You should massage after having injectable filler in areas where the skin is thinner, such as the lips or lower eyelids, but massaging too much and in other areas could actually break down the filler, resulting in less volume. Or it may cause filler migration.
Answer: Fillers
Fillers work by pushing up the skin and adding volume to areas of deficit. If you massage them they will flatten out and will certainly loose their effect. Gentle rubbing in of face skin products should be fine though.
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.
Sun exposure speeds up the aging process on the skin and is one of the leading causes of wrinkles. Those UV rays can also cause certain fillers to break down faster and being absorbed by the body more quickly. To get the best results, use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day.
Although extremely rare, dermal fillers are able to migrate within the skin if consistent and adequate pressure is applied to them. For this reason, we advise patients not to get a facial, massage (on the treated skin), or microdermabrasion for the first two weeks following their filler injections.
Trauma at the Injection Site
The single most common cause of lumps or bumps after filler is the trauma of the injection itself. This is why we recommend waiting for the swollen, bruised skin to heal before beginning to massage it.
Whilst it is somewhat normal to feel small lumps, depending on how thick the filler used was), if they feel one lump in particular, they can gently massage it in between their finger and their thumb, over a period of time, and it will help to “break down” the lump.
Your body naturally dissolves the dermal filler for you over time using a substance called hyaluronidase. This is a naturally occurring material in your body that gradually breaks down the hyaluronic acid in your filler, causing your results to gradually diminish over a period of 6 – 18 months.
Dermal fillers are created using naturally occurring enzymes, such as hyaluronic acid. For this reason, they are metabolized by your body over time. The speed of your metabolism will greatly affect how long your treatment results last. In addition, cosmetic fillers tend to last longer in areas with less movement.
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, Teosyal and Belotero can be dissolved using an enzyme called Hyaluronidase. This enzyme naturally occurs in our skin but can be injected at higher concentrations in order to rapidly remove unwanted filler.
Fillers remain moldable for 1-2 weeks, and pressure can deform your filler.
Answer: Hyaluronidase to break it down or massage
Hyaluronidase is the best way to get rid of the Juvederm, but if you don't want to get it then you can ask your injector if massaging will help.
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.
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.
You cannot dissolve lip fillers at home. Only licensed medical professionals can administer the enzyme hyaluronidase. However, you can wait for your dermal fillers to dissolve on their own.
Hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Juvéderm products (including VOLUMA and VOLBELLA), Restylane products, and Belotero, can be partially or completely removed with an enzyme called hyaluronidase.
Fillers are a great option for patients seeking a softer, more youthful look. However, if used improperly or over used, fillers can have negative long term consequences. In fact, patients who do not properly use filler could actually speed up their skin's aging process, resulting in older looking skin.
As well as stretching of the skin, excessive use of fillers can result in longer term damage including wrinkling of the lip and disturbance of the attachment of the facial fat pads and some degree of irregularity and ageing of the skin, he explains.
Because dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring skin compound, they are naturally dissolved by your body over a period of 6 – 18 months. This process uses a compound called hyaluronidase.
The filler will start to break down and soften immediately, although depending on the location and how much needs to be dissolved, it may take up to two weeks for it to completely dissolve and settle back to natural.
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.
Hard and tender lumps suggest that your body might have reacted to the filler. A mild allergic reaction can be sorted out quickly and easily by a prescription of steroids, which our aesthetic medical professional can provide you with. This prescription is available at most pharmacies.
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.
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.