Dermal filler aftercare advice for patients

Dermal filler aftercare has to do two jobs at once: reassure patients that swelling, tenderness and the odd bruise are part of normal healing, and make absolutely sure they know the small set of vascular warning signs that need immediate contact. Patients cannot act on red flags they were never told about, and a verbal mention in the chair is easily forgotten by the time they get home. A written sheet, sent the same day, does both jobs reliably, and the timestamped record protects you if the advice is ever questioned. The sheet below covers standard guidance for hyaluronic acid fillers across the common treatment areas. Fill in your clinic’s details and urgent number, tick the area notes that apply, and send it after every filler appointment. For lip-only appointments, our lip filler aftercare sheet goes into more detail on the lips.

The aftercare sheet (copy, fill in and send)

Your clinic’s details

Clinic name: ___________________________

Clinic phone: ___________________________

Urgent / out-of-hours contact number: ___________________________

Email: ___________________________

Treating practitioner: ___________________________

Your treatment

Date of treatment: ___________________________

Areas treated: ___________________________

Product used: ___________________________

Review appointment (if booked): ___________________________

Aftercare after your dermal filler treatment

Your filler treatment is complete. Most of what you notice over the next few days is normal healing; here is what to expect and what to do.

What is normal

• Swelling, tenderness, firmness and redness at the treated area, usually peaking within 48 to 72 hours and settling over the following week.
• Bruising, which can take 5 to 10 days to fade fully.
• Slight unevenness or small lumps while swelling resolves and the product settles. Judge the final result at two weeks, not before.

What to avoid, and for how long

• For ___ hours (commonly 24): keep makeup off the treated area to protect the injection points.
• For ___ hours (commonly 24 to 48): avoid alcohol, which increases swelling and bruising, and strenuous exercise.
• For the first day or two: avoid heat, including saunas, steam rooms, sunbeds and very hot showers.
• Until we advise otherwise: do not rub or massage the treated area, and avoid sleeping directly on the treated side where you can. Only massage if we have specifically told you to.
• For ___ weeks (commonly 2): avoid facials, facial massage and other skin treatments on the area unless we have agreed them.
• A clean, cloth-wrapped cold compress for short periods can ease swelling. Never put ice directly on the skin, and do not press hard.
• Drink plenty of water.

Notes for the areas you had treated (your practitioner will tick those that apply)

• Cheeks and jawline: avoid firm pressure for the first week where possible, including tight-fitting helmets, face-down massage and sleeping flat on that side.
• Lips: avoid straws, firm kissing and very hot drinks on day 1. Swelling here can look dramatic at 48 hours, and that is usually the peak, not the result.
• Nose-to-mouth lines and marionette area: normal eating is fine, but avoid rubbing hard when cleansing.
• Chin and around the mouth: avoid dental appointments, including hygienist visits, for ___ weeks (commonly 3 to 4) or as we advise where possible. If urgent dental treatment is needed, tell your dentist about your recent filler.
• Under the eyes: swelling can come and go for longer here. Allow a full two weeks before judging the result.
• Other: ___________________________

Contact us as soon as possible if you notice

• Swelling, redness, heat or tenderness that is getting worse after the first 2 to 3 days rather than better.
• Pus, a fever, or feeling unwell, which could be signs of infection.
• A cold sore starting near the treated area.
• A lump that is still there after two weeks, or new lumps or swelling appearing weeks later.
• Anything that worries you.

Contact us immediately, at any time, if you notice

• Blanching (white patches of skin) in or near the treated area.
• Skin turning dusky, grey, blue or mottled, or a lace-like pattern of discolouration.
• Severe or escalating pain out of proportion to the treatment.
• Skin that looks blistered or is breaking down.

These can mean the filler is affecting blood supply, and early treatment makes resolution far more straightforward. Use the urgent contact number above. If you cannot reach us straight away, seek urgent medical care: call NHS 111, or go to A&E.

Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if

• You have any change in your vision, eye pain, a drooping eyelid or double vision after facial filler.
• You have difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, tongue or throat.

Your practitioner’s specific advice takes precedence over this general sheet. If anything worries you, contact us; that is what we are here for.

Filling in the sheet

Fill in the blanks with your own protocol and check them against the manufacturer’s guidance for the filler you use; timings and massage advice differ between products and techniques. Edit the area notes to match the areas you actually treat, and set the dental interval to match your consent form and medical history form so the documents agree. Put your real out-of-hours arrangement in the urgent contact line and make sure it is answered: recognised complication guidance, including the Aesthetic Complications Expert (ACE) Group’s guideline on vascular occlusion, stresses that suspected vascular problems need a prompt in-person review. Date the version of the sheet so you can show which wording a patient received.

When patients should contact you urgently

For the practitioner and the team answering the phone: blanching, dusky or mottled skin, severe disproportionate pain, blistering or skin breakdown, and any visual disturbance. The first four need same-day practitioner assessment; vision changes are an emergency. Make sure reception knows these words and never books them in as a routine review, and keep your complication protocols and emergency kit in line with recognised guidance such as the ACE Group’s guidelines on vascular occlusion, visual loss and hyaluronidase. Then document the advice itself: record that the aftercare sheet was sent, the date and the channel. Vascular events are the highest-stakes moments in filler practice, and being able to show the patient was clearly told what to look for, in writing, on the day of treatment, is essential to defending your decision-making.

Make this automatic

AesthetiClinic emails this aftercare sheet automatically after every appointment, branded to your clinic, and records on the patient file that it was sent and when. The red-flag advice reaches every patient on the day of treatment without anyone having to remember. See the features page for the workflow, and pair it with the dermal filler consent form template so the consent conversation and the aftercare advice are both evidenced. You can chart the points you treated on our face map template. AesthetiClinic’s consent forms software uses the same secure links, so the e-signed consent and the aftercare sheet sit on one patient record.

General aftercare guidance for UK aesthetics practice. Your practitioner’s specific advice always takes precedence. Patients with urgent symptoms should contact their practitioner or seek medical care immediately.