Key takeaways
- Keep it quiet for 24–48 hours. No hard workouts, no saunas or steam rooms, no tanning. Hands off the treated areas unless your injector told you otherwise.
- Makeup and strong actives can wait. Skip makeup for the first day. Hold retinoids and strong acids until the skin doesn’t feel tender.
- Swelling and bruising happen — and they pass. Cool compresses (short, on/off) and sleeping a little elevated help a lot.
- Know the red flags. Sudden severe pain, blanching or odd colour changes, mottling, cool skin, vision symptoms — call the clinic immediately.
- Plan your timing. Give dental work and vaccines some space — typically two to four weeks either side — so you’re not stacking inflammation.
What Counts as Proper Aftercare (First 72 Hours)
You just had your filler. It’s settling. Your job now is simple: be kind to the area and don’t introduce heat, friction, or pressure while the product integrates.
Do (simple and boring wins):
- Use cool compresses for 10–15 minutes at a time, then give it a rest.
- Sleep with your head slightly elevated the first night or two.
- Hydrate normally; light meals, less salt — small things help.
- If you need to know how to reduce swelling after fillers, that trio — cooling, elevation, hydration — covers most of it.
- Keep this page’s spirit in mind: it’s your dermal fillers aftercare baseline and the core of our filler aftercare instructions.
Avoid for 24–48 hours (the “not now” list):
- Heavy exercise or anything that jacks your heart rate sky-high. Wondering what to avoid after fillers? Start there.
- Heat exposure — sauna after fillers isn’t a match, and hot yoga/steam rooms/hot baths can magnify swelling.
- Tanning and strong sun on the treated area.
- Rubbing, pressing, or sleeping face-down on treated zones.
Hands off (unless told otherwise).
Don’t massage. Don’t “smooth” a bump. If we want you to massage, we’ll show you how and for how long. Different products and areas have different rules; guessing is how lumps stick around, not how they go away. (We’ll come back to massage filler lumps below.)
Makeup and actives.
Go makeup-free for 24 hours. After that, keep it gentle the first few days. Strong acids (AHA/BHA), benzoyl peroxide, and retinoids can wait until the skin feels calm. If you’re itching to know about makeup after fillers, think “day two, light touch.”
Alcohol/NSAIDs.
Some people bruise more easily with alcohol or certain pain relievers. If we advised a pause, follow it. If we didn’t, still play it light for a day or so — your skin will thank you.
Lip Filler–Specific Tips
Eating/drinking, straws, kissing, lip products
For lip filler aftercare, keep contact soft for 24–48 hours. Skip very hot or icy drinks. Avoid straws (suction = pressure). Go easy on fragranced or occlusive lip products at first; simple balm is fine.
Sleep & eyewear/pressure points
How to sleep after lip fillers? On your back with a bit of elevation is ideal the first night. Avoid pressing the lips into a pillow. If you also treated midface or tear troughs, give tight goggles or heavy frames a short break until tenderness fades.
Exercise, Heat & Travel
You can work out after fillers — just not right away. The next day is usually fine for light activity. If you’re still puffy, wait 48 hours. For the “can I go full throttle” crowd asking can I exercise after fillers, the honest answer is: give your face a head start, then ramp up.
Heat is a swell-magnifier. Keep out of saunas and steam rooms early on. Flying soon after treatment? Cabin pressure and dryness can make swelling feel a bit more pronounced — pack a cool compress, keep water handy, and let us know if you’re travelling so we can personalise advice.
Massage vs. No Massage (and Lumps)
This part is short. Unless your injector instructs you to massage, don’t. Product choice, placement depth, and area all dictate if massage helps or hurts.
What’s normal? A little unevenness from swelling on Day 1–2 is common. What’s not? Persistent, firm nodules — or anything painful. When in doubt, message us. That’s aftercare for dermal fillers done right.
Normal vs. Not Normal — When to Call
Normal: mild tenderness, swelling, small bruises, a sense of fullness. These usually settle within a few days to a week (filler swelling how long varies by area and product).
Call same day: escalating pain or pressure, skin that turns pale and blotchy (blanching or livedo), cool skin, new colour changes, or any vision symptoms (blur, shadowing, loss of field). These are signs of vascular occlusion. This is also the moment when to call your injector isn’t a question — it’s now. We have an emergency protocol for a reason.
Dental Work, Vaccines & Illness Timing
Dental cleanings and procedures can stir up inflammation or disturb biofilms. To lower the odds of reactive swelling, many patients space dental work after fillers by about two to four weeks in either direction. Same logic with vaccines and fillers: a short buffer (often ~2 weeks) keeps your immune system from juggling too many signals at once. If you’re sick or just getting over something, reschedule. No prize for powering through.
Safety First — Choose Qualified Providers
This is medical work. Product choice matters. Technique matters more. Complications are uncommon but real, which is why you want trained clinicians, sterile technique, and the right medications available in-house (including hyaluronidase for HA fillers). Clear consent, clear aftercare, clear follow-up — that’s safety.
Why Choose Philosophy of Beauty
We take a conservative, natural-looking approach: small, precise changes, checked under good light, with time for your tissues to settle. Our injectors use proven products, follow evidence-based protocols, and give you filler aftercare instructions you’ll actually remember. We’re reachable for the tiny questions and ready for the big ones. Follow-up isn’t an afterthought; it’s part of treatment.
FAQs
How long does swelling last after fillers?
Usually a few days to a week. Lips and under-eyes can be a touch slower. Cool compresses, elevation, and patience — those three do the heavy lifting.
Can I work out after fillers?
Plan exercise for the next day. If you’re still puffy or bruised, give it 48 hours. Your results won’t suffer from a short pause.
Can I wear makeup the same day?
We recommend waiting 24 hours. After that, light, clean application only. Heavy brush buffing on tender skin is a no.
What are signs of vascular occlusion?
Severe pain, skin that blanches or turns blotchy, coolness or unusual colour, vision changes. If any of that happens, contact the clinic immediately.
Do I need to avoid dental work after fillers?
If possible, give yourself a two–four week buffer on either side of dental procedures. It’s a small tweak that reduces the chance of reactive swelling.
