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How Long Does Filler Take To Settle?

How Long Does Filler Take To Settle

Dermal fillers can be an excellent way to add volume, shape and hydration to the skin without the need for a more invasive procedure. The CREO Clinic uses hyaluronic acid-based fillers, which can take around 2 weeks to settle – a much shorter time than the months it can take for a surgical procedure to yield results.

This article will help you to understand the time it takes for filler to settle completely, as well as what you can expect from the procedure more generally.

The CREO Clinic’s Aesthetic Doctor is skilled in the application of dermal fillers, allowing them to create artful adjustments to the shape and volume of the treated area. In their hands, you can feel confident of seeing excellent results that provide long-term satisfaction.

Contact the CREO Clinic today to find out how our team can use dermal fillers to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.

How Long Does Filler Take To Settle? Medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Schoeman MB.ChB, MBA, Dip. Derm, MRCGP, MBCAM

How Dermal Fillers Work

Dermal fillers are injectable gels designed to improve the volume, shape and hydration of a certain area, while helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Depending on the aesthetic goals, the gels themselves can come in different thicknesses and be applied in different quantities.

Most dermal fillers are hyaluronic acid (HA) based – HA occurs naturally in the body and works to retain moisture. As such, HA can help to hydrate the skin and reduce visible signs of ageing when injected by a trained professional.

How Long Does It Take Dermal Fillers To Settle?

The time it takes for filler to settle and swelling and bruising to subside varies depending on the areas of the face you are treating. Some fillers (e.g jawline filler) are injected more deeply than others, which can make swelling and bruising disappear more quickly than more shallow injections (e.g lip filler). 

For a full outline of the timelines you can expect by area, see the table below:

AreasTime to settle
Lips7-10 days
Tear Trough7-10 days
Jaw3-5 days
Nose (non-surgical rhinoplasty)No downtime*
Temple No downtime

*If bruising is present, this will take between 7-10 days to disappear. However, bruising is unusual.

Why Do Fillers Take Time To Settle?

Bruising And Swelling Timeline

One of the main reasons fillers take time to settle is that the treated area(s) may experience some bruising and swelling, especially in the first days after your treatment. This swelling and bruising is due to the small amount of superficial damage done to the area via the injections. 

Swelling and bruising can take between 7-10 days to dissipate for the lips and tear troughs, whereas swelling/bruising from jaw filler usually takes between 3-5 days as the injections are made deeper under the skin. Filler used on the nose and temples does not typically require any downtime, though some bruising may be possible. If this occurs, the bruising may take between 7-10 days to subside.

The Filler’s Active Ingredients

Each dermal filler uses an active ingredient that is suspended in a gel form, and this ingredient may take some time to do its job. For example, one of the most common active ingredients is hyaluronic acid, which may take three weeks or more to retain more moisture and set in motion the process of neocollagenesis. 

Neocollagenesis is the increased production of collagen – the protein that gives your skin its elasticity and structure. Encouraging the production of collagen helps to replace collagen that has broken down naturally with age. The less collagen available in the skin, the less your skin will retain its youthful bounce and radiance.

What Areas Can I Get Dermal Fillers?

Filler Treatment For Midface

Cheeks

The cheeks have a significant impact on the overall shape and structure of our face. As a result, fillers in the cheeks have become increasingly popular for people hoping to plump up the cheeks and give them a natural -looking glow.

Nose

Using filler to change the shape or size of the nose is an excellent way to adjust this central facial zone without pursuing surgery. Non-surgical rhinoplasty can address asymmetries in the nose by carefully inserting filler, sculpting a new, more aesthetically pleasing nose overall.

Nasolabial Folds

As patients age, they may develop lines in the nasolabial area –  these are the lines that appear between our nose and the top of our lips. Filler can be applied here to firm up the skin and give a smoother, gentler transition between the mouth and the nose.

Filler Treatment For Lower Face 

Lip Fillers

Fillers are able to change the shape and volume of our lips in a way that gives them a subtle, natural -looking boost without creating a ‘pout’ that seems artificial, or unsuited to the rest of your face. To achieve this, it is important to pursue filler treatment from a practitioner with experience and skill in filler application.

Marionette Lines

Marionette lines take their name from the lines between the corners of the mounds of the chin that can be seen on Marionette toys. These are caused by smiling combined with the loss of collagen as we age, and can be very difficult to reduce without the application of filler. An artfully applied filler can increase volume under the marionette lines and reduce their prominence.

Chin

Cleft chins, dimpled chins or under/over projected chins can all be addressed using dermal chin filler. A carefully applied filler treatment can sculpt a new chin, smoothing or filling where necessary to build the desired shape. Often, dermal filler on the chin is used to create a more masculine or more feminine shaped face, as even subtle changes can have a significant impact on the overall appearance of space.

Jawline

The jawline can be sculpted using jaw fillers to strengthen a weak jaw, and give greater definition to the lower half of the face. Where sagging or jowls appear, filler can help to reduce these and improve the proportions of your face – this often provides a considerable enhancement to the overall aesthetic of the face.

Filler Treatment For Ears

Earlobe Rejuvenation

The visible signs of ageing that appear around the ears can often slip under the radar, but loss of collagen and elastin in the earlobes can often lead to deep lying wrinkles and fine lines. These can only be treated via dermal fillers, which plump up the earlobes and reduce wrinkles, giving the ears a firmer, more youthful looking appearance. More prominent aesthetic issues with the ears, such as congenital malformations, can be addressed with otoplasty surgery.

How Do Dermal Fillers Work?

The dermal fillers used at the CREO Clinic are hyaluronic acid based, and work in a few important ways. They immediately improve fine lines and wrinkles by adding volume – this helps the skin look and feel firmer. As a secondary effect, hyaluronic acid’s ability to retain moisture provides the skin with greater hydration, improving the overall quality of the skin. 

Finally, dermal fillers can work to increase the amount of collagen in the skin, which helps to maintain the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles over the long term.

Before And After Results

Who’s A Good Candidate For Dermal Fillers?

Patients may be a good candidate for dermal fillers if:

  • They have experienced a loss of volume in the treatment area
  • They want to reshape features of the face such as the jawline, cheeks, ears, nose, forehead or chin.
  • They want to reduce the appearance of deep-lying wrinkles and fine lines.
  • They want to achieve aesthetic enhancements to the face without pursuing more invasive surgical alternatives.

What Kind Of Dermal Filler Is Right For Me?

Different Types

There are four main types of dermal filler: 

  • Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA),
  • Polylactic acid (PLLA), 
  • Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), 
  • Hyaluronic acid (HA). 

The CREO Clinic only uses fillers that are HA based, as this active ingredient has many important advantages over its counterparts. We choose to do this because HA:

  • Increases volume
  • Improves hydration 
  • Has long-lasting results (6-24 months depending on filler thickness)
  • Is a natural substance 
  • Can be reversed 

Expected Downtime And Results Timeline For Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers require no downtime, meaning patients are able to return to work or their daily routine immediately. 

However, you may experience certain side-effects such as inflammation, bruising, and bleeding from the injection sites, but this should dissipate over the coming days. It can take between 3-10 days for this swelling/bruising to subside depending on the treatment area.

Tips For Improving Dermal Filler Recovery Time

Limit Exercise

It is important to keep very intense physical exercise to a minimum in the 48 hours after your treatment – this prevents significant increases in blood flow that could cause filler migration.

Avoid Alcohol

Avoiding alcohol after dermal filler injections is important because alcohol can worsen common side-effects such as inflammation, bruising, and bleeding from injection sites. Try to avoid alcohol for the 24 hours before and after treatment.

Avoid Sun Exposure

While you do not need to avoid sun exposure completely after your dermal filler injections, it is advisable to wear high factor (SPF 50) after your injections as this will protect your skin and the results of your treatment.

Schedule A Consultation At CREO Clinic Today

Book your initial consultation at the CREO Clinic to discover how our doctor-led aesthetic team can transform your appearance using dermal filler. Through safe, precise filler injections, our team can remodel multiple aesthetic concerns.

We can help flatten nasal humps, strengthen your jaw line or enhance the volume of your lips – always working to prioritise your needs and ensure natural looking results.

Dermal Filler FAQs

How long does it take lip fillers to settle?

It can take 2 weeks for filler to settle completely and arrive at its final result. How long exactly will depend on how quickly any inflammation and bruising subsides, and how long it takes for the filler gel to fully integrate into the dermis.

How long does it take cheek fillers to settle?

You should see an instant difference in the volume of your cheeks after the first application of fillers, but the final result of your cheek fillers should be visible after 2 weeks.

How long does it take fillers to settle in the tear trough area?

In general, dermal fillers applied to the tear trough area take 2 weeks to settle. 

Will I see an immediate difference after getting dermal fillers?

You will see an immediate difference in volume in the area where you have received dermal filler injections, but this volume may change and become more natural -looking as swelling subsides and the filler itself settles.

What are the risks associated with dermal filler treatment?

The most common risks associated with dermal filler injections are bruising and inflammation at the site of injection. Vascular occlusions are also a possibility when facial fillers are administered – this is a blockage in the blood vessel which stops blood moving freely.

Vascular occlusion is an important consideration, which is why practitioners should take great care to make precise injections. The risk of vascular occlusion is reduced in the hands of an experienced Aesthetic Doctor.

How long do dermal fillers last?

How long the results of your dermal filler last will depend on the types of filler used and where you are being treated. Lip filler results can last between 6-9 months, nasolabial and tear Trough filler can last between 6-12 months, and cheek/jawline/nose/chin filler can last between 12-24 months.