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Restylane
Severe bruising after under-eye Restylane injections: What is this? Too much filler? Tissue swelling?
As others have mentioned, the undereye area is very delicate and has many small blood vessels in the area. Additionally, due to the thin skin in the region, small bruises typically appears worse than they are. Bruising and associated swelling can take up to 2 weeks to fully resolve. If you are not happy with the results at that time, it's best to follow up with your injector to discuss your specific concerns. To help with existing bruising, try cool compresses, arnica tablets/gel, and avoiding NSAIDs. If potential bruising is a very concerning temporary side effect, I would recommend considering an injector that uses cannulas for that region to reduce the risk. Again, it's a reduced risk, not a guarantee.
Clinical Context
Bruises change color as the body reabsorbs trapped blood—starting reddish-purple, then blue-green, then yellowish before fading. Because under-eye skin is thin, bruises can look more dramatic than bruises elsewhere, and blood may shift lower with gravity over the next few days. Swelling and bruising usually peak early, then gradually improve over one to two weeks. Taking daily photos can help you and your injector track whether things are improving as expected or need a follow-up visit.
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