Have you ever seen lumps after a filler treatment. Keep reading to learn more.
What are fillers?
Fillers, also known as dermal fillers, are injectable treatments used to treat signs of aging. The filler product is used to fill in folds or wrinkles or to restore volume.
Where can fillers be used?
Fillers can be used in many places on the face and body. Probably the best-known area is in the lips. This can give you full lips or a more hydrated and natural appearance. In other areas on the face, fillers can be placed in the temples, nose, cheeks, under eye area, chin, and jawline. Fillers are sometimes also used to restore volume in the backs of your hands.
What is in a filler?
There are many types of fillers and different brands. The most common type is the filler that uses hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar found naturally in your skin. It draws a thousand times it’s weight in water. So when a hyaluronic acid filler is placed in your skin, it brings water into the area to fill in the wrinkles or lost volume. Hyaluronic acid for the most part is very malleable. This means it can be molded into the shape and place that you want. This happens most immediately after your filler treatment and in the first two weeks after.
Why do you get lumps after a filler treatment?
Sometimes a hyaluronic acid product may clump up under your skin. This may show up as a visible lump. This is particularly true if it’s placed in the surface or superficial layers of your skin. This sometimes is the case when treating fine lines around the lips or under the eyes. But sometimes you may feel lumps that you can’t even see. This happens when the filler is placed in the deeper tissues.
What should I do if I have lumps after my filler treatment?
Fortunately, lumps can be treated easily. The first thing is massaging the area. The more you massage the better it will look. The massage smoothens out the product and allows it to integrate into your skin. Just use gentle pressure back and forth or in a circular motion. If the lump is in an area like your cheek, you can place one finger inside your mouth and one outside and squeeze the lump between your fingers. The general rule is to massage five minutes at a time, five times a day, for the first five days. This is called the rule of fives. It’s a little hard to remember so you can just massage as much as possible for the first week or two after your treatment. Of course, make sure your hands are clean so as not to get an infection. And if you apply some moisturizer on the area, it will make it easier.
If the massage doesn’t work, then you can come in for a brief laser treatment. This heats up the area, allowing the product to be massaged in better. That can be done two or three times, once a week. If there is still a lump, it can be dissolved with an injectable product called hyaluronidase which will dissolve a tiny amount of it, just enough to get rid of the lump.
Dr. Alex has performed over 10,000 cosmetic treatments with many satisfied patients. Contact us to schedule an appointment for a free consultation with Dr. Alex in our Encino, CA office.