Neurotoxin Aftercare : What Should I do after my Botox/Dysport appointment?

Aftercare is crucial when discussing the idea of facial injections. Whether it’s Botox, filler, or PRF - you ALWAYS have to consider the safety measures to take the second you leave our office.

Hi, my name is Caitlin and I am an Aesthetic RN here to teach you more about your aesthetic procedures:) Let’s dive in! 

The easiest way to discuss what aftercare is expected is to break it down by product. In this blog, I will be discussing Neurotoxin injections in the face specifically. 

Neurotoxin: Botox or Dysport 

Neurotoxin is injected to freeze the muscles or decrease the look of fine lines and wrinkles in the injected areas. The most common areas for this treatment include the forehead, in between the eyebrows, and the crows feet.

If you would like to learn more about Botox & Dysport as well as the differences between them click here.

Aftercare Guide:

Tip #1: Prevent Bruising!

The number one thing we want to prevent post injection is bruising. There are many ways to ensure you do not bruise during and after your treatment. These would include:

• Not consuming alcohol for 24 hours post injection.

• Avoiding strenuous exercise (intense cardio - think anything that's going to make you hot & sweaty) for a MINIMUM of 6 hours post injection.

• You should ideally wait at least 24 hours to avoid fast metabolism of the product that can occur from heat / muscle breakdown. This will allow your product to properly settle. 

• Refrain from blood thinning medications & supplements as long as possible.

• This should only be done IF you are able & have your primary or prescribing doctor’s permission. Please do not assume that you can just discontinue your blood thinner for five days and it will not have negative effects on your health! 

• Blood thinning medications & supplements that are common:

• Aspirin, ibuprofen, ginseng, fish oil, St. John’s Wort, Vitamin E, Ginkgo Biloba 

• Prescribed medications such as eliquis, warfarin, rivaroxaban, etc.

• Refrain from smoking cigarettes or other nicotine containing products after your appointment as long as possible.

• Yes, this includes vaping.

• Refrain from consumption of caffeine after your appointment as long as possible.

• Application of ice after your appointment - especially if you are easy to bruise - can help. We always offer ice packs to our patients to take home with them. Make sure you have a back up ready in your freezer for when you get home.

We are in no way insisting all of our patients follow this guide to prevent bruising, and we know a lot of what we are stating on here would be hard to do for very long for many people. But, to absolutely prevent bruising to the best of your possible ability as the patient - you would follow this guide closely. 

Tip #2: To Move or Not to Move?

Another thing we are always being asked about - do I move my face or keep it still post-injection? 

Well, there are many who agree you should continue to strain the muscles injected as much as possible throughout the day to allow for the product to fully settle in. There are also many who agree you should try to relax as much as possible after getting injected. Is there any scientific study that proves whether one method is better than the other - no. The important thing to remember is to overall stay relaxed after your treatment - do not stress over how much you are moving your face! 

Tip #3: NO HOT ENVIRONMENTS! 

Hot topic during this time of year post injections - NO HOT ENVIRONMENTS ! I am a hot yoga girl myself, but trust me - this is something you definitely want to avoid. Neurotoxin comes frozen & stays cold up until the second it is injected. This ensures the products longevity and ability to react properly.

Hot environments you should avoid for 36 - 72 hours post injections:

• Hot tubs

• Saunas 

• Intense or heated work-out spaces

Tip #4: Sleep Habits

Another common question or topic of confusion for post injections is “how should I sleep?”. 

First things first: we do want you to remain upright for at least 4 - 6 hours post injections. 

So, if you go to bed at 10pm, we would advise you to not pick the 8pm appointment time. 

When considering your actual sleep:

• Some recommend you sleep as up-right as possible the first few nights post injection

• Try to avoid sleeping on your side or stomach to avoid long lasting pressure on the injection sites

• You should always try to avoid sleeping in these positions to help prevent wrinkles 

Tip #5: Know When to Follow-Up 

Depending on which product you decide to get injected, you can expect to start to see results anywhere from days 2 - 7 post injections. The important thing to remember is that touch-ups cannot happen until 14 days post injection. This is to prevent the possibility of further complication before the product has had time to completely settle. The last thing we want to do is try to fix unevenness on one side and end up completely overdoing it on the other. 

• We always reach out to you about 1 - 2 weeks post injections. You can let us know then if things are going well, or if you think some additional product may be necessary.

• Feel free to schedule your touch-up appointment yourself if you feel as though you require additional product or correction at anytime through our online booking.

• As always, if you feel as though you are experiencing a complication please reach out ASAP to your injector.

Hope this helped! 

xoxo Caitlin Travis, BSN, RN

Botox and Dysport Injections With Purra MedSpa:

Eliminate the look of wrinkles with Purra MedSpa. We are located in Dillsburg, PA.

Book an Appointment. 

Call Us: 717-502-1566.

Copyright © Caitlin Travis, 2024.

*The information in this blog is not medical advice and may not be factually accurate. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Consult with a physician before attempting any tips in this blog post and to get the most up to date factual data about any procedure or treatment.

*BOTOX® is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc. 

*Dysport®  is a registered trademark of Galderma Laboratories, L.P.

50 units of Dysport in Glabella (between brows)

50 units of Dysport in forehead & 50 units of Dysport in Glabella two months later results