How to Achieve Minimal Bruising with Fillers, Fall 2014 Newsletter

With our increasingly fast-paced lifestyle, we understand that our patients often do not have time to deal with post-procedural bruising. Anytime a needle punctures the skin there is a risk of a bruise, however there are a variety of techniques that we as providers use to help reduce this risk. When injecting filler we often use what are called blunt tip cannulas rather than sharp needles to help minimize bruising. Additionally, we inject slowly to lessen the risk and apply ice and pressure to any areas that may have the potential to bruise. There are some at home tricks that patients can do prior to treatment to help prevent bruising. Avoiding blood thinners such as green tea and red wine prior to treatment can be helpful. Any prescription blood thinning medications should NOT be stopped prior to treatment without supervision of your prescribing doctor. Arnica is a natural herbal supplement that when taken two weeks prior to treatment can help reduce the risk of bruising by strengthening the capillaries in the skin. Additionally, Auriderm® gel ($28), available at skinfo®, is a vitamin K derivative that can be applied to the skin twice daily after the treatment to help the body absorb any bruising. Also, we are happy to offer complimentary VBeam® treatments to treat any out of the ordinary bruising in order to help shorten the duration of a bruise after a procedure.