Aftercare & Support

Your treatment doesn’t end when you leave the clinic. Here is what to expect, what is normal, and how to reach us if you need us.

Download our aftercare card (PDF)
— one page, worth keeping on your phone or in your bag.

What is normal

Almost everything patients contact us about is expected and settles on its own. In the first day or two it is entirely normal to have:

• Small red marks or pinpoint bruising at the injection sites
• Mild swelling — lips in particular can look considerably fuller than the final result for two to three days
• Tenderness, tightness, or a slight lumpy feel to filler that softens over one to two weeks
• A mild headache after botulinum toxin, usually for a day
• Slight asymmetry in the first fortnight, before the treatment settles

None of these needs treatment. If any of them is worrying you, though, please call — we would far rather reassure you than have you spend a weekend anxious.

The first 24 hours

Please do	Please avoid
Stay upright for four hours Drink plenty of water Use a cool compress if you wish Sleep on your back the first night	Makeup for 12 hours Strenuous exercise for 24 hours Alcohol for 24 hours Saunas, steam rooms and sunbeds for two weeks Facials, massage or other treatments for two weeks

By treatment

Botulinum toxin.
Keep upright for four hours and avoid rubbing the treated area. Exercising the treated muscles gently on the day may help. The effect begins at two to three days and is complete at around fourteen days — so please do not judge the result before then. We review you at two weeks and adjust if needed.

Dermal fillers.
Swelling peaks at 24 to 48 hours, especially in the lips. Do not massage the area unless we have specifically asked you to. Bruising, if it occurs, usually clears within a week. We review at two weeks, which is when the result is judged.

Skin boosters, polynucleotides, mesotherapy and PRP.
Small raised bumps at the injection points are expected and settle within a few hours to a day. Avoid makeup and heat for the rest of the day.

Peels and microneedling.
Redness like mild sunburn is normal for a day or two, and light flaking may follow. Use only the products we have recommended, and a high-factor sunscreen daily — sun protection is the single thing that most affects your result.

PDO threads.
Mild tightness or pulling on movement is normal for one to two weeks. Sleep on your back, avoid wide mouth opening and dental treatment for two weeks, and avoid facial massage for a month.

When to call us straight away

These are uncommon, but they are the ones we want to hear about immediately — at any hour, including the middle of the night. Do not wait to see whether it improves.

Calling us early is never a nuisance. Almost every complication in aesthetic medicine is manageable when it is treated quickly.

If you cannot reach us

Please do not wait for us to call back if something is serious.

• Difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat or tongue, or collapse
  — call
  999
  immediately.
• Sudden vision loss or eye pain
  — go to an eye casualty department immediately. In central London, Moorfields Eye Hospital has a 24-hour urgent care service.
• Anything else urgent
  — call
  111
  , or attend your nearest A&E.

If you do attend hospital, tell the team exactly what was injected and when. Call us as soon as you are able, so we can speak to them directly.

Your review appointment

Every injectable treatment includes a review at around two weeks. It is included in the cost of your treatment and it is not optional in our view — it is when the result is properly assessed and refined. If you have not been given a date, please contact us.

This page is general aftercare guidance for our patients and does not replace the specific instructions given to you at your appointment. If the two differ, follow the advice you were given in clinic, and contact us if you are unsure.