Is it safe to drink alcohol after dermal filler treatment? Will it cause more bruising?
We recommend avoiding alcohol on the day that you have dermal fillers.
Studies alcohol can thin the blood on the day of consumption 1. This would suggest that if you consume alcohol prior to a dermal filler procedure, you have an increased risk of bleeding and bruising. This is not a great mix with dermal fillers as we are often injecting deep into the skin above periosteum (bone). The needles that we use when performing dermal fillers are larger than the ones that we use for anti-wrinkle injections because filler is more viscous.
Expert injector Dr. Arthur Swift has stated that ‘every time a needle is inserted into the skin, we must assume that the patient has bruised – it just might not be visible.’
Cosmetic injectors can reduce the risk of causing bruising by using a cannula – a very small, fine device which is used to insert filler under the skin. The benefit of a cannula is that it is blunt rather than sharp like a needle therefore reducing the risk of bruising. We must make a small pinprick on the skin to insert the cannula, and this can cause bruising. The problem with a cannula is that it is more difficult to place the dermal filler at the correct depth under the skin – this is particularly true for the tear trough (under eye area). Your practitioner will weight up the pros and cons of using a cannula vs needle on the day.
References:
- Effects of ethanol on human blood fibrinolysis and coagulation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3426737/
2. Alcohol’s Effects on the Cardiovascular System: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513687/