Aesthetic treatment Emergency: When to Call the Clinic

Why this guide exists

Patients having aesthetic treatment for the first time often do not know what is normal post treatment versus what warrants an urgent call. They wait when they should call, or they call about something that is within the expected range. Both patterns are common and both can cause unnecessary worry. This page provides practical guidance so patients can recognise the difference and respond appropriately.

The framework is conservative on the side of calling. If a patient is uncertain whether something warrants attention, the clinic prefers a same day call to a delayed one. Calling the clinic about something that turns out to be within the expected range is not a problem; not calling about something that turns out to need clinical attention is the problem the framework exists to prevent.

What is within the expected range (does not require an urgent call)

The following experiences are within the expected post treatment range and typically do not require an urgent call to the clinic. They can be raised at the next scheduled appointment or via routine clinic email if the patient wants confirmation, but they do not warrant same day clinical attention.

Mild swelling at injection sites for 1-3 days after treatment, typically peaking around 24-48 hours and gradually resolving. Swelling is part of the body’s normal response to injection and is expected. Mild tenderness at injection sites that improves day by day. Small bruises at injection sites, typically appearing within 24 hours and resolving over 5-10 days. Patients have varying bruising tendencies; some patients always get small bruises with aesthetic treatment regardless of technique. Mild redness at injection sites for several hours immediately after treatment, settling within 12-24 hours. The treated area feeling slightly different from the untreated baseline for 1-2 weeks as the result settles. Patients sometimes describe volume treatment areas as feeling slightly firmer or less mobile during the integration period; this is normal and resolves as the product settles. For lip treatment specifically, asymmetric early swelling that is not present after the second week is a recognised settling pattern that does not require intervention.

Mild itch at injection sites for the first 24 hours. A sensation of tightness in treated areas during the early settling period. Headache for 12-24 hours after treatment, particularly for treatments around the upper face.

None of these warrant an urgent call. Patients who want reassurance can email the clinic for a non urgent response, or raise the question at the routine 2-week review appointment.

What warrants a same day call to the clinic

The following warrant a same day call to the clinic on 0491 706 705 during clinic hours, even if the patient is uncertain whether the symptom is significant.

Pain that is disproportionate to the treatment performed and increasing rather than decreasing over hours after treatment. Some discomfort post treatment is normal; pain that is substantially more severe than the patient experienced during the injection itself, that has a sharp or burning character, or that increases progressively is not normal and warrants assessment.

Skin colour change in the treated area beyond mild redness: blanching (whiteness) that does not resolve within 60 seconds, dusky or mottled appearance, reticulated discolouration following a vascular pattern, persistent grey or purple appearance.

Swelling that is asymmetric, rapidly progressive, or dramatically larger than the contralateral side within 24-48 hours of treatment.

New onset rash, hives, or itch beyond the immediate injection sites, particularly if accompanied by general unwellness.

Persistent or progressive bruising over 7-10 days, particularly if the bruise is enlarging rather than resolving.

A new lump or bump appearing in a treated area that was not present immediately after treatment, particularly if accompanied by tenderness, warmth, or redness.

Difficulty with normal facial expression that persists beyond the typical onset window for wrinkle treatment, or asymmetric wrinkle effect that is more pronounced than expected.

For all of these, the same day call allows the clinic to assess whether in person review is warranted, what management may be needed, and whether the symptom is consistent with a recognised post treatment pattern or warrants urgent attention.

What warrants attending an emergency department immediately

Some symptoms warrant going directly to the nearest hospital emergency department, regardless of the time of day or whether the clinic is open. Do not wait for the clinic to open the next morning.

Any visual disturbance after aesthetic treatment to the face: blurred vision, double vision, sudden loss of vision in one eye, pain behind the eye, drooping eyelid that affects vision. These can indicate vascular complications affecting the ophthalmic circulation and are time sensitive.

Severe progressive pain combined with skin colour change in the treated area. This pattern suggests possible vascular occlusion and warrants immediate emergency assessment if the clinic is not immediately reachable.

Difficulty breathing, throat tightness, swelling of the tongue or throat, dramatic facial swelling beyond the treatment area, or any sign of generalised allergic reaction. These warrant emergency department attendance even if the patient is uncertain whether they are related to the treatment.

Loss of consciousness, severe dizziness, or chest pain after treatment. These warrant emergency assessment regardless of the suspected cause.

Significant skin breakdown, blistering, or wound formation in a treated area in the days after treatment. This pattern can indicate compromised tissue perfusion that needs urgent management.

For any of these, attend the nearest hospital emergency department directly. Bring whatever information you have about the treatment: date of treatment, area treated, product type if known, and the clinic that performed the treatment. If you are a Core Aesthetics patient and can also call the clinic on the way to or from emergency, that is helpful but should not delay the attendance.

What information to provide when you call

When you call the clinic about a post treatment concern, providing specific information helps the clinical team assess the situation accurately. The following details are useful to have ready.

The date of treatment and time elapsed since. Symptoms 12 hours after treatment have a different clinical significance than the same symptoms 5 days after treatment.

The area treated and the product type if known. The clinical significance of pain in the cheek differs from pain in the lip; the management of suspected vascular occlusion differs by product type.

The specific symptom in your own words. “My cheek hurts more than yesterday and the skin is going pale” is more useful than “something is wrong.” Specific descriptions support specific clinical assessment.

The progression: when did the symptom start, has it been increasing or stable, what makes it better or worse. Symptoms that are progressively worsening over hours have different significance than symptoms that have been stable for a day.

Any relevant medical context: allergies, current medications, recent illness, prior aesthetic treatment history. The clinical team uses this context to interpret the current symptom.

If you are uncertain about any of these details, that is fine; provide what you can recall. The clinical team will ask additional questions as needed during the call.

How after hours and weekend calls are handled at Core Aesthetics

Core Aesthetics is a one practitioner clinic, which means after hours and weekend coverage is structured differently than a multi practitioner clinic. Patients should understand the practical implications.

During clinic hours (Tuesday to Saturday during scheduled appointment times), calls are answered by the practitioner or by the clinic answering service. The practitioner returns calls within hours, usually the same day. Urgent calls are prioritised over routine ones.

Outside clinic hours, the clinic phone is answered by an answering service that takes details and can flag the call as urgent. Urgent calls are returned by the practitioner the same day where practical. Calls received late at night or on closed days where the symptom warrants immediate attention should not wait for the practitioner to return the call; the patient should attend the nearest hospital emergency department directly.

For genuinely time sensitive symptoms (vision changes, severe progressive pain with colour change, breathing difficulty, dramatic swelling beyond the treatment area), the emergency department is the right destination regardless of clinic hours. The clinic can follow up the next clinic day to coordinate care, but the patient should not delay emergency assessment waiting for clinic contact.

Clinical accountability and how this safety guidance is reviewed

The safety content on this page is written and reviewed by Corey Anderson, an AHPRA registered nurse (NMW0001047575) who has been on the AHPRA Register of Nursing and Midwifery since January 1996. The content reflects how Core Aesthetics communicates safety information in clinical practice and is intended to inform the consultation conversation rather than to replace it. Results vary between individuals, and the descriptions of typical risks, signs, and responses refer to the centre of clinical experience rather than to what every patient will encounter.

Specific to emergency call content: this guide is intended to support patient decision making in the period after aesthetic treatment, not to replace the clinical consent conversation. The threshold for “call the clinic” is intentionally conservative because the cost of a routine call is low and the cost of a missed urgent symptom is high. Patients who are uncertain whether something warrants a call are encouraged to call.

Patients reading this page can verify Corey Anderson’s AHPRA registration on the AHPRA public register at ahpra.gov.au using registration number NMW0001047575. The Core Aesthetics clinic operates from 12A Atherton Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166, Tuesday to Saturday, by consultation appointment. All new patient treatment at Core Aesthetics follows a structured clinical consultation, consistent with the September 2025 AHPRA cosmetic procedures guidelines. The patient safety aesthetic treatments page covers the broader safety framework, and the team page covers the practitioner background.