Expert’s tips to minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments
The mechanical massage and negative pressure of vacuum therapy treatments can cause bruising to your patients. As a healthcare provider, you know it’s simply the nature of vacuum technology. Bruising can happen. That being said, you should definitely not consider post-treatment bruising as a common and inevitable side effect. The experts know the steps to defend against it. And in this article, we’ll walk you through the expert's tips to minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments.
Vacuum Therapy treatments address a variety of body concerns
Body contouring is a growing industry, as more and more consumers are looking for non-invasive ways to improve their appearance. Vacuum therapy was one of the first technologies to emerge, and it remains as one of the most popular body contouring treatments available. The reason? It’s safe, effective and affordable.
And it’s a very flexible treatment. Patients seek out vacuum therapy treatments for a multitude reasons
But there’s an elephant in the room. Vacuum therapy can sometimes cause bruising, especially in patients with fragile, damaged or sensitive skin or using medications or other substances that thin the blood.
Why does vacuum therapy sometimes cause bruising?
- When you are using the vacuum applicator to move about while applying massaging action - or - when you place the vacuum cups to the skin on a treatment area, you are creating a negative pressure that draws blood to the surface and in the case of mechanical massage, you are producing injury to the skin.
- These actions can cause the blood vessels to break, resulting in bruising.
- Bruising is more likely to occur in people with sensitive, fragile or damaged skin.
It’s like we said…it’s the nature of vacuum technology.
But…you can minimize, and even prevent, its occurrence.
Expert’s tips to minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments
Since 2006, we’ve treated body contouring patients at our Texas medical spas. Throughout those years, we’ve perfected a protocol to prevent bruising from vacuum therapy treatments and we share it with you here.
Take these steps to minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments:
Review medical history at every visit
Review your patient’s medical history initially and again before every treatment. This may seem like overkill but…you don’t know when changes to your patient’s health history occur. Changes can happen between visits.
Identify any blood thinning substances, i.e. medications, vitamins, supplements
- In the patient’s history, identify any medications, vitamins and supplements that may thin the blood. Here’s a breakdown of the most common offenders:
- Aspirin, NSAIDs (Aleve, Naproxen, Motrin, Ibuprofen), Coumadin, Warfarin, Eliquis, Vitamin E, Garlic, Ginger, Ginkgo Biloba, Flaxseed, Turmeric, Chia Seeds, Fish Oils, and St. John’s Wort.
- If your patient is taking one of these substances, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have to stop using it. In fact, you should never instruct a patient to stop taking a medication, vitamin or supplement that her physician has instructed her to take.
- Here’s the deal. Patients taking prescription drug thinners should not undergo vacuum therapy. However, patients taking a small or infrequent dose of the substances on the list should not be precluded from treatment, such as a patient who takes a baby aspirin each day or a patient taking an NSAID occasionally on an as-needed basis.
Instruct the patient to avoid alcohol
- Instruct your patients to avoid alcohol (even small amounts like a glass of wine) for 24 hours before and 24 hours after any vacuum therapy treatment. Alcohol causes the blood vessels to dilate which makes them prone to damage.
Advise the patient to drink water
- Tell your vacuum therapy patients to drink plenty of water, which means drinking the equivalent of half of their body weight in ounces of water every day. Why? Staying hydrated helps to improve both blood and lymphatic circulation, which can help to reduce the risk of blood vessels breaking during and following treatment. Bottom line. Adequate water consumption helps minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments.
Avoid high-intensity exercise for at least one day
- Educate your patient about the importance of avoiding strenuous activity the day of and the day after the vacuum therapy treatment. Strenuous activity can increase blood flow to the area, which can increase the risk of bruising. Avoiding exercise helps to eliminate or at least minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments.
Consider supplementing with Arnica and/or Vitamin K
- Arnica is a natural herb that has been shown to be effective in reducing bruising. Tell your patient that she can take arnica supplements and/or apply arnica gel to the area throughout the vacuum therapy treatment series. Vitamin K assists the body in clotting blood, so it may help minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments.
Discuss the patient’s risk of bruising
- After you’ve assessed your patient’s bruising risk, and before performing the vacuum therapy treatment, talk to your patient about her risk of bruising and why. If you find that she is at an increased risk of bruising and she has concerns about bruising, tell her that you may be able to adjust the settings on the vacuum machine to reduce the risk of bruising. But advise her this remedy may interfere with optimum results.
How to become an expert in vacuum therapy treatments
Like what you have learned so far? Are you interested in learning more about vacuum therapy treatments from the experts?
The Booty (& Body) Sculpting Masterclass from the Body Contouring Academy is the perfect place to start. This course will teach you everything you need to know about vacuum therapy so you can become THE expert in your market.
You will learn how to safely and effectively perform these treatments on your patients
- Butt Sculpt, non-surgical butt lift (BBL)
- Rump Plumper
- Hip Dip Reduction
- Waist Shaper
PLUS!
- Fat Reduction
- Cellulite Minimizing
- Detox Slimming
The Booty (& Body) Sculpting Masterclass is
- 100% online
- Self-paced
- No prerequisites
- No exams
And you’ll get your Certificate as soon as you complete the course
Get the details about the (vacuum) Booty (& Body) Sculpting Masterclass!
Final Thoughts
Vacuum therapy treatments are a safe, effective and affordable way to address and improve a variety of body concerns. However, they can sometimes cause bruising.
You’ve discovered the expert’s tips to minimize bruising from vacuum therapy treatments.
- Review medical history at every visit
- Identify any blood thinning substances, i.e. medications, vitamins, supplements
- Instruct the patient to avoid alcohol
- Advise the patient to drink water
- Avoid high-intensity exercise for at least one day
- Consider supplementing with Arnica and/or Vitamin K
- Discuss the patient’s risk of bruising
If you want to become an expert in vacuum therapy treatments and learn how to safely and effectively perform them on your patients, or build upon the knowledge you already have, the Booty (& Body) Sculpting Masterclass from Body Contouring Academy is your answer.
This course is 100% online, self-paced, and has no prerequisites or exams. And you'll get your Certificate as soon as you complete the course!
So…
Enroll in the course today and learn from the experts!
Editorial Disclaimer: This content has been created, in part, by an AI language model and is intended to provide general, helpful information. While we strive to deliver accurate and reliable information, it may not always reflect the latest developments or expert opinions. This content should not be considered to be professional or expert advice. We encourage you to verify the information independently before making decisions based on this article.