Should I Stop Taking NSAIDs Before Restylane Injections?

Many presription and over the counter medication thin the blood and make bruising much more likely with under eye Restylane treatment. Herbal products are also likely to thin the blood. Even the grapefruit juice in the South Beach diet seems to increase the risk of bruising.
I would recommend that you contact the office where you plan to be treated and get from them their list of medication to avoid. Avoiding these will reduce the chance that you might bruise. However, you can still bruise. Any time you are poked with a needle there is a risk of bruising. This can be a little dot on the skin--no big deal. Or it can be a massive black eye and in our society it is presumed that you are the victim of domestic violence. These types of bruises can last up to 3 weeks. The risk of this type of bruising is about 1 to 2 per hundrend.
Think about undereye Restylane as though it is surgery for the lower eyelid that you just happen to get with a needle. The results can last a couple of years but you definitely want to avoid doing treatment right before a big social event.
Now the important but. If you are on a medication that thins your blood by order of your physician, do not stop this medication without first consulting the doctor who told you to take this medication. This can include medicines like aspirin, Plavix, and coumadin. This medication are used to control clot formation in very specific conditions so seek guidance from you primary care physician before discontinuing these drugs.

Thank you for sharing your question. It's best to discontinue blood thinners a week before procedures if this is acceptable to the doctor who started you on the medication. It's more important to choose an experienced injector who will be best at avoiding excessive bruising. Good luck!

I would definitely recommend stopping NSAIDS such as ibuprofen and advil a week before having Restylane injections to minimize the risk of bruising.  Most of my patients will not be missing work because of the filler injections but there is always a risk of bruising.

Bruising is a definite side effect of restylane injections, especially under the eyes, where the skin is thin and has lots of vessels.  

To minimize bruising, it is best to avoid NSAIDs and aspirin for a whole week prior to the procedure.  Alcohol, green tea, ginseng, garlic, fish oil also contribute to easy bruising, so try to avoid those, if possible.  Arnica (an herbal supplement) can also help to minimize bruising.  Finally, applying ice after the procedure and avoiding exercise for a day can help.  Makeup can help to camoflauge any bruising.

It is good practice to stop the non steroidal antiinflammatory agents for two days prior to injectables, especially the hyaluronic acids such as Restylane and Juvederm, prior to use as they can cause bruising themselves. Aspirin should be stopped for ten days before the procedure, but some patients need to take it for important reasons and they may continue, but they may experience more bruising.

While there are many things that can make a treatment with fillers into a bruising experience (literally), the technique of the person who is injecting and the appropriate decision as to where to inject is the most important.
We see many patients where this area tends to be overdone in the end result, so make sure you are going to an expert and insist that the physician be the one who is injecting. This is not something for a novice or you'll regret it. Good luck.

Hi Starfire,
Get your dark sun glasses ready for work the day after your injections. Just kidding.
Needles in the delicate lower eye lid area can cause some bruising even in the best, most experienced injectors hands. To help minimize your chances of bruising, discontinue all anti-inflammatories for at least 10 days prior to your treatment. Start taking Arnica and use ice at the injection session.
Your injector should give you an instruction sheet of medications to avoid.
Good luck and be well.
Dr. P

It is crucial that you stop all NSAIDs and supplements like fish oil, omega 3, Vit E for about 2 weeks or at the minimum one week before the fillers. Do not exercise on the day of the filler. Click on the link below (Botox and Filler Instructions) to get more details that I give to my own patients and most of them can go to work right after having their filler injections.
Regards

If possible, stop Aspirin and NSAIDs 1 week prior to your treatments, as well as alcohol, green tea, vitamin E, fish oils and garlic which all cause bruising.  You may still develop bruises with Restylane injections so have a good cover-up makeup handy to help camoflauge the bruises which may last a week.

I recommend that patients refrain from non steroidal anti-inflammatories for two weeks before having fillers in order to reduce swelling and bruising. You may bruise in the area under the eyes but this can be covered by makeup. I would not categorize the expected bruising as raising to the level of black eyes.