Before / after your treatment:
Injectables:
You cannot be treated if you are:
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Pregnant or Breastfeeding
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You have an active skin infection such as a cold sore or impetigo
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You have a muscular condition, immune condition or any medical condition that has been assessed as a contraindication by Nurse Cath
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You are undergoing dental work and have treatment scheduled (including cleaning) for 2 weeks post filler
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You are going on holiday abroad in the next 7 days
All treatment areas will be cleaned pre-treatment however please try come to your appointment with no/minimal makeup on if possible.
24-48 hours pre/post treatment: Please avoid alcohol as this can thins the blood can increase the risk of bruising and impact the healing process.
Please stop the following medication in advance of your injectable treatment:
7 days before: blood thinning treatments including aspirin** This is to prevent the increased risk of bruising and bleeding.
** Please do not stop any chronic/essential prescribed medication! You may still be able to have treatment if the above cannot be avoided; but this will need to be in discussion/assessment with Nurse Cath to assess the level of risk based on the medication and dosage you have, and it may be that you experience additional bruising/bleeding.
The following medication and supplements thin the blood:
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Anti-inflammatories, e.g. aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen
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Clopidogrel
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Anticoagulants e.g. warfarin, apixaban
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St. John’s Wart
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High doses of Vitamin E
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Fish oil or Omega-3s
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Ginko Biloba
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Ginseng
Important things to consider:
Try and schedule your treatment at least two weeks before a special event which you may be attending, such as a wedding or a vacation.
Here’s why:
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You may be unlucky and experience prolonged bruising.
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If you are unlucky and developed a complication, you may struggle to return to the clinic for the aftercare you need.
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If you have to travel straight after treatment, consider how you will access aftercare if you are unable to attend a review.
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It takes approximately 4 to 14 days for swelling to subside and the filler to attract water to the area. It can therefore be 2-3 weeks before you see your results at their optimum.
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Be aware of what other activities and treatments you have booked for the 2 weeks following your treatment.
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Please avoid any facial treatments that may apply pressure to the treated area for at least 14 days after treatment, e.g. facial, microdermabrasion, or massage.
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Please avoid vigorous exercise or anything that makes you ‘flustered’ for 24 hours after treatment.
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If you are not great with needles or are prone to fainting, be sure to have food and drink before your procedure. This will decrease the chances of light-headedness during your treatment. Please do inform Nurse Cath if you are prone to fainting during procedures. Risk levels can be assessed, and extra time may be allocated for your treatment slot.
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Ideally use skincare recommended by Nurse Cath to strengthen your skin and enhance moisture retention 1 month pre treatment, but if you continue to use your existing skincare then please avoid exfoliator, retinol, etc for 7 days pre-treatment and 14 days post treatment.
The fillers used at Finesse Clinic are premium, FDA approved products that contain lidocaine (a mild anaesthetic) so that the area being injected feels a little numb and more comfortable during and after your treatment. Fillers are unlikely to affect your facial movement however you may feel a little tender.
SPF is a must all year round! Please ensure this is a designated face SPF (factor 30-50) ideally without perfume and multiple chemicals. You are able to buy pHformula or Tropic SPF via Finesse Clinic.
Aftercare for Botulinum Toxin (Bocouture, Botox):
This treatment involves having tiny injections delivered to relax the action of certain facial muscles that create excessive movement and leave wrinkles on the skin. This treatment has minimal downtime but to allow the the medication to work optimally in the target muscle, the following precautions are are advisable:
- Do not rub or massage the injected area for 4 hours after treatment.
- Avoid makeup for at least 4 hours post treatment.
- No extreme heat (sauna, shower, bath, hot tub) or strenuous exercise for at least 12 hours after treatment.
- Try to keep upright for 2 hours — no lying on your front or bending over for periods of time.
- Avoid headwear that is tightly fitted across the forehead or treated area.
- Avoid excessive alcohol for 24 hours before the treatment to help reduce the risk of bruising.
After 4 hours it is ok to partake in light exercise such as walking however please avoid strenuous exercise for at least 12 hours (eg: weight training, cross training, long distance running, intense yoga, etc).
Please note: Gradual results can take 4-14 days and the maximum result is seen by day 14.
The treatment is not designed to 'freeze' the face for 3 months. Results can last up to 3 months but gradually wear off during this time period as the muscle receptors gradually re-activate. You may find that them more treatments you have, the less your wrinkles return even after the treatment has worn off (treatments recommended every 3 months, however you do not have to keep up to this and there will be no negative effect if you do not).
An optional 2 week review to check your results and adjust (only if necessary) is available to you at no extra charge.
Aftercare for filler treatments:
- Please avoid alcohol 24 hours pre-procedure and for 24 hours post procedure as this can increase the risk of redness, bruising, bleeding and swelling.
- Please avoid anti-inflammatory painkillers (eg: Aspirin, Ibuprofen) and Vitamin E, Gingko for at least 24 hours before and after the procedure as these can thin the blood and increase the risk of redness, swelling, bleeding and bruising.
- Avoid makeup until the next day (or at least 6 hours) and try to use gentle, clean makeup (eg: Tropic skincare).
- Don't rub or touch the treated area for at least 6 hours post treatment (you can use ice if you wish). After this you can gently clean the area and apply light makeup (ideally use toxin free makeup such as Tropic).
- Avoid sunbathing, sunbeds and intense heat (inc hot tub, saunas, baths) for one week after treatment. If you do go out in the sun, wear face SPF at all times.
- Your treatment area may feel tender post treatment. Swelling can happen but is most common following lip filler - especially the day of (and day after) treatment. You can use ice if you wish.
- Ideally avoid flying post treatment, but if you have to then at least try avoid this for 48 hours. There is a view that the changing air pressure in the plane’s cabin can have some effect, however there is no strong evidence that this is the case.
- Lip injections can trigger cold sores (if you already have the herpes simplex virus) therefore please treat them early and take preventative medication if possible as per your GP/Pharmacist advice.
- Immediately after the treatment, there may be a slight redness, swelling, tenderness, a faint -bubble‑like appearance and a mild itching or tightening sensation in the treated area. These side effects are a normal result of the injection and will generally disappear gradually over a period of 7–14 days.
- The full and integrated result should be at 2 weeks. Any concerns re onward swelling and lumps should be reported to me at the earliest convenience to allow review and (if necessary) treatment and management of symptoms.
- If you have any extreme pain, blanching (white patches on skin around treatment area), unusual bruising anywhere on the face, vision disturbance, please contact me ASAP or consult your local GP/Walk in Centre/A&E if needed. Please note: Complications are rare, however as a Registered Nurse and Aesthetics Nurse I have trained to deal with a variety of complications and I have a network of fellow Nurses, Doctors and surgeons to further consult with if necessary).
An optional 2 week review to check your results is available to you.
Aftercare for ALL skincare related treatments:
(Inc skin boosters, pHformula resurfacing, dermaplaning, microneedling, electro-radio frequency, etc. Also relevant for Profhilo injections).
- In the case of ERF, resurfacing treatments, etc you may have slight redness post treatment but nothing major or alarming and this should wear off within 1-24 hours.
You will be given specific advice by me according to your skin type and treatment type but in general I would advise the following:
- Avoid touching your skin / treatment area for at least 6 hours post treatment and keep your hands clean.
- Avoid wearing makeup for 6 hours post treatment and ensure any makeup brushes following this are washed and clean. Don't cover up any redness with makeup as this will block the pores on your newly exposed skin which may trigger breakouts. If you must use makeup after 6 hours then I would advise using chemical free/natural makeup (Tropic).
- SPF is strongly advised; please apply a safe SPF50 at least every 3 hours; this is essential to ensure you do not damage your skin, particularly post treatment as it may damage or prevent optimum results and your skin will be even more prone to sun damage.
- Allow your skin to go through its natural healing process – do NOT pick, scrub or peel at any dry skin or scabs. Allow your body to shed the dead skin cells naturally (unless specifically instructed to do otherwise.)
- Avoid exfoliators, Retinol/Vitamin A and any harsh products for at least 5 days pre-treatment and 14 days post treatment.
- Avoid swimming, hot tubs, saunas and situations where you may sweat heavily (inc gym) for at least 48 - 72 hours post treatment to protect your newly treated skin.
- Post pHformula treatment or microneedling you may experience some mild flaking, dry skin, bumps or breakouts (this is not common but is considered to be within the realm of 'normal' for up to 48 hours).
- Taking care of your skin with gentle products as advised by me in clinic (eg: Tropic, pHformula) can make your side effects as minimal as possible as they are not going to strip your barrier as many high street/toxic chemical based products do.
Disclaimer:
Please be aware that results and treatment experiences may vary from patient to patient, taking into consideration factors such as age, lifestyle and medical history.