Pre-Treatment Instructions
- Avoid any blood thinning medications for 5 days before treatment (Aspirin, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aleve, Excedrin, Fish Oil, Ginkgo Biloba, etc.).
- Avoid alcohol for at least 72 hours prior to treatment.
- You can take arnica tablets for three days in advance to prevent bruising and swelling.
- Arrive at your appointment wearing no makeup.
- No dental procedures including dental cleaning 2 weeks prior to filler procedure
Post-Treatment Instructions
Bruising: Bruising is the most commonly reported post treatment concern. Bruising can be unpredictable and can be very noticeable. Bruising can last for 2-14 days. Treatment for bruising includes the following:
- Ice for the first 24 hours, 20 minutes on and off.
- Warm compresses after 48 hours, 20 minutes on then off.
- Arnica is an oral and topical homeopathic medicine. Oral medication is to be taken as directed. Topical can be applied 3 times daily, or as needed to the injected area. Arnica cream is for bruising and the prevention of long term bruising of staining. It is highly recommended for tear trough injections or any person that may bruise easily.
Swelling: Swelling occurs commonly and the treatment for swelling is as follows:
- Ice for 20 minutes on and then off until swelling is improved, usually within 2-3 days for lower face injections.
- Tear trough injections usually have 2-14 days of swelling, up to 1 month.
- Tylenol can be taken for any soreness after injection, which is common.
Cold sores: If you are having injections of the lips and have a history of cold sores, you may need to take antiviral medication to prevent an outbreak. It is recommended this be started 24 hours prior to treatment. Please make your provider aware at the time of consult.
Palpable Filler: You may be able to feel the product that was placed under your skin. This is normal and no treatment is necessary.
Lumps/Bumps/Skin Irregularities: Distinct lumps are uncommon. If you have a concern for any perceived irregularities, please call our office to discuss. This will often not be addressed until 2 weeks post injection and bruising and swelling can mimic lumpiness.
Lips: After having your lips filled avoid hot foods for 24 hours. Avoid any pressure on the lips (i.e. kissing) until they have fully healed, this includes drinking through a straw.
Everyone has asymmetry at baseline. Although we attempt to create symmetry during the Lip Filler procedure, the act of piercing the lips with a needle creates trauma and swelling, on top of existing asymmetry. Additionally, bruising can occur which displaces volume that will not be there once the Lip Filler swelling and bruising resolves. The final results may therefore appear asymmetrical due to these factors. We cannot predict how the lips will swell, bruise or heal. Please also no vaccines or dental procedures 2 weeks post treatment and avoid blood thinners.
Tear Troughs: Results may vary. Please allow a full 4 weeks for your final results. Within the 4 weeks, there may be fluctuations of swelling that can be caused from sleeping on your side and eating salty foods. Avoid makeup 4- 6 hours post treatment.
No dental procedures including dental cleaning 2 weeks after Filler procedure.
Things to Do Before Thread Lift Treatment
Your practitioner will devise an appropriate action plan for you as per your skin type and the treatment required. However, the usual guidelines provided are as follows:
- Smoking and all kinds of alcohol must be avoided for at least one week before the procedure as they can dehydrate the skin and even affect the anesthetic step. It helps in speeding the recovery process and providing the best treatment results.
- Avoid consuming omega fish oils, vitamin E, chili ginseng, garlic, krill, and other such supplements at least two days before the treatment. It is best to avoid green and ginger teas as well.
- Aspirin-based products, like Naproxen/Naprogesic, Neurofen, and Ibuprofen, must be avoided as they can cause bleeding, unwanted side effects and complications.
- Avoid performing high-intensity exercises and going to a sauna or steam room.
Your practitioner may give you more guidance on what to do before the treatment.
Things to Do After Thread Lift Treatment
The treatment has a minimal recovery time, but there is still plenty you can do to enhance the recovery and get the best results. Some patients may experience nausea after the thread lift procedure due to anesthesia. However, it will pass after sipping small amounts of water.
Here are some more things you should do after the treatment:
- Ice the treated area for a few minutes for four to five times during the day for the first week if you are experiencing slight bruising or swelling.
- Restrict facial movements for one day. Make sure to rest for a full day after getting the treatment.
- You can move around wherever you want, but don’t perform any strenuous activity or heavy lifting for three weeks.
- You can take pain killers as required after the procedure. Try consuming them after a meal to avoid any risk of nausea.
- It is best to avoid aspirins for the next two weeks after the treatment.
- Avoid applying makeup or facial cream for at least 48 hours.
- You should not drink a beverage with a straw and focus on drinking liquids or consuming soft foods for at least a week.
- Chewing gum should be avoided for at least two weeks.
- Experiencing slight discomfort in the first two days after the procedure is normal, it will gradually reduce.
- Try keeping your head elevated for a week.
- Don’t pull your facial skin, massage, scrub or exfoliate the skin for at least three weeks. You are also not supposed to wash or touch your face for at least 12 hours.
- Follow the care guidelines the practitioner gives you regarding the incision wounds.
- It is recommended that you sleep on your back to prevent any swelling. Avoid straining or placing pressure on your face as it may result in threads misalignment.
- Avoid getting any dental treatment for at least two weeks after getting the PDO thread lift.
In case of unusual pain or swelling, it is important to consult your practitioner to get the appropriate treatment immediately.