You've just booked your filler appointment with one of our nurse practitioners  - but what should you do next? From understanding your aesthetic goals to knowing the dos and don'ts before and after your appointment, there are a few (easy!) key steps that can make all the difference! So, we’ve created a pre and post-filler appointment checklist to empower you to achieve your best results!

Before Your Filler Treatment:

#1: Avoid These Medications and Supplements

Certain blood-thinning medications and supplements (like aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, and others) can increase your risk of bruising and bleeding during and after filler injections. Try and avoid these medications for a week before your filler appointment. But don’t worry - slight bruising and bleeding is totally normal and expected! We recommend using any Arnica gel to help speed up the healing process for any bruises after your appointment. 

#2: Come with a Clean Face

Please come makeup-free if possible! If not, we will ask you to remove your makeup when you arrive. This allows for a proper assessment by your provider and also helps to ensure a reduction of the risk of bacteria interfering with your injections.

#3: Make Sure You’re Healthy

Please make sure that for a minimum of two weeks before your filler appointment, you haven’t had any illnesses, antibiotic use, dental cleanings, dental work, or any vaccinations. We want to make sure you are totally healthy before and during your appointment! While filler is made of hyaluronic acid which is found naturally in the body, it is still synthetically made. Any heightening of your immune system could cause your body to flag the filler as a foreign object. If you have an autoimmune or chronic medical condition, we highly recommend a consultation with your provider before scheduling a filler appointment.

After Your Filler Treatment:

#1: Avoid Touching the Treated Area

While it may be tempting to touch, try and keep your hands off the treated area to prevent infection and avoid unintentionally irritating your fresh filler. We recommend leaving things alone for 24-48 hours. This also means be gentle when applying your skincare!

#2: No Makeup 

Avoid makeup for the rest of the day after your filler appointment. When makeup (or even makeup brushes) comes in contact with injection sites, you can risk getting an infection! Leave your skin bare to avoid this complication. We recommend doing a gentle cleanse before bed and finishing off with a simple moisturizer. You may return to make up the following day!

#3: Limit Heat Exposure

Excessive heat exposure - like saunas, hot tubs, or steam rooms - can increase swelling and potentially affect the settling of your new filler. Avoid exposure to high temperatures for at least 24-48 hours after your filler treatment to allow the filler to settle properly!

Whether you're interested in filler, our collection of medical-grade skincare, our Monthly Facial Membership, or want to learn more about our collagen-boosting skincare treatments, we’d love to see you in our downtown Bethesda office soon!