There’s something about the idea of having products injected into your face that may provoke a visceral response if you haven’t tried them, resulting in cringing and muttering, “Ouch!” However, when delivered by experienced facial plastic surgery expert Dr. Brian K. Machida at Second to Creation in the Inland Empire, the injection of these fillers is mostly painless.
First, the Anesthetic
After cleaning your face with an antiseptic, Dr. Machida applies a topical anesthetic cream or anesthetic injection to the treatment area. These numb the surface and will minimize most, if not all, needle stick pain.
Dr. Machida will then wait about 10 minutes before proceeding with the next step – the injections themselves.
Next, the Injections
Once the target area has gone numb, Dr. Machida will administer the dermal fillers, using his skill to ensure the injection is as painless as possible. After each injection, he massages the injected area and may inject additional filler as needed. Because their job is not always to fill, but rather to stimulate collagen and elastin production, Dr. Machida applies these dermal filler injections under your skin in tiny amounts where they act as skin cell rejuvenators.
The dermal filler injections used for facial rejuvenation typically contain a substance already found in your skin, promoting fibroblast production of collagen and elastin.
The needle chosen for the procedure will play a large role in managing patient pain. However, most fillers are viscous and stretch the skin when injected, resulting in some injection pain. FDA-approved hyaluronic acid fillers containing lidocaine can cause significantly less injection discomfort during the procedure. The fillers Restylane® and Juvéderm® include lidocaine in their formulations, and as a result, these are gaining favor, as they are more comfortable when injected.
Let’s Talk About Bruising
Any discussion about how facial filler injections feel must touch on the topic of bruising.
For patients concerned about this issue, Dr. Machida can use various techniques to minimize any bruising. These include using smaller needles as well as a slow injection technique. A slower, more careful injection decreases the likelihood of bruises around the treatment sites.
Applying pressure afterward and then icing the area for the first 30 to 60 minutes after the injection helps minimize or reduce the amount of bruising a patient will experience from a filler injection. Fortunately, most patients do not get significant bruising from filler injections, but these techniques can minimize the risk.
Other measures a patient can take to soothe bruising after fillers and other injectables include:
- Before and after treatment, apply a cold compress to the area.
- Avoid medications and foods that could thin your blood, like vitamin E, alcohol, and pain relievers.
- Ask Dr. Machida about numbing creams that can double as vasoconstrictors.
Concerned About Facial Fillers in the Inland Empire?
If you’re considering facial fillers and injectables, but worried about pain or side effects, contact Dr. Brian K. Machida in Ontario, CA, and schedule a free consultation online or by calling (909) 476-2600.