Dermal Fillers: Treatment Advice & Aftercare
Updated: Oct 5
Before & After Your Dermal Filler Treatment
Dermal fillers are injectable treatments used to restore or enhance volume, improve facial contours and soften selected lines and folds.
At Eco Skin Clinic, your treatment is individually planned according to your facial anatomy, concerns and desired result. The amount and placement of filler will be discussed during your consultation.
Before Your Treatment
To help reduce unnecessary bruising and irritation:
Avoid alcohol for around 24 hours before treatment.
Avoid waxing, strong exfoliation or irritating skincare in the treatment area immediately beforehand.
Tell us about all medication, supplements and herbal remedies you take.
Let us know if you take anticoagulant, antiplatelet or anti-inflammatory medication.
Tell us if you have a history of cold sores, particularly before treatment around the lips or mouth.
Tell us about any recent dental treatment, illness, infection or vaccination.
Let us know about previous dermal fillers or other injectable treatments, particularly if they were performed elsewhere.
Tell us if you've previously experienced a reaction or complication following filler.
Let us know if your health has changed since your consultation.
Do not stop prescribed medication for dermal filler treatment unless the healthcare professional who prescribed it has advised you to do so.
Is Dermal Filler Suitable for Everyone?
Please tell your practitioner if you:
are pregnant or breastfeeding
have an active infection or are currently unwell
have a cold sore, dental infection, skin infection, wound or significant inflammation close to the treatment area
have a significant history of allergies or previous severe allergic reactions
have a bleeding or clotting disorder
take medication that affects bleeding or clotting
have an autoimmune or immune-related condition
have a condition or medication that may affect healing
have previously experienced a complication with dermal filler
have permanent or unknown filler in the proposed treatment area
have recently had dental work, surgery or another facial procedure
are undergoing cancer treatment or have a significant current medical condition.
Not all of these automatically prevent treatment. Your practitioner will assess your individual circumstances and may recommend postponing or modifying treatment.
Cold Sores
Treatment around the lips and mouth can sometimes reactivate the herpes simplex virus, causing a cold sore.
Please tell us if you've previously experienced cold sores, even if you don't currently have one.
If you have an active cold sore, treatment will normally be postponed until it has completely resolved.
What Does Dermal Filler Treatment Feel Like?
Dermal filler is placed using a fine needle or cannula depending on the treatment area and technique.
You may feel pressure, pinching, stinging or tenderness during treatment.
Many hyaluronic-acid dermal fillers contain a local anaesthetic to make treatment more comfortable, and additional topical anaesthetic may be used where appropriate.
What to Expect Afterwards
It is normal to experience some temporary:
redness
swelling
tenderness
bruising
firmness
small injection marks
minor unevenness while swelling settles.
Lip filler can cause more noticeable swelling, particularly during the first 24–48 hours.
The appearance immediately after treatment isn't necessarily the final result. Allow swelling to settle before assessing your outcome.
Aftercare
For the first 24–48 hours:
Avoid unnecessarily touching or rubbing the treated area.
Do not massage the filler unless your practitioner specifically tells you to.
Avoid strenuous exercise for approximately 24 hours.
Avoid excessive heat, including saunas, steam rooms and very hot baths, while swollen.
Avoid alcohol for the remainder of the day as it may worsen bruising or swelling.
Keep skincare gentle around injection sites.
Avoid strong acids, retinoids and aggressive exfoliation until the skin has settled.
Avoid facial massage or other treatments that place pressure on the treated area.
You can use a cool compress gently if required for swelling, but don't apply excessive pressure.
Makeup
Where possible, avoid applying makeup directly over the injection sites for around 12–24 hours.
When you resume makeup, use clean hands, brushes and applicators.
Dental Treatment & Other Facial Procedures
Tell your practitioner if you have dental treatment planned close to your filler appointment.
As a precaution, we may recommend leaving a suitable interval between dermal filler and invasive dental procedures, particularly where there is a risk of infection or significant inflammation.
Similarly, treatments such as microneedling, radiofrequency, laser, skin peels or facial massage should not be performed directly over freshly treated filler until the area has settled.
Your practitioner can advise you on appropriate timing.
Flying
Routine air travel does not appear to make hyaluronic-acid filler inherently unsafe, but I wouldn't recommend clients arrange treatment immediately before a flight or important trip.
Swelling and bruising can develop after leaving the clinic, and you are better remaining somewhere you can contact your practitioner and access appropriate medical care if an unusual reaction occurs.
Important: Vascular Occlusion
I'd give this its own pale-sage warning box because this is the complication clients genuinely need to recognise:
Unusual Pain or Skin Colour Changes? Dermal filler is generally well tolerated, but a rare and potentially serious complication called vascular occlusion can occur if filler compromises the blood supply to an area. Contact us immediately if you develop:severe or increasing pain that feels unusualskin becoming unusually pale or whitegrey, blue or dusky discolourationmottled or blotchy skinan area becoming unusually coolblistering or rapidly changing skin. Do not wait until the following day to see if these symptoms improve.
Changes to Vision Are a Medical Emergency
Very rarely, filler injected into facial blood vessels can affect the circulation to the eye.
Any sudden change in vision during or following dermal filler treatment requires immediate emergency medical attention.
This includes:
blurred or reduced vision
double vision
loss of vision
unusual eye pain
drooping of the eyelid associated with visual symptoms.
Call 999 or attend A&E immediately and tell them you have recently had dermal filler. Contact Eco Skin Clinic as soon as possible as well.
When Should I Contact Eco Skin Clinic?
Please contact us if you experience:
swelli
ng that is severe or getting progressively worse
increasing redness, heat or tenderness
discharge or other signs of infection
significant or increasing pain
unusual skin colour changes
blistering
a lump or reaction that concerns you
symptoms that aren't settling as expected.
For severe pain with skin colour changes, contact us urgently because these can indicate vascular compromise.
For any visual disturbance or serious allergic reaction, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
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