A common side effect of filler and Botox treatment is bruising. It is true that bruising is less likely to occur with Botox treatment than filler injections, and while it is every injector’s goal to minimize bruising as much as possible, it is not 100% preventable. Sure, avoiding visible blood vessels and using injection techniques such as utilizing a micro-cannula (a blunt tipped needle that is less likely to pass through a blood vessel) helps reduce the risk of bruising, but as an injector you cannot see every tiny capillary or blood vessel that lies beneath the skins surface (we don’t have x-ray vision!). A bruise occurs as a result of injury or trauma to the skin and the capillaries that lie beneath the surface. Once injured, the capillaries leak red blood cells into the surrounding tissue where they become trapped. This is how a bruise forms.
Some people bruise easier than others and you can never predict who will or won’t bruise. If you’ve had injections in the past and did not have any bruising (lucky you!), this does not mean that you won’t have bruising with subsequent treatments. There are many factors that increase the risk of bruising too, such as age, sun exposure, certain medications and dietary habits to name a few.
So you’ve had filler injections and now you have that dreaded bruise. What can be done to speed up the healing process? Below is a list of at home remedies many people swear by:
This is probably the most popular homeopathic bruise treatment. Arnica oil comes from the Arnica flower and is said to reduce inflammation and swelling which are contributing factors to bruise formation. Arnica can be taken orally in pill form or can be applied topically to the bruise itself. While many people swear by Arnica for bruise treatment there is limited research that supports this claim.
Eating pineapple.
Pineapple contains an enzyme called Bromelain. Bromelain is believed to speed up the healing process by reducing inflammation and breaking down the proteins found in the trapped blood cells that are causing the bruise. Bromelain is found in the stem and juice of the pineapple, but can also be taken orally in pill form or applied topically to the bruise itself.
Topical vitamin K.
Some people believe that applying topical vitamin K speeds up the healing process of bruising, and that it may also help reduce the appearance of spider veins and stretch marks. Vitamin K is an essential vitamin that is needed for blood clotting and can be found in green leafy vegetables such as broccoli or kale. While vitamin K is proven to be effective for treating certain blood disorders and reversing the effects of warfarin (a blood thinner), evidence is still lacking as to whether or not it is effective in the treatment of bruising. However, there is some research showing that topical vitamin K helps speed up the healing process of bruising caused by laser treatments.
Aloe Vera.
Aloe vera is known for its healing and soothing properties and is widely 
used for the relief of pain associated with a sun burn. Some people believe that applying aloe vera gel to bruised skin helps speed up the healing process.
ICING!
This is probably the most effective at home treatment you can do, especially immediately after the bruise occurs. Icing the bruised area on and off promotes healing by vasoconstricting the blood vessels in that area (this makes the blood vessels smaller so they leak less blood, preventing the bruise from getting worse), and reducing swelling. Ice should be applied on and off (20 minutes on, 10 minutes off) for the first few hours after the injury occurs.
Warm compresses.
Once the bruise starts to heal, about 24 hours after the injury occurred, warm compresses may be applied to help speed up the healing process. By applying a warm compress, you are increasing blood flow to the area which aids in absorbing the blood cells that have become trapped beneath the skins surface.
The bottom line is this: You may not bruise at all with filler or Botox injections, you may bruise a little bit, or you may bruise a lot. With a Botox treatment it is less likely you will bruise, but if you are planning on having filler injections (let’s say in the lips for example- where it is very common to bruise) schedule your appointment during a week where you don’t have any major plans or events such as a wedding or birthday party. This will allow for adequate healing time in the case that you do develop a bruise. If you have tried any of these methods or have tried or know of other at home remedies that work please leave a comment below!
If you are interested in scheduling your consultation with our office, please call us at 708-524-1400 or fill out our contact form today.
