In some cases, we recommend our patients massage their fillers following treatment to smooth them out below the skin; however, too much massage too soon may cause the filler to migrate slightly.
"Theoretically, all filler has the ability to migrate," says Dr. Diamond. "That is why it is so imperative that non-surgical injectable services are performed by experts with the anatomical knowledge to prevent this from happening.
Lumps and bumps are common after lip filler injections. The good news is that they can be effectively treated with gentle massage after initial swelling subsides.
DON'T: massage your lips.
Massaging freshly injected lips risks moving the filler around causing the possibility of desportation and undesirable results.
Massaging the treated areas can disrupt the dermal filler and cause the hyaluronic acid solution to move out of place. This can lead to an uneven or lumpy appearance.
Massage can encourage the filler to be broken up by the body more quickly. But in practice this still takes a long time (like weeks of daily vigorous massage) to improve the outcome. This may also spread the product over a larger area causing more problems.
That said, these injectable treatments take some time to integrate into your tissues, and it's normal for your dermal filler to take up to two weeks to fully settle into your face.
Over time, as facial movement increases in areas like the lips or cheeks, it causes the filler to break down and dissolve at a quicker rate. This makes the filler disappear faster in more active areas of the face.
When too much filler is injected into one area it's too much for the lips to hold and it migrates. Lip filler migrating can also be caused by injections placed too close together. If they aren't spaced properly, it can cause the skin to be filled too quickly, forcing it to migrate.
Do I massage my lips after lip fillers? Do not massage your lips for 24 to 48 hours after the treatment. Once your swelling subsides down, you can gently massage your lips with light pressure.
Not to worry though, lumps following a filler treatment are completely normal. The lumps you may experience are often caused by swelling and bruising of the treated area.
The most common cause of lumps after a filler treatment is swelling and bruising from the injections themselves. These should naturally subside within the first week.
Generally, any lumps or bumps that appear after fillers will disappear on their own within one to two weeks. Give the treatment a couple of weeks to improve, applying ice regularly.
You can spot filler migration as it can give that ducky or “shelf-like” appearance above the lip border. In areas such as the tear-trough, migration can be seen as little lumps and ridges around the lower eye area.
Administering lip filler is an art, and certain injection techniques are more likely to result in migration than others. The most common culprit seems to be the "Russian lip technique," says Dr.
In rare cases, facial fillers like Juvederm can migrate to another site of your face within a few days of your injections. This happens when the filler moves before it has fully bonded with your facial tissue.
It is not likely that the filler products would move if you wait at least a few days before pressing really hard on the areas and having extractions. The hyaluronic acid fillers settle nicely into the skin, and once any swelling goes down, it would be pretty unusual for anyone to be able to displace them.
The long answer is you should avoid exercise after fillers for at least 24 to 48 hours. This will help reduce bruising and swelling as well as infection risk, and you will feel better about the overall look of your treatment. Some light walking is okay, but avoid anything more intense.
However, it must be stressed, however, that filler does not migrate from one area of the body to another. What being discussed on social media is simply so-called migration of a few millimeters within the same anatomical regions where it was injected.
While it is possible for fillers to migrate, this side effect is extremely rare and can be avoided by choosing a qualified injector. Though filler migration is very uncommon, its likelihood increases when fillers are performed by an inexperienced or underqualified injector.
The filler can take several weeks to soften and settle into your skin. This means that patients won't see the ultimate results of their treatment immediately. Although individual results will vary, many people achieve the full effect within two weeks after receiving their injections.
The Results Improve Over Time
Because these injections stimulate your body's production of collagen and elastin, the final results of treatment won't be seen for several weeks. Even as the hyaluronic acid is processed by your body, healthy collagen and elastin grow at a more significant rate.
Fillers remain moldable for 1-2 weeks, and pressure can deform your filler.
Intense heat on the skin can make your filler break down more quickly or produce less effective results. Ideally, you should avoid exposure to intense heat for at least 12 to 24 hours after your appointment.