SCULPTRA FOR BBL PRE-TREATMENT INSTRUCTIONS
TWO WEEKS BEFORE INJECTIONS
• Foods and Medications to Avoid. Two weeks before your appointment try to avoid nuts, seeds, fish, fish oil, NSAIDs, supplements, and anything that prolongs bleeding. This will significantly help minimize bruising, bleeding, and swelling.
• Arnica Supplements. You can start Arnica supplements a week prior to the injection to help with post-injection bruises. Arnica helps to speed up the fading away of bruises.
• Medications and Supplements. Talk to your primary care doctor or physician specialist. If you are on blood thinners, you may need to stop these a few days to weeks prior to your treatment. Speak to your prescribing physician regarding the safety of stopping and restarting these medications. We do not recommend patients that are on life-saving medications stop their medications in order to have any cosmetic procedures performed.
DAY OF INJECTIONS
• Eat and drink before your treatment. It is not uncommon for patients to “pass out” or get lightheaded during their injection. Having good blood sugar and being hydrated will make it less likely that you will feel queasy during your treatment.
• 20 – 30 minutes of topical numbing recommended. We recommend numbing cream application prior to dermal injections. The numbing cream needs 20 – 30 minutes to exert its full effect, hence we ask all our filler injection patients to come a little earlier to allow for the numbing time.
SCULPTRA FOR BBL POST-TREATMENT INSTRUCTIONS
• Sculptra® and Massaging – The Rule of 5s. Massage the treated area for five minutes five times a day for five days after treatment.
• Exercise. Avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for 24-48 hours to minimize swelling and bruising.
• Ice Area. Use a small bag of frozen peas in a sandwich bag or crushed ice to gently ice the area. No heavy ice bags. Ice for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Continue the icing for 24-48 hours if possible. NEVER apply ice directly to the skin and avoid firm pressure.
• Pineapples and Pineapple Juice. Pineapples have natural anti-inflammatory properties to them that help to minimize swelling after injections. You may apply or take Arnica tablets to
help decrease the amount of bruising.
• Tylenol for Pain. It is normal to experience some pain and sensitivity in the area of the injection. Most patients find that Tylenol can help relieve this post-injection pain. Avoid NSAIDs such as Motrin and ibuprofen as these can make the swelling and bruising worse.
WHAT TO EXPECT
• Bruising. Bruises may last 1-2 weeks. Bruises can show up several days later.
• Swelling. Swelling may not always be even from side to side depending on pre-existing asymmetries, the volume of Sculptra injected, and bleeding at each injection site. Initial swelling takes 2 weeks to settle. Swelling will be worse during the first 24-48 hours.
• Asymmetry. Asymmetry is usually related to swelling and volume of Sculptra® injected. Any asymmetries with collagen production will not be evident for 4–6 weeks.
• Papules (lumps and bumps). The feeling of tiny subcutaneous bumps that are usually not visible but can be felt when pressing on the skin. They are normal and will resolve with time. Visible nodules with redness or potential color changes to the skin should be reported to your medical provider
• Initial Subtle Results. Sculptra® results will become evident at 4-6 weeks after injection treatment since they rely on the body’s own production of collagen. Any initial post-treatment volume gains are most likely due to the Sculptra® solution as well as swelling. Anywhere from 1- 3 treatment sessions may be recommended in order to achieve final results. Your provider will always be conservative with your initial treatment and reassess the need for more Sculptra® at your follow-up visit.
WHEN TO CONTACT US
• Suspected hypersensitivity or allergic reactions.
• Injection site nodules requiring steroid treatment or in rare cases surgical removal.
• Signs of infection: fever, warmth, and redness.
• Signs of Intra-vascular injection: loss of skin sensation or discoloration of the skin
