How to Care for Your Skin After a Filler Treatment

Learn everything there is to know about how to care for your skin at home after getting dermal filler so you can maintain your results and make the most of your treatment.

Let’s face it—cosmetic procedures are not cheap. The pricey (but effective!) in-office treatments include dermal fillers, injectable treatments performed by a skincare professional that restore volume and fullness, enhancing the contours of your face and creating an overall fuller and smoother appearance. And because you’re likely spending a pretty penny on dermal fillers, you probably want to make the most of your procedure and extend your results. That’s where filler aftercare comes in.

Continue reading to learn all there is to know about aftercare for filler, including how long you should expect your results to last, how to best take care of your skin post-filler treatment and even how to optimize the effects of your filler.

What are dermal fillers?
Before we dive into filler aftercare, we must first answer the question “What are dermal fillers?” Dermal fillers are treatments that are injected beneath the surface of the skin with the intention of plumping up the area in which they’ve been injected. Some common areas of the face are the lips and around the mouth and nose. Depending on the type of dermal fillers you choose (because there are many!), you can plump up your lips, enhance the shallow contours of your face for a more dramatic effect, soften facial creases and wrinkles or improve the appearance of scars. The most commonly used dermal fillers are hyaluronic acid-based fillers that dissolve over time (Juvéderm and Restylane), but more permanent fillers such as Sculptra and Radiesse exist, too. These are long-lasting and work via their collagen-stimulating properties. In fact, dermal fillers are so common that they are the most-performed office-based treatments each year.

How long do dermal fillers last?Wondering how long you’ll see the smoothing, plumping effects of your new filler treatment? It depends on the type you get as well as your unique skin type and whether your filler is in an area of your face (like your lips) that experiences more movement, which will cause filler to dissolve more rapidly. Some dermal fillers that are metabolized faster last six to 12 months, while others, which are injected deeper into the skin, can last up to two years.

What is required in terms of filler aftercare?
So you received your filler treatment—great! Now let’s talk all things filler aftercare. While dermal fillers generally require little to no downtime and come with little risk of side effects like redness and swelling, ensuring you’re properly caring for your skin post-treatment, with a great filler aftercare routine, is key. In fact, doing so can even help extend the results of your treatment and make the most of your dermal fillers. The first place to start? A hyaluronic acid serum like SkinCeuticals HA Intensifier, which can complement your treatment thanks to its ability to enhance smoothness and plumpness. Hyaluronic acid draws water into the skin and helps to retain moisture, making sure your freshly plumped skin is, well, even more plump. Who doesn’t want that? In fact, this product increases your skin’s hyaluronic acid levels by an astonishing 30%, making it a perfect addition to a hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler.

Want to level up your anti-aging routine post-filler treatment? While most dermatologists recommend waiting two or three days post-treatment to resume the use of active ingredients such as alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids and retinol, once those couple of days are over, incorporating a retinol into your skincare regimen is an excellent idea for prolonging and intensifying the wrinkle-smoothing, skin-plumping benefits of dermal fillers. SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 Refining Night Cream is a concentrated night cream formulated with 0.5% pure retinol to encourage cell turnover, decrease the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and skin discoloration, reduce the appearance of pores and more. (Yes, really!) In fact, few at-home ingredients or products help the collagen-boosting benefits of dermal fillers like retinol, making them the perfect pair and an excellent long- and short-term investment for your skin.

Lastly, you can’t forget sunscreen. While wearing SPF daily is crucial, sunscreen is especially important after any sort of skin procedure, when your skin can be more sensitive and prone to sun damage. SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 is formulated specifically for post-procedure, sensitive and very dry skin, so you can rest assured that it won’t irritate your post-filler skin. In fact, it provides all-day hydration and restores the integrity of your skin barrier, leaving you with a complexion that actually looks and feels and is healthier over time.