Understandably patients really want to know what to do after that have had their Botox treatment to make sure that it works as well as it can and not cause any problems. Over the years I have had a lot of “Can I do…” and “Am I allowed to….”. So I thought I would write a blog to clarify these.
I have put together some points which are anecdotal and others have some scientific backing behind them. So I will point which ones have which and then leave it to you to decide which you take on board!
Keep upright and avoid excessive bending (For 4 hours after treatment)
After receiving Botox injections, it is generally recommended to keep upright and avoid excessive bending for a short period of time (approximately 4 hours). This advice aims to minimise the risk of the injected Botox spreading to unintended areas and affecting muscles that were not targeted for treatment and to optimize the desired effects in the targeted muscles. This advice is anecdotal and I have not come across any evidence stating changing to a horizontal position or lowering the head influences diffusion of the product; however, you are more than welcome to follow this is you wish!
Avoid extreme facial expressions (For 12 hours after treatment)
Excessive facial movements immediately after Botox injections can potentially displace the toxin from the intended treatment areas. Avoiding extreme expressions helps prevent the spread of Botox to adjacent muscles, reducing the risk of unintended effects. In my opinion this can be a very hard thing to do in practice as some of us are very expressive - we are human at the end of the day! Just try your best and perhaps avoid a comedy show on the same evening!
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption (For 12 hours after treatment)
Alcohol, particularly in excess, can affect blood circulation and may have mild blood-thinning properties. In theory, this could potentially increase the risk of bruising at the injection sites.
Avoid wearing make-up (For 12 hours after treatment)
Immediately after procedures, the skin may be more vulnerable to infection. Applying makeup, which can often has lots of bacteria, could introduce bacteria or irritants to the treated areas, increasing the risk of infection or other complications.
Do not rub or massage the treated area (For 2 days after treatment)
After washing, pat skin dry very gently with a soft towel as rubbing or massaging may cause the injected solution to spread to nearby muscles
Avoid exposure to strong sunlight, very cold temperatures and saunas (For 2 weeks after treatment)
Sunlight/Saunas: After Botox injections exposure to sunlight/saunas will cause heat, which can lead to a increased chance of swelling and bruising
Cold Temperatures: This seems very anecdotal. I think the placement of ice may possibly be something to do immediately after treatment as it could in theory reduce the effectiveness of the Botox but, again, this is very speculative!
Do not have any beauty treatments on your face e.g. facials, facial massage (For 2 weeks after treatment)
It is typically recommended to avoid beauty treatments that involve intense manipulation of the treated areas, such as facials, massages, or certain skincare procedures. Excessive touching or pressing on the treated areas could potentially disrupt the distribution and effectiveness of the Botox.
Also after any injectable procedure, including Botox, the skin may be temporarily more susceptible to infection. Beauty treatments that involve potential exposure to bacteria or irritants, such as certain facials or chemical peels, could increase the risk of infection in the treated areas.
Summary
So this is a small list of things you may wish to do after your Botox treatment. To make life easier for you I have made a little summary infographic above, for your reference. Most items are anecdotal and so I would not lose any sleep if you have struggled to follow them 100%. For example, I used to run a clinic in the evening when I was younger and would see my last patient at 8:30pm. I would never tell them to stay upright for 4 hours as that would not be practical! The key thing about getting the best outcome from Botox is a thorough consultation and correct placement of the Botox (in the right quantities) by the practitioner!
I hope you found this useful but there maybe some others that you would like to query and if so please do not hesitate to contact us.