10 Simple Tips for Before and After Facial Treatments

Do’s and Dont’s before and after facial treatments

Botox and Hyaluron Without Regret

Your first appointment at an aesthetic practice is coming up? And you wonder what you should pay attention to before and after botox, dermafiller or thread lift? OK. Here are a few simple tips on how to get through the treatment without swelling and bruising. Or at least minimizes their occurrence.

No Blood Thinning Drugs Before Botox and Hyaluron!

Avoid aspirin and other anticoagulant drugs (coumarins, heparins) from at least 5 days before treatment. You are probably already familiar with this measure from other medical interventions. Aspirin, ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aleve, Advil, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (cold medications) are strong “bruise promoters.” That’s because they inactivate your platelets, the cells in your bloodstream that stop bleeding and bruising when blood vessels and capillaries are damaged. If your platelets are unable to seal the tiny capillaries that can be injured during injections, then the risk of bruising increases significantly. Avoid all of these medications for one week before your treatment. If you are on pain medication, then consider taking Tylenol. This advice applies not only to Botox and Hyaluron, but in general to all interventions with short-term possible bleeding, such as thread lift or medical microneedling/vampire lifting.

No Alcohol Before and After Botox!

Do not drink alcohol for 2 days before and after the treatment. On the one hand, this pleases your liver, which does not have to metabolize the alcohol in addition to the toxin. On the other hand, you also contribute to a lower risk of bleeding, bruising and swelling. Because alcohol dilutes your blood. This means that the risk of bruising after Botox and alcohol is much higher. If you are prone to bruising anyway, then by avoiding alcohol you can at least ensure that bruising and swelling after Botox and Hyaluron are kept to a minimum.

For the same reasons, I recommend that you avoid alcohol both before and after Botox or hyaluronic treatment. Because after the treatment your skin is sensitive, the treated areas need a few hours or days to heal. During this time, they are still susceptible to bruising, and thinning of the blood from alcohol or medications can exacerbate this bruising. This will only prolong the recovery time unnecessarily, and you will not be fully socially fit again as quickly as is actually possible. This is the principle risk of alcohol before and after facial treatments.

Foods to Avoid Before Botox!

Avoid excessive consumption of green tea, vitamin E, fish oil, gingseng, flaxseed oil, as well as other herbal supplements that have a mild blood thinning effect, starting 2-3 days before Botox treatment. The reasons are the same as for alcohol after Botox.

Botox and Sport

I recommend that you refrain from sports immediately after Botox. How long no sports after Botox? That depends on the intensity. Avoid gym and tennis court for at least 24 – 48 hours after treatment. If you want to exercise, it’s best to just go for a walk. Keep your heart rate low, below 100 bpm. This is because blood vessels injured during treatment heal best at low heart rates and minimal blood flow. Doing sports immediately after Botox, and possibly intensively, is extremely counterproductive.

Anesthetize Locally Before Treatment!

Local anesthetics (lidocaine or similar) often make treatments much more tolerable, even if they do not seem necessary on the surface. My recommendation is to use them extensively and ask the doctor specifically about them if he doesn’t offer them to you anyway. There is hardly any treatment where you should let them “talk you out of it”, Botox injections with just a few injection points excepted. But lip injections or microneedling can be quite unpleasant—and that does not have to be. Anesthetic creams also have a vasoconstriction effect—contributing to a reduced risk of bleeding and bruising.

Ask for a Cool Pack Afterwards!

Cooling the treated region with cool packs afterwards often provides significant relief and relaxation. Although not medically necessary, you should ask your doctor about it if it gives you more comfort.

Avoid Massages, Pressure, and Grimaces!

Massages, rubbing and prolonged pressure on the treated areas should be avoided after the treatment. Why? In order not to compromise the result. In the case of Botox, one can assume 2 to 3 days, during which time the toxin should be given time to accumulate in the tissue. In the case of extensive hyaluronic injections, it can take a good 1 week for the hyaluronic to achieve optimal tissue deposition. In the case of a thread lift, especially an extensive lift with COG or Silhouette Soft threads, you should be careful to take it easy on the treated area for up to 2 weeks. This includes avoiding grimaces (violent laughter, strong chewing) and serves on the one hand to avoid pain and tension, but on the other hand not to jeopardize the result.

After Botox and Hyaluron NO Direct Sun!

Stay out of direct sunlight on the day of treatment and the following 2-3 days. Also, avoid sauna visits. Consider this a simple precaution against circulatory problems, headaches and the like. In addition, you prevent the risk of bruising, which could be triggered by increased blood flow. However, you do not have to fear a direct influence of sunlight or sauna on the treatment results. An opinion often heard in the past that Botox administered intramuscularly could be “sweated out” is now considered outdated. However, this does not apply to superficial treatments of the skin, such as Microbotox. After a Microbotox treatment, where the toxin is injected into the skin and not into the muscle, I actually recommend refraining from sauna visits for at least 1 week.

For Botox, Hyaluron & Co. Only to the Specialist!

All of the above tips and much more will also be shared with you by your experienced doctor with whom you have hopefully booked your treatment. A doctor who understands the aesthetic profession, who has sufficient knowledge of facial anatomy and in particular the course of blood and nerve pathways, and who also knows what to do in the event of complications. Steer clear of cheapsters and bait-and-switch offers. You will have to live with the consequences of Botox treatment for several months without any ifs and buts. Hyaluronic fillers are real implants that carry a fair risk of complications and can lead to necrosis or even blindness. This is by far the most important and best tip I can give you.

Be Honest in Your Self-Disclosure!

It is imperative that your doctor learns everything he or she needs to know from you before treating you with Botox or Hyaluron. Allergies, pre-existing conditions, medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Even before you visit the doctor, think about what all might be important. There are absolute contraindications, in the presence of which you must refrain from treatment, especially with Botox. Certain allergies, for example. Or an ongoing breastfeeding period. Do not conceal anything!

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