“Facial rejuvenation often involves combining treatments like Botox and Juvederm, to relax wrinkles and restore volume to the skin, with chemical peels or laser for skin resurfacing,” says Dr. Miriam Hanson, cosmetic dermatologist and skin care expert in Austin, Texas.
The thought of combining both dermal filler and laser treatment to help improve the look of skin is a common recommendation, but is it safe to do? Can these treatments react adversely to each other? And just how soon can laser be done after a dermal filler?
The good news is that laser resurfacing and fillers can be used together! “Most laser treatments don’t penetrate nearly deep enough to affect any fillers which have already been injected,” explains Dr. Hanson. “Still, many doctors will recommend a one-to-two week break between treatments to allow for recovery and any swelling to subside.
“I often recommend patients have laser treatment first followed by filler,” says Dr. Adam Mamelak, dermatologist and skin surgeon at Sanova Dermatology. “The tightening and collagen remodeling that is obtained a few weeks after laser resurfacing might actually change the type, amount and placement of filler a patient needs.”
Your doctor may be more likely to recommend that you wait in cases that involve laser treatments followed by filler, as certain laser treatments can alter the look of the skin to the point of changing the level of filler injected once the patient is healed.
If a patient decides they want laser treatment after they’ve already had filler, the treatment can be administered safely. “A 2007 medical study that looked at the effects of laser performed on the skin immediately after filler injections failed to show an alteration of the filler placement or unwanted outcomes,” notes Dr. Mamelak. Still, the one-to-two week wait helps the body to heal and recover.
As always, be sure discuss any treatment with the doctor performing it to be sure that you understand what they will be using and what they recommend when it comes to healing and downtime. The types of fillers and laser treatments used will vary from person to person and knowing what will be used in your specific case can help you be prepared for the potential wait between treatments.
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