Massaging 24 hours after Juvederm caused bruising one one side and swelling on the other - is it possible I damaged the filler?

Hi, and thanks for your question. You have not ruined your lip. Don't worry. Massaging after lip injection is fine. I tell most of my patients to go ahead and massage if they feel lumps afterwards. It is more likely that a delayed bruise popped up in your lip than you caused bruising through overly vigorous massage. In any case, all of this will fade. Keep icing, limit salt for a couple of days, maybe sleep on an extra pillow tonight, try taking Benadryl tonight. Your swelling will fade quickly. Your bruise will fade in a few days, depending on how large it is and on how long it typically takes for your bruises to resolve. Hope that helps

Great question!  Massaging too early after injections can causeincreased bruising & swelling.  It is important to be gentle with any massage that you do.  What you are experiencing is likely normal and resolve over the next 3-4 days.  If you notice uneven appearance after a week or two then please see the provider who did your injections forfollow up, he or she can help assess your results.

Swelling and bruising is common after lip augmentation with fillers, some experience more swelling than others. It is highly unlikely that you have done any damage by massaging your lips. I suggest allowing 10-14 days to see optimal results.  Best, Dr. Emer

Massaging filler does very little to effect the filler itself.  It is almost impossible to move filler around with simple manipulation.  In general, it leads to more bruising and swelling if too aggressive.  Massaging won't hurt the filler but may have caused the swelling.  Ice the lip and inquire about laser treatment of the bruise if it is substantial.  Lips always swell in the first 1-2 days, in the future, cold compresses are much better than massage for swelling.  

Thank you for your question KathLA12345. Juvederm is a filler that can be used to enhance the lips. For my patients I recommend gently massaging the area for 5 minutes at a time, 5 times per day, for the first 5 days after a treatment. Swelling and bruising are not uncommon after a treatment. Application of cold compresses such as ice packs help. In our office we treat bruises as early as the next day with a laser; this makes the bruising go away much faster, 1-3 days rather than 1-2 weeks. Swelling and bruising may last for two weeks. I have my patients return two weeks after their treatment to take after photographs and assess their results. At this time more treatments can be performed if desired. Please follow up with your doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!