Even the procedure of saturating your lips with hyaluronic acid, carried out in an aesthetic medicine clinic, can have side effects. Unfortunately, if you want to give your lips an attractive swelling and additional volume, you need to be prepared for such sacrifices and understand how to reduce swelling after lip augmentation.
Hyaluronic acid actively fills the subcutaneous layers, saturates the lips with moisture, vitamins and nutrients. The life-giving cocktail of the composition not only heals the epidermis and increases the size of the lips, at the same time it stimulates the production of natural hyaluronic acid, which is contained in our body. The rejuvenation process begins not only in the injection area, but also next to the injection area.
Discomfort, bruising and swelling after contouring
Edema is the excessive accumulation of fluid in extracellular tissues. It is a standard reaction of soft tissues to damage and accompanies most medical interventions, including contouring. Normally, swelling after contouring should go away within a few days (up to 2 weeks), but it can persist longer. The percentage of development of undesirable consequences as a result of correction of cosmetic defects with fillers is small, but not only the doctor, but also the patient should be aware of them.
To one degree or another, swelling after contouring of the cheekbones, lips and other areas almost always develops; the question is how severe it is. Tissues react with swelling to microtraumas; the ability of the filler to accumulate and retain moisture also plays a role. The normal period for swelling to resolve is several days, up to two weeks; if the swelling lasts longer, most likely:
- there is an individual reaction of the body, in particular, a previously unknown allergic reaction;
- the drug was chosen incorrectly;
- the cosmetologist used an excessive amount of gel;
- the doctor performed the manipulation incorrectly.
Hematomas (bruises) occur due to microtrauma of blood vessels as a result of injections. Minor bruising is normal during injection procedures. Severe manifestations are usually associated either with vascular insufficiency or with the low qualifications of the doctor who performed the procedure. To ensure that swelling with hematomas goes away as quickly as possible, various local and systemic agents are used (in particular, products with heparin, Traumeel ointment, compresses).
If your face hurts and feels tight after contouring , you can talk about an individual reaction to the injection of filler. This symptom is usually associated with swelling 1-2 days after the procedure and subsequently goes away on its own. Regular painkillers will help relieve pain.
How long do hematomas last?
On average, the rehabilitation period after lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid lasts from several days to a week. Usually, 2-3 days after the injection, the bruises lighten, become yellow and gradually disappear completely. But, the behavior of each organism is individual, hence the different recovery time.
Hematomas may take longer to resolve if injection anesthesia . When the painkiller gets into the internal tissues, the drugs retain moisture in the body, and this greatly complicates the narrowing of blood vessels. Therefore, swelling and bruising are observed on the lips longer, lasting about a week longer. Injection anesthesia is rarely used. Most often, cosmetologists prefer to provide pain relief using wipes and creams.
Hematomas also linger when a large vessel ruptures . In this case, the bruise begins to grow in size, and an infection enters the damaged tissue. Due to inflammation, the bruise can turn into a purulent sac.
If hematomas do not go away over a long period of time, you should consult a doctor. You should not self-medicate, as this may worsen the situation.
Inflammatory processes at injection sites
A minor inflammatory reaction is considered a variant of the norm - it develops as a result of a foreign substance entering the body (despite the complete biocompatibility of hyaluronic acid with the human body, fillers trigger standard protection against “external invasions”). If the process takes place in 1-3 days, everything is fine, if it persists for a longer period:
- an infection has penetrated into the tissue - with injections (due to improper treatment of the skin before injections, or the use of a low-quality drug or consumables);
- the injection provoked an exacerbation of the infection, which was “dormant” in the tissues;
- There are autoimmune pathologies, against the background of which, as a result of the injection of filler, the patient begins to experience uncontrolled inflammatory reactions in the treatment areas.
To effectively treat a pathological condition, it is important to accurately determine the cause of its development; based on the results, the patient may be prescribed antibiotics, NSAIDs, antihistamines or steroids.
Treatment of hematomas on the lips after hyaluronic acid
The appearance of bruises on the lips after hyaluronic acid is normal. Usually they go away on their own within a week, leaving no trace. However, if the rules of care are not followed, the rehabilitation period may be prolonged. Conversely, if you use a number of simple remedies, the bruises will disappear within a few days.
Ice compresses will help get rid of bruises faster . Cold does an excellent job of healing small bruises and bruises. When we apply ice to the damaged area, vasoconstriction occurs. This promotes the outflow of blood at the injection site and the disappearance of bruises. You can take any item from the freezer, apply it to your lips and you will see a small result.
It is best to freeze a decoction of medicinal plants in cubes . This way, the skin will not only begin to constrict blood vessels, but will also receive the necessary calm and care. It is recommended to choose the following plants for the product: chamomile, lemon balm, calendula, etc.
Hematoma after injection with hyaluronic acid
In order to get rid of bruises, you can use pharmaceutical products. There is a large selection of gels and ointments designed to get rid of hemorrhages. When choosing, you need to pay attention to well-known brands that are trusted by consumers (for example, Arnica, TraumeelS, etc.). It is also important that the product used consists of natural ingredients.
Immediately after the procedure, you need to press the filler and hold it for several minutes. This manipulation will help spread the blood and reduce bruising.
In the first 24 hours after the injection, the lips are very sensitive and it is better not to subject them to mechanical stress. You should not press, massage your lips, it is better not to kiss. However, every other day you can begin to do a light acupressure of the lips to speed up blood flow and the healing process.
Read about how to properly massage after lip augmentation
