Why are my cheeks and lips swollen after Restylane?

You are definitely not alone on this one… everyone gets some degree of bruising and swelling with facial soft tissue injections. I always forewarn my patients about the POTENTIAL risks of bruising and swelling with all facial injections. Because of the high vascularity to the head and neck area, it is... more

Before any filler treatment you should be informed by your surgeon about possible swelling and bruising around the injection sites. To minimize the chance of swelling it is recommended to ice the area up to two hours after the injection. Restylene is made out of the hyaluronic acid, which attracts water.... more

Cynthia, It is normal to have some transient swelling after injections. The swelling is due to two causes. First, anytime you have localized trauma (the injections), then the tissues develop edema (swelling) as a response to the injury. Second, the molecules which are injected are hydrophilic (water loving)... more

Restylane is a hyaluronic acid (HA) filler.  HA is made in our joint fluid and it is very hydrating.  The formulation of Restylane makes it particularly fond of sucking up fluid like a sponge.  If you inject to correction with Restylane, you typically have more aggressive post-injection swelling... more

Swelling is normal after injections, especially into the lip area.  The length of time the swelling lasts is different for different people but should go away within a few days.  Please do not worry.  Placing cool compresses on the area may help. If after one week the swelling persists, please... more

Swelling can be normal after a facial filler. It may signify excessive bleeding or rough injection technique from the injector. There are rare cases of isolated allergic reactions at 1 in 2000 which manifests as local swelling, redness, or tenderness over time Tips to decrease swelling after NASHA facial... more

Thanks for your question - Certainly swelling in the area of injection for the first few days is not unusual.  It sounds like you're describing swelling in other areas.  It is very unusual to have allergic reactions from hyaluronic acid fillers but not impossible.  It is also possible that you... more

Everyone swells at a different rate and to a different degree. Anytime you are injected with filler there will be some swelling. To minimize the swelling, you can place ice or cold compresses on the site of injection after the procedure. You can also use arnica montana or bromolein.  In the end, all... more

Restylane and Juvederm are hyaluronic acid fillers composed of a synthetic form of a naturally occuring compound in our body.  Unlike silicone, restylane and juvederm are safe and temporary fillers with low complication profiles. Hyaluronic acid is hydrophilic, wherein it actually acts like a sponge in... more

Swelling after any injury is common especially for the first four days which we call the inflammatory period. Antiinflammatory agents may be useful but are generally discouraged due to their potential with bleeding. Icing, head elevation, compression are generally recommended for the early period to... more