filler?

There are couple do’s and don’ts to help you prepare before your dermal filler appointment

For the do’s:

• Start taking an Arnica supplement a few days before your treatment. Arnica reduces bruising and promotes healing post injections, cutting down on your recovery time.
• Inform your medical provider if you previously suffered from facial cold sores. There is a risk that the procedure could contribute to another outbreak, therefore we may prescribe medication to prevent this prior to your treatment.
• Clear your schedule of any major events for at least a three days or so after your injections. You may still have some swelling and bruising, especially if treated around the eyes or lips.

And for the don’ts:

• After verifying with your provider, stop taking any blood thinning medications/supplements three days prior to treatment. These include: Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Aleve, fish oils and multivitamins.
• Don’t drink alcohol for at least two days before your treatment. The blood-thinning effects of alcohol may cause you to bruise. Red wine is usually the culprit!
• Avoid exercise the day of your appointment. This could cause more swelling and potentially affect the outcome of your treatment.

What happens during the treatment?

Prior to any cosmetic treatments, our medical assistants will take your photos for baseline comparison and have you sign any necessary paperwork. At Pur Skin Clinic, we will always conduct a thorough consultation with you prior to any procedure to make treatment recommendations to meet your cosmetic needs, review your medical and past cosmetic history, discuss treatment options, expected recovery, longevity of results, and go over any risks involved with the procedure.

If we have decided that dermal fillers are the best option for you, our medical assistants will prepare your skin for the treatment including numbing the areas to be treated with topical lidocaine cream. Lidocaine is also mixed inside the dermal filler for additional comfort. The injections themselves are fairly quick, taking anywhere from 10-25 minutes to complete.

Once the treatment is completed, we will pass you a mirror to admire your results! Results from dermal fillers are instant, however results will continue to improve weeks after the treatment once the filler has had time to settle.  We will then go over expectations for healing (if any), post-care instructions, and make recommendations for any addition appointments or follow ups.

What do I do after getting dermal fillers?

For the most part, recovery after the dermal fillers is fairly simple. Many people resume their usual activities within 24 hours. You might notice that there is some bruising or swelling in the injected area, which is expected after an injectable treatment. However, typically the bruising is minimal and can be covered up with makeup within 24-48 hours. I usually recommend to have dermal fillers two weeks before any big events (weddings, presentations, photo shoots, etc,) so that all healing is complete and results have enough time to settle to ensure you look and feel your best for your big day!

— By Denice Schwind, PA-C, CMLSO

Pur Skin Clinic
307 Bell St. #104
Edmonds
425-224-3547