When you arrive, you'll immediately apply a numbing cream to your undereye and cheek areas. Because most HA fillers have lidocaine in them, prepare to be numb for multiple hours (fun fact: the lidocaine can make your eyes a little twitchy, so, no, you're not having a seizure). Your doctor will then come talk to you about your goals, what you're most concerned about (hollowness vs. wrinkles, for example), and chat through the type of filler they're going to use.
The procedure itself takes around 10 minutes. While pain is relative and dependent on each person's tolerance, Dr. Marmur says it shouldn't hurt (and if it does, tell your doctor) but it might feel weird. Sometimes Dr. Marmur opts not to use a needle and instead utilizes the cannula method, which uses a thin, flexible tube with a rounded, blunt top to inject the filler. Yes, it sounds scary, but it's actually a much less invasive procedure than poking a needle into several places under your eyes. With the cannula, your doctor makes one single hole and moves the cannula around to place the filler in multiple places. "Unless you've had a lot to drink the night before, the cannula approach makes bruising pretty unusual," says Dr. Marmur.
What Is the Downtime and Aftercare?
You might feel numb (and your skin, slightly tender) around the area for a few hours after your treatment. Once the lidocaine wears off, you may also feel a little sore. According to Dr. Marmur, it's also normal if you are swollen the next day.
"Some people have zero swelling, some people have mild swelling for three days, and some people have swelling for two weeks," she says. "It's all about a histamine reaction that some people get. I tell people if you're the kind of person who gets a mosquito bite that's like a monster, you will be more swollen than the regular person."
Dr. Marmur recommends taking an antihistamine and doing some cardio exercise to help get rid of swelling. She also says to avoid a lot of salty stuff on the day you have your procedure and the day after, and to avoid drinking the night before or taking blood thinners like Aspirin and Advil.
Certain supplements like vitamin B12 and fish oils can also cause more bruising, as well as other homeopathic things like ginkgo biloba, so she advises you bring a list of everything you're taking with you to your appointment. She also says to avoid being too hot, so stay away from a hot tub, sauna, or a hot yoga class the same day of your treatment and while you're swollen. "Being hot dilates blood vessels which can increase bruising," Dr. Marmur says.
