The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported that roughly 2.5 billion dollars was spent on injectables alone in 2013. In fact, Botox and hyaluronic acid-based fillers ranked first and second respectively in the top non-surgical cosmetic procedures for the same year.
At our Danville cosmetic surgery practice, we have also noticed an increasing number of patients who are showing keen interest in injectable treatments to relax creases, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and restore volume in areas that has given in to age, environmental factors, and of course, gravity.
The popularity of injectables can be mainly attributed to its minimal downtime. However, this doesn’t mean that undesirable adverse effects will be non-existent and bruising is one of these. Bruising occurs when the surrounding capillaries of the injection site are injured, resulting to blood leakage and the appearance of a bruise. The degree of bruising varies from one person to another though.
The good news is you can significantly reduce bruising through the following steps:
Before Treatment
1. Choose a qualified, trusted, and highly experienced injector. Apart from deftness in performing the procedure, knowledge on facial anatomy and appropriate injection sites is also an important quality of a good injector.
2. Avoid blood thinners or medications/supplements that reduces your blood’s clotting ability. These include heparin, coumadin, aspirin, ibuprofen, Vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, ginseng, gingko biloba, and St. John’s Wort. You might as well avoid garlic a week before the procedure. Garlic is a natural blood thinner.
3. Avoid wine, beer, or drinks with alcohol as they also have blood thinning effects. The same goes for green tea.
4. Take supplements that contain arnica and bromelain (naturally found in pineapples).
After Treatment
1. Ice the affected area as instructed, usually for 5 to 10 minutes 3 to 4 times a day.
2. Elevate your head when you sleep.
3. Avoid spending a lot of time outdoors and apply sunscreen if you really need to go outside.
4. Avoid massaging or squeezing the treated area except for injectables that call for a massage immediately after an injection such as Sculptra.
5. Increase your intake of foods that are abundant in Vitamin K (promote clotting), pineapple (for the bromelain), and papaya (for the papain which is thought to be helpful in breaking up dead materials from the bruise).
If you’d like to learn more about avoiding or reducing bruising after an injectable treatment, call 925.820.3633 or fill out this contact form today to set up an appointment. We look forward to your visit!
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