8 Tips For Botox Aftercare
Updated on 30/07/2024
Receiving botox can feel like a daunting prospect, especially if you’ve never had any aesthetic treatments before.
If you’re about to get botox, or you've just received it, you might be wondering what aftercare tips there are out there to ensure you’re taking care of yourself.
There are many tips on how to look after yourself following a facial aesthetic treatment. That said, it’s important to note that this general advice shouldn’t replace the specific advice from your aesthetic practitioner.
8 Tips for botox aftercare include, but are not limited to:
- Don't lie down straight after your treatment
- Don’t sleep on your face for 24 hours
- Avoid any strenuous exercise
- Steer clear of facial treatments
- Keep out of strong sunlight
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid applying makeup
- Listen to your aesthetic practitioner
1. Don't Lie Down Straight After Your Treatment
The first tip to consider after getting Botulinum toxin is to ensure you stay upright and don't lie down for a minimum of 4 hours following the treatment.
The reason this is essential is to give the botox time to settle into your face nicely before you lie down or go to sleep at night.
While it’s safe to relax after your botox treatment, it’s best to book your appointment for a time when you know you’ll be able to stay upright for the next few hours so that you’re not tempted to take a nap before your botox has settled.
You need to remain upright for a minimum of 4 hours following botox.
2. Don’t Sleep On Your Face For 24 Hours
Another tip following botox is to avoid sleeping on your face for 24 hours.
This might sound like a simple one, but if you’re someone that’s used to sleeping in a particular position then you need to be aware of this.
If you sleep on your face after your botox treatment, you risk dislodging where the botox has been injected into your face, and it could travel to unwanted areas.
As such, it’s important to sleep in a position that doesn’t squish your face. So, if you’re used to sleeping on your front or your side, prop yourself up with pillows to encourage sleeping on your back after your aesthetic treatment.
Does working in aesthetics interest you? At YouCan Clinic, offer specific botulinum toxin training courses from beginner to advanced. Book on to our Botox Training Course here.
3. Avoid Any Strenuous Exercise
This comes down to the fact that strenuous exercise can cause the botox to spread to other parts of your face, thus reducing the benefits of your aesthetic treatment.
How Long After Botox Can I Workout?
If you play any sports or are a regular gym-goer normally, be sure to avoid this for the first 12 hours following botox.
Additionally, you will want to wait a full 24 hours before returning to your normal exercise routine to be safe. From this point onwards, you’re fine to exercise as normal.
If you sleep on your face, you risk dislodging where the botox has been injected into your face.
4. Steer Clear Of Facial Treatments
The next tip to consider for the aftercare of a botox treatment is to steer clear of facial treatments for a few days.
This comes down to the fact that skin treatments, such as facials, can increase the risk of you accidentally dislodging the injections before they set into your face.
You should also keep touching your face to a minimum for the first couple of days for the same reason.
That said, once this time has passed, you’re safe to go back to receiving your facial treatments.
5. Keep Out Of Strong Sunlight
Something else that’s important for botox aftercare is to keep out of strong sunlight for the first two days.
Direct sunlight not only flushes your skin, but also raises your blood pressure, which has the potential to cause bruising where the botox has been injected.
As you already might be experiencing a little bruising from the injection site after your botox treatment, you don’t want to exacerbate this in the sun.
This is also true of other means of heat exposure, such as the sauna, sunbed, hot tub, or even a hot bath or shower. As such, you will want to take care when bathing.
Direct sunlight not only flushes your skin, but also raises your blood pressure, which has the potential to cause bruising where the botox has been injected.
6. Drink Plenty of Water
Another important tip following a botox appointment is to ensure you're drinking plenty of water. This is due to a number of different reasons.
The most obvious reason is that staying hydrated helps maintain overall health, which can support better healing and recovery post-treatment. Following botox, staying hydrated therefore ensures that your skin and body tissues are in optimal condition.
Hydration can also help reduce swelling and inflammation that might occur after the injections. Water helps to flush out excess sodium, which can contribute to swelling.
7. Avoid Applying Makeup
As the botox injection sites are tiny little wounds, avoid applying makeup shortly after the procedure (ideally for 12 hours after).
This is because makeup can introduce bacteria to these sites, increasing the risk of infection and irritation.
Also, putting on makeup, whether it's with your fingers, a brush or a makeup sponge, often involves pressing and rubbing the skin, which can potentially displace the Botox and affect the distribution of the product, such as uneven relaxation of the muscles.
8. Listen To Your Aesthetic Practitioner
Last, but not least, be sure to listen to the advice provided by your aesthetic practitioner.
Every established clinic will have its own advice on aftercare following treatments, and it’s the safest option to follow the advice that they provide you regarding your specific treatment.
Following their advice will ensure that you are taking care of yourself properly following your botox procedure.
We hope this blog helps! For tips on pre-botox care, check out this blog which explains exactly how you should prepare for a botox appointment.
You Can Clinic is one of the UK's leading providers of aesthetic training courses and pharmaceutical supplies. Over 1000 individuals have progressed through our affordable programmes, which provide comprehensive coverage of all relevant aesthetic procedures. Available from beginner to advanced courses.
Written by Jemima, for You Can Clinic.
