What can I expect during recovery from a cosmetic injection?

Unfortunately every person is different. Generally, bruising, swelling, and redness at the incision site are most common after injections. If they occur, these will generally resolve in a couple of days.

Some patients do not experience any of these problems but the occurence is variable. The physician will generally point out guidelines to abide by the day of your procedure, but usually these are minimal.

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What you can expect following a cosmetic injection depends not only on you and how your particular body reacts to the injectable, but also on the skill of the injector.

Bruising, swelling, redness and discomfort after injections vary with the patient and with the injectable agent used. That's true. However, a good injector will be able to dramatically reduce the likelihood of these after-effects.

First, he or she will communicate with you and determine what your downtime tolerance is. If you are going to an event in a few days, Radiesse would not be a good filler to use - there is too much of a risk of bruising and redness.

If, however, you are prepared to tolerate some short-term bruising but want a filler that lasts the maximum time, then some of the thicker, longer-lasting agents may be what you will select. Communication between you and the physician or nurse is key. If you do not feel like you have it, you should go to another practitioner.

If the injector is gentle and knowledgeable, they will know subtle techniques that minimize bruising and redness. They would know the fillers and Botox well and how to inject without leaving a significant mark. They will also know how to achieve good results without a lot of needle sticks. Experience is key.

Finally, the office should tell you what to expect, depending on the filler or injectable used. They should be happy to answer questions and they should respond to concerned phone calls with compassion and patience, even if they're busy.

• BOTOX® Cosmetic injections create only minimal and temporary discomfort, which is greatly reduced by the use of a topical numbing cream.
• The procedure takes 5 minutes, and you can return to work or daily activities immediately.
• Your doctor may ask you to squeeze and relax the muscles that were injected several times during the first day to help disperse the BOTOX.
• Some people experience a slight twitching of the muscles as the BOTOX begins to do its work relaxing those muscles.
• Occasionally, some patients experience a mild headache for the first few days also.
• Some may notice drooping of their upper eyelid(s). This is due to BOTOX affecting the muscle that opens the eyelid. If this happens, your doctor can prescribe an eyedrop that will help open your eyelid until that effect wears off. With an experienced injector, you should not have this happen.
• Results of BOTOX® Cosmetic injections are noticeable in a few days, and last for several months.

Sculptra, dermal fillers, Botox, etc. may cause possible bruising, so the social downtime for these injections varies.  Essentially, amount of social downtime experienced is dependent upon how long it takes your bruises to heal.

• Make certain you have soft, flexible, cool compresses available for the first 24 hours after treatment.
• It is important that you not exert yourself with exercise or any activity that can increase your blood pressure in the first 24 hours after treatment. This can increase the potential for swelling and bruising.
• Have a good, rub-proof, sweat-proof non-irritating concealer or camouflage make-up available to touch up any discoloration after treatment.
• Needle sticks may bleed a bit after treatment. You may apply an antibiotic ointment to the treated region.