Part of any aesthetic treatment is knowing the best practices for your preparation and your recovery. Just like it’s vital to understand how to prepare for your treatment, it’s equally as important to know the dos and don’ts for your recovery period. When you have a Restylane treatment at Eric P. Bachelor in Pleasanton, CA, we will give you a detailed list of post-treatment instructions that are designed to help you achieve your ideal aesthetic as soon as possible.
What Should You Avoid After Restylane?
The immediate period after an aesthetic treatment is called aftercare, and the actions you take during this period relate directly to how well the results of your treatment develop. It’s important to closely follow any aftercare directions that are given to you so your results will settle correctly.
For dermal fillers, most of the recommended aftercare instructions are the same in terms of how you should treat your skin. Most of the time, you should follow aftercare instructions for at least three to five days, although some directions are more specific for how long you should adhere to the rule. The most common aftercare instructions include:
Touching
Dermal fillers work by injecting artificial volume into your skin to smooth the appearance of lines and wrinkles, but it does take some time for these formulas to settle into the layers of your skin and start working. This is why most dermal filler aftercare directions will instruct you to avoid touching your face for at least 12 to 24 hours. This means no rubbing, scrubbing, touching, or any other hard pressure on the face. It’s also best if you can avoid any exaggerated facial movements, particularly in the cheek area if you have used a filler there.
Cosmetics
This aftercare rule is kind of obvious because it’s not as if you can apply make-up without touching your face. You should avoid wearing make-up for at least 24 hours since the make-up application will involve facial touching, as well as make-up removal that can include aggressive scrubbing. Yes, this will mean that you will leave your appointment bare-faced.
The other reason you will need to avoid cosmetics is that the injection of your dermal filler site will need to be sterile and free of all bacteria for at least 24 hours. Your fingers and make-up applicators may have trace amounts of bacteria on them that could complicate your recovery, so it’s best to just go without make-up for the day.
Sunlight
Most people don’t think about it, but avoiding sunlight is also key for your treatment. There are a few reasons why you will be advised to avoid sunlight. For example, during the first several days after your treatment, the filler in your skin will be vulnerable to exposure to UV rays, which can prematurely break down the filler formula and make your treatment less effective. It’s best to avoid sunlight for at least five days so your filler has time to settle.
Another reason to limit unprotected sun exposure is that you will want to avoid any hyperpigmentation on your injection sites. The needle used for your treatment won’t leave a visible mark on your skin, but the fact that there is a small wound on your skin will make your skin cells more receptive to melanin production, which can then darken your skin. If you have to be outside for the first one or two weeks after your treatment, please wear adequate sun protection.
Heat
It’s also important to avoid heat exposure, especially from hot water, steam, showers, saunas, tanning beds, and hot tubs. There are two reasons why you should avoid the intense heat. The first is to limit skin irritation; when your skin is exposed to intense heat while it is in a healing stage, it can create inflammation that can irritate your skin.
The second reason to avoid intense heat is that heat can make the filler formula break down. Again, during the first several days after your treatment, your filler will be settling into the sub-dermal layers of your skin, which means the formula will be vulnerable. Heat exposure can make your results less effective, so it’s a good idea to avoid heat for at least 24 hours.
Pressure
While many assume that pressure and touching are the same things, there is a big difference between the two – and it’s usually the fact that pressure can occur when you aren’t aware, such as when you are sleeping. During the first one or two days after your treatment, it’s ideal if you can sleep on your back to avoid putting any pressure on your face that may interfere with the development of your results.
Strenuous Activity
You will also need to avoid strenuous activity for the first several days after your treatment. Strenuous activity can include intense exercise, excessive sweating, lifting heavy objects at your job, or even particularly heavy groceries. There are two reasons why you should avoid strenuous activity. The first is related to how sweating and inflammation can irritate your skin and disrupt the settling of the dermal filler.
The second is because you will want to avoid increasing your metabolism. Dermal fillers are especially vulnerable to higher metabolisms – in fact, if you lead a very active lifestyle, your filler results may not last as long as someone who is more sedentary. While your filler is settling, it’s important to keep your metabolism low so your body doesn’t process and break down the filler too quickly. After the filler is settled, you can resume your normal activities.
Alcohol and Tobacco Consumption
You will also need to avoid alcohol and tobacco consumption during the first few days after your treatment. Both Alcohol and tobacco can slow down the healing processes in your body. Alcohol, in particular, can thin the blood, cause facial flushing, and can interfere with the way a filler will settle into your skin.
Some Skincare Products
While many skincare products are beneficial for battling the signs of aging or addressing other skin concerns, you will need to avoid a few types of skincare products during the first one to two days after your treatment. In particular, you should avoid chemical exfoliants, Vitamin C, and retinoids, as well as any other ingredient that can increase the cellular turnover of your skin. While a higher cellular turnover is generally a good thing because it can improve the appearance of your skin, you will want to avoid high cellular turnover after a dermal filler to limit skin irritation.
Other Treatments
Finally, there are some other treatments you will need to avoid for at least two weeks after your treatment. In general, dermal fillers like Restylane are a very flexible treatment that pair well with other filler treatments – however, you should only pair a filler with other aesthetic treatments when your filler has fully settled into the sub-dermal layers of your skin. Treatments such as facials, chemical peels, waxing, IPL treatments, laser treatments, radiofrequency treatments, and microdermabrasion should all be avoided for at least two weeks.
What Can You Expect From Your Treatment?
Dermal filler treatments take about 30 minutes to complete, making them an ideal “lunchtime” appointment. After your treatment, you will be able to return to most of your normal daily activities as long as you follow the recommended aftercare instructions.
For your treatment itself, the steps are very simple. After your skin has been cleansed, several small injections will be made into areas where you want to increase skin volume. Most people will only need one syringe of Restylane to achieve their ideal results.
How Soon Will You See Results?
The best thing about dermal fillers is you will be able to see the results of this treatment almost as soon as your appointment is over. This is because the filler immediately places volume into your skin with the gel-like formula, which increases your skin volume and softens lines, fine lines, and skin laxity. As your filler settles, your results will continue to improve while your skin absorbs more water and natural collagen is produced in the sub-dermal skin layers.
Help Your Results Develop Swiftly
The best way to get fast and skin-perfecting results is to closely follow your aftercare instructions for your aesthetic treatment. With dermal fillers, you will mostly need to avoid any activities that can potentially irritate your skin or interfere with the settling of your Restylane treatment. Please contact Eric P. Bachelor in Pleasanton, CA to learn more about Restylane and schedule your consultation appointment today.