POST CARE GUIDE

Dermal Filler Aftercare

Dermal filler restores volume by sitting just beneath the skin and drawing water into the treated area, so most swelling and bruising show up in the first 48 hours while the final shape settles over about two weeks. This guide walks you through the whole recovery — what's normal night by night, the four-hour upright rule, icing and sleeping elevated, what to avoid, and how to care for lips, cheeks, and the under-eye area. It also spells out the warning signs — severe or worsening pain, skin that turns white or dusky, and any change in vision — that mean you should call us right away. Questions between visits? Reach us at (806) 701-5840.

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Your Dermal Filler recovery at a glance

What happens, and when

Here is the path from treatment day to final result.

The First Night

Sleep face up, elevated

For the first night, sleep on your back with an extra pillow so your head sits above your heart. Keeping the treated area elevated limits overnight swelling, and staying off your face keeps fresh filler from shifting before it bonds to your tissue. Skip side-sleeping and face-down positions, and avoid pressing a pillow or hand into the area. If you had lip or cheek filler, this one night of care makes a visible difference by morning.

First 48 Hours

Ice, no blood thinners

Through the first 48 hours, use a cool compress wrapped in a clean cloth for 10 to 15 minutes at a time to calm swelling and bruising. Reach for Tylenol (acetaminophen) if you are sore — not ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen, which thin the blood and deepen bruises. Hold off on alcohol, saunas, hot yoga, and strenuous exercise, since heat and a raised heart rate push more blood to the face. Never rest ice directly on bare skin.

Two Weeks

Let it settle

Give your filler two weeks to settle before you judge the result. Don't massage or press the area unless we specifically ask you to, and let us know before any non-urgent dental work in this window, since a procedure near recent filler can occasionally trigger a delayed reaction. Book your two-week follow-up so Becca or Angie can check symmetry and final shape. Mild lumps or unevenness early on usually smooth out on their own as swelling fully resolves.

How to protect your filler through the first 14 days

How to Care for Your Skin After Dermal Filler

Hydration matters

Aim for six to eight glasses of water a day in the days after treatment. Hyaluronic acid filler works by binding water in the tissue, so staying well hydrated helps it plump smoothly and evenly. Go easy on very salty meals, which pull water into the wrong places and can make early swelling look worse than it is. Alcohol has the opposite problem — it dehydrates you and dilates blood vessels — so skip it for the first day or two while bruising settles.

Stay upright (first 4 hours)

Stay upright for the first four hours after your appointment — no lying flat, no bending over at the waist, and no face-down naps or massages. Fresh filler is still a soft gel that can move slightly before it begins integrating with the surrounding tissue, so keeping your head above your heart helps it stay exactly where it was placed. If you need to rest, sit up or recline against a few pillows rather than lying down all the way.

Arnica reduces bruising

A lot of patients use topical arnica gel or oral arnica tablets, and bromelain (an enzyme from pineapple), starting the day of treatment to help bruises fade faster. The clinical evidence for these is mixed rather than settled, but they're low-risk and many people find them helpful. Take supplements with food, and check with us first if you take other medications or have a bleeding condition, so we can make sure nothing interacts.

Sleep face up, elevated (first night)

For the first night, sleep on your back with an extra pillow under your head so the treated area stays elevated above your heart. This position drains fluid away from the face and keeps overnight swelling down. Side-sleeping or lying face-down puts steady pressure on fresh filler and can shift it before it sets into your tissue. If you're a committed side-sleeper, a travel or wedge pillow tucked against each side can help hold you in place while you get used to it.

Tylenol only for discomfort

If you feel sore or tender, take acetaminophen (Tylenol) as directed on the label. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, fish oil, high-dose vitamin E, and other blood thinners for a couple of days, since they all make bruising at the injection sites worse. If your doctor has you on a blood thinner for a medical reason, keep taking it — don't stop on your own. Just tell us at your appointment so we can plan for a little more bruising.

Cool compress (first 48 hours)

Apply a cool compress wrapped in a clean, soft cloth for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, repeating as often as you like through the first 48 hours. Cold narrows the small blood vessels near the surface, which eases swelling and makes bruising less likely to spread. Use gentle contact only — no pressing or rubbing the filler — and never put ice cubes or a gel pack straight on bare skin, which can cause a cold burn. A bag of frozen peas in a towel works just as well.

Swelling, tenderness, and the 2-week settle window

What's Normal: Dermal Filler Downtime

Normal, temporary, and part of the process.

Asymmetry (first 2 weeks)

A little asymmetry in the first two weeks is common and usually evens out as swelling comes down and the filler settles into place. Bruising, uneven swelling, and one side healing a touch faster than the other can all make things look less balanced than they will be. Try not to judge the result — or reach for a mirror every hour — until the two-week mark, when we see you for follow-up and can refine anything that needs it. Persistent, hard, or growing lumps past two weeks should be checked.

Bruising (up to 10 days)

Pinpoint bruises can appear at the injection sites and usually clear within seven to ten days, sometimes fading through the familiar purple-to-green-to-yellow stages as they heal. In the cheeks and tear-trough area, a bruise may drift downward over a few days as gravity pulls the trapped blood through the tissue — that traveling is normal and not a complication. Concealer is fine once the surface has closed, and arnica may help it fade a bit faster.

Tenderness (2 to 3 days)

Mild tenderness in the treated areas is common for the first two to three days, and the skin may feel firm or slightly lumpy where the filler sits. That firmness is the gel before your tissue has integrated around it; it softens noticeably over the first two weeks. Be gentle with the area — cleanse and moisturize as usual, but skip deep pressure, facials, and vigorous massage until it has settled. Tenderness that sharpens or worsens after day one is worth a call to us.

Peak swelling (day 2)

Swelling usually peaks around the 48-hour mark and then improves steadily over the following five to seven days, though a little puffiness can linger up to two weeks in areas like the lips and under-eyes. Planning around this helps. If you book on a Thursday or Friday, the weekend gives the most visible swelling time to pass at home before you're back at work or in front of a camera. Keep icing and sleeping elevated through this stretch.

Swelling (first 3 days)

Some swelling at the injection sites is expected for the first few days and is a normal part of healing, not a sign that anything is wrong. Lips swell the most dramatically — for the first day or two they can look noticeably larger and less even than your final result, which is swelling talking, not the amount of filler placed. Cheeks, tear troughs, and the jawline swell more subtly. It eases steadily as the days pass, and cool compresses help move it along.

What to avoid while your filler integrates

What to Avoid After Dermal Filler

Flying

Avoid air travel for 48 hours after treatment. Cabin pressure changes can increase swelling and affect how the filler settles.

Strenuous Exercise

Skip the gym, hot yoga, and HIIT for 24 to 48 hours. Elevated heart rate and blood flow worsen both swelling and bruising. A walk is fine.

Sun & Heat

Avoid direct sun, tanning beds, saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs for 72 hours. Heat dilates blood vessels and increases swelling and bruise visibility.

Alcohol & Salt

Avoid alcohol for 24 hours and limit salty foods for several days. Alcohol thins the blood; salt holds water — both worsen visible swelling.

Sleep Position

Sleep on your back with the head elevated for the first 2 weeks when possible. Side or face-down sleeping can shift filler before it fully integrates.

Dental Work

Delay non-urgent dental work for 2 weeks. Cleanings, procedures, and prolonged mouth opening can move filler in the cheek, lip, and mid-face areas through pressure or vibration.

Massage

Do not massage, press, or rub the treated area for 2 weeks unless we specifically instruct otherwise. That includes facial massage, lash extensions face-down, and microcurrent treatments.

Lip Filler — Straws & Puckering

If you had lip filler, avoid drinking from straws, puckering, smoking, and applying lipstick that requires firm pressure for 3 to 5 days. These all squeeze the product before it settles.

When to Call The Spa About Your Filler

Contact The Spa immediately if you experience:

Some swelling, pinpoint bruising, and tenderness in the first few days are completely normal. A few symptoms are not, and one of them is an emergency. Call us the moment you notice any of the following — for the vascular signs, minutes matter.

Signs of a blocked blood vessel (vascular occlusion) — a rare emergency. Skin that turns white and blanched, then dusky, blue, or mottled; pain that is severe or out of proportion to the procedure and keeps getting worse; or a blotchy, net-like pattern on the skin. This can show up during treatment or in the hours to a day afterward, and it needs to be addressed within hours, not days.
Any change in vision — blurring, double vision, dark spots, or loss of part of your sight, with or without eye pain or a severe headache. Treat this as a 911 emergency: go to the nearest ER immediately and call us on the way.
Signs of infection — spreading redness, warmth, swelling that increases after day three, pus, or fever.
Firm lumps or nodules, or new tenderness, that appear or persist beyond two weeks, including any that flare after dental work or an illness.
An allergic reaction — hives, widespread itching, or swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat. Call 911 for any trouble breathing.

During business hours, call The Spa by Sheena at (806) 701-5840. For vision changes, severe or worsening pain, or any sign of vascular compromise outside our hours, go straight to the nearest emergency room and let us know as soon as you can. HA fillers like Juvederm and Restylane can be dissolved if needed, so the sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can help.

FAQ

Your questions, answered

We’ve answered some of the most common questions below to help make your experience simple, transparent, and stress-free.

Dermal fillers are injectable gels—mostly hyaluronic acid (the same substance your skin naturally produces) plus a few biostimulators like Sculptra—used to restore lost volume, add contour, and smooth lines. We use them in lips, cheeks, jawline, under eyes, temples, nasolabial folds, and hands. Results are immediate and last 6–18 months depending on the product and area.

What are dermal fillers and what do they do?

We typically use Restylane Kysse, Juvederm Volbella, or RHA Redensity for lips—soft, flexible gels that move naturally with expression. For more structure (a defined lip line), we'd choose Restylane Refyne or Juvederm Ultra. The right product depends on the look you want—natural plumping vs. defined shape—and your lip anatomy. We'll choose together at consultation.

What's the best filler for lips?

Most patients see 9–12 months from a full syringe of lip filler. Some patients metabolize faster (especially if active in cardio) and see 6–8 months; others see 14+ months. Touch-ups every 9–12 months maintain consistent shape. Don't expect a single treatment to last 2 years—that's not how lip filler works.

How long do lip fillers last?

Lips: usually 1 syringe per treatment, sometimes 1.5 for full restoration. Cheeks: 2–4 syringes per side over 1–2 sessions for full restoration. Jawline: 2–4 syringes. Under eyes: 1–2 syringes total. Nasolabial folds: 1 syringe. Your provider calculates based on your face and goals. We don't push more product than you need.

How much filler do I need?

Hyaluronic acid fillers run $550 to $1,100 per syringe depending on the product. Common products: Volbella .5ml $550, Eyelight $550, SkinVive $550, Kysse $800, RHA-1/2/3/4 $800 each, Lyft $750, Defyne $850, Refyne $850, Juvederm Ultra $850, Vollure $925, Contour $925, Voluma $1,000, Volux $1,025. Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite) $1,100. Members receive discounted per-syringe pricing.

What does a syringe of filler cost in Lubbock?

Less than you'd think. We apply topical numbing for 15–20 minutes before treatment, and all hyaluronic acid fillers contain lidocaine that further numbs as the product is injected. Areas like lips are more sensitive than cheeks. Most patients are comfortable throughout. We can use a cannula instead of a needle for certain areas (less bruising, less pain).

Does filler hurt?

Swelling is normal for 24–48 hours (lips can swell visibly for 3 days). Bruising is possible at any injection site. Most patients return to normal activity immediately—just skip strenuous exercise, heat, and alcohol for 24 hours. Final shape settles at 2 weeks once swelling resolves.

What's the recovery from dermal fillers?

Yes—hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved within 24 hours using hyaluronidase (Hylenex), which we offer in-house. We use this if you're not happy with the result, if there's been migration, or if a complication arises. Sculptra and Radiesse are NOT reversible—we're more conservative with those products as a result.

Can fillers be reversed?

Fillers replace lost volume—they add to your face. Botox relaxes muscles to soften wrinkles caused by movement. Fillers treat lines that show up at rest (deep nasolabial folds, sunken cheeks); Botox treats lines that show up when you move (forehead, crow's feet). They work in different ways and most patients use both for complete results.

What's the difference between fillers and Botox?

Improperly placed filler can migrate, especially in lips. Migration is a sign of overfill or wrong product placement. Our team is trained to place product in the correct anatomical plane and to use proper dosing. If you've had filler elsewhere and have concerns about migration, we offer dissolving and re-treatment plans.

Can filler migrate?

Not when used correctly. The myth comes from patients who've been chronically over-filled. Properly dosed filler integrates with surrounding tissue and supports the area without stretching. Skin stretches from massive volume changes (major weight loss/gain, pregnancy), not from appropriately dosed filler.

Will fillers stretch out my skin?

Yes—and they often work better in combination. We frequently pair fillers with Botox (volume + muscle relaxation), with Sculptra (immediate fill + long-term collagen building), with PRP microneedling (skin quality + structural support), and with skincare protocols. We'll build a combined plan if that's what your goals require.

Can fillers be combined with other treatments?

A follow-up appointment is recommended 2 weeks after treatment so swelling resolves and you see the true result. For staged restoration we typically space additional sessions 2 to 4 weeks apart so you can evaluate and we can refine. Maintenance treatments are typically needed every 6 to 18 months depending on the area treated and filler used.

How long should I wait between filler sessions?

Pregnant or breastfeeding patients, patients with active infections in the treatment area, patients with certain autoimmune or bleeding disorders, and patients on certain medications. We screen for all of this at consultation. If filler isn't appropriate for you, we'll tell you and suggest alternatives.

Who shouldn't get dermal fillers?

Book a complimentary consultation online or call (806) 701-5840. We'll examine your face, talk through what you'd like to change, recommend products and amounts, and give you honest pricing. No obligation—we want you to make the right decision for you.