Botox is a minimally invasive body contouring technique for getting rid of those pesky fine lines and wrinkles on your face. While the results are temporary, you can get repeat treatments for confidence that lasts a lifetime.
As quick and easy as Botox injections are, it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions after the procedure so that you can get the most effective and long lasting results. You’ll need to do certain things to take care of any swelling and redness, but you’ll also need to avoid doing a few things.
After your treatment, there are some things you shouldn’t do in order to make sure your treatment looks exactly as you hope. Let’s take a look at them.
What is Botox?
We all wish that your young, vibrant skin were able to last a lifetime. And while it naturally sags and wrinkles with time, Botox can help rejuvenate your complexion with quick, easy injections.
Botox is made with Botulinum toxin type A, which is produced from a bacteria. When injected into the skin, it blocks certain nerve signals to muscles. Since wrinkles are caused by muscle contractions, Botox injections can weaken and relax wrinkles and fine lines to reduce their appearance.
Eventually, the toxin will wear off and your skin will return to normal. However, you can go back and get repeat injections every few months. While Botox is made with a toxin, it isn’t dangerous when injected in low amounts.
What NOT to Do After the Procedure
The Botox injections are fairly small, and you’ll be in and out of the office in under thirty minutes. While you may not feel anything more than mild discomfort, it can take up to a week for the toxin to take full effect.
Because of that, it is important that you avoid compromising the area so you don’t affect how the procedure turns out. Be sure NOT to do any of the following.
This is perhaps one of the most challenging things you’ll need to avoid following the procedure. No matter how itchy or uncomfortable your face gets, do not rub, massage, or touch your face for four hours after treatment.
If you do this, the toxin may dislodge and travel to other parts of your face, giving you undesirable or lackluster results in the original injected location. If there’s an itch or feeling that you just can’t scratch, have someone blow gently on your face instead.
In order for the toxin to properly settle in your body, it is recommended that you remain upright for four hours after the treatment. With that in mind, do not lay down on your face after the procedure, and try to sleep on your back within the first few days for best results.
Lying on your face can alter the way the toxin absorbs into your muscles and possibly disperse the toxin to unwanted areas.
Postpone your next pilates class for the next day. After Botox, you should not engage in strenuous exercise for at least 24 hours. With that said, light exercise like walking is fine after the first four hours.
Strenuous exercise like running, cycling, or lifting can strain your facial muscles and prevent the Botox from settling into your muscles properly. But don’t worry, skipping a day at the gym will be well worth it when you return and keep getting asked about your new skincare routine!
Taking a step towards achieving your best self is cause for celebration, but save that bottle of wine for dinner tomorrow night. Alcohol is a blood thinner that can increase your risk of bruising or bleeding after the procedure.
Pain relievers like Aleve or Advil are also blood thinners, so you’ll want to avoid taking them as well. The pain following Botox is usually mild, but if you need to take something to manage it, you can take Tylenol. It’s not a blood thinner, so it won’t increase your risk of bruising.
Harmful UV rays can damage and irritate the skin. This might lead to further redness and swelling for a longer period of time. Avoid tanning or heat lamps for at least 24 hours.
If you need to go outside, be sure to wear a hat or put on sunscreen (as long as it’s been longer than four hours since the end of your treatment).
Cleansing your skin with your favorite washes and scrubs is essential after a Botox treatment to maximize its results — you just need to wait 24 hours before using it. Chemical peels and other types of facials can interfere with your treatment if you conduct them too soon.
Wearing tight headwear can restrict the muscles and skin, preventing the Botox from settling as it should. Especially if you’ve gotten injections in your forehead, you should avoid wearing tight-fitting headwear like bands or hats.
Things You CAN Do After a Botox Treatment
There sure are a lot of things that you need to avoid after getting Botox. While it can be frustrating, you can usually return to normal activities after just 24 hours. That’s a day of work for months of positive results!
Plus, there are still some things that you can, and should, do following the treatment to enhance your comfort and help achieve more desirable results.
Facial Exercises
While touching your face should be limited within the first 24 hours, it is actually important to practice some exercises to loosen up your muscles within the first hour of treatment. Simple things like frowning, smiling, grinning, or puckering your lips can help loosen up the muscles in your face and let the toxin settle more quickly.
Ice the Area
If you’re starting to swell or feel pain in the injection area, you can apply an ice pack to the affected area to help reduce inflammation. Just make sure you don’t do this within the first four hours of your treatment.
Additionally, you shouldn’t place ice or an ice pack directly onto your skin as it can cause damage. Wrap the ice in a towel so you’re not making direct contact.
Fly
Did you travel to the sunny office at PH-1 Miami for your Botox treatment? It’s okay to fly back home the same day, as the Botox injections are not affected by changes in altitude.
With that said, it might be a good idea to try to spend at least a night near your plastic surgeon so that you can get to them quickly if any complications arise. An extra night in Miami doesn’t sound so bad to us!
Sleep
Remember that you should not put any pressure on your face for at least four hours after your procedure. However, Botox injections consist of a safe and natural protein that has little impact on your daily activities. That means that you can sleep as normal that night without worrying about affecting your procedure.
It should be noted that we recommend sleeping on your back rather than your side, even when that four hour period has worn off.
Wrap Up
Botox has helped many people achieve a more supple and youthful complexion on their face. It’s a quick and easy procedure that only requires a few injections to problem areas. You’ll be in and out in thirty minutes or less.
But it can take some time for the Botox to kick in and take effect. Because of that, it is important that you avoid completing certain activities after treatment. For the first four hours after the procedure, be sure to avoid rubbing your face or laying on your face, as this can dislodge the toxin and decrease desired results.
Additionally, you shouldn’t engage in strenuous exercise or get a facial within 24 hours. Try to avoid blood thinners like alcohol or Advil too, as this can increase your risk of bruising or bleeding.
What you can do after the treatment is engage in some facial exercises like exaggerated smiles and frowns. Likewise, you can go back to your normal range of activities after just 24 hours.
Ready to see how Botox can rejuvenate your complexion? Fill out our inquiry form to get one step closer to your best self.
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