Pre- and Post-Botox and Dermal Fillers Treatment Instructions

Popular cosmetic procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers offer beauty solutions. Botox relaxes muscles and minimizes the appearance of wrinkles and lines from facial expressions. Dermal fillers restore volume loss to checks and soften folds around the mouth, lips, and smile lines. Following instructions before and after each treatment provides the most optimal results.

Botox Pre- and Post-Treatment Instructions

Achieve the best results from your Botox treatments by following these guidelines.

Please note that you should not have Botox if you have a neuromuscular disorder, an allergy to botulinum toxin, an allergy to human albumin, myasthenia gravis or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Before Treatment

Once you decide to begin treatment, it’s helpful to find out what you should and should not do before Botox:

• When scheduling your appointment: Ask your provider any questions you may have about pre- and post-Botox treatment.
• One week prior: Avoid blood-thinning medication such as ibuprofen, aspirin, Aleve and Motrin to prevent bruising, and avoid herbal supplements, such as omega-3 capsules, vitamin E, St. John’s Wort, garlic and ginkgo biloba. Inform the Nurse Practioner of your medications and if you have any skin conditions requiring prescriptions.
• Three days prior: Avoid waxing, tweezing, bleaching and hair removal creams. Don’t use anti-aging products such as alpha hydroxy acid, Tretinoin (Retin-A), glycolic acid, retinols and retinoids for three days prior.
• 24 hours prior: Avoid alcohol and caffeine to prevent extra bruising.
• The day of: Eat a snack or meal before your appointment. One hour before your treatment, take Tylenol.

After Treatment

The goal of Botox aftercare is to encourage optimal treatment results. It can also minimize the risk of bruising and spreading to other areas:

• Four hours after: Don’t lie down, lean forward or rub and touch the injected area for at least four hours after treatment. Avoid vigorous exercise, straining and heavy lifting. It takes two hours for the toxin to bind to the nerve terminal. Increasing circulation may move the botulinum from its injection place. Avoid wearing headbands and hats.
• 24-48 hours after: Wait 24 hours to wear makeup to prevent pustules, or wear a high-quality mineral face makeup if needed. For 24-48 hours, avoid caffeine, high-sodium foods, refined carbohydrates, alcohol, cigarettes, high-sugar foods, Niacin supplements and spicy foods because they contribute to increased swelling and irritation. Until 48 hours after treatment, avoid Retin-A or similar products like Tazorac and Kinerase to prevent increased redness or irritation.
• 72 hours after: Avoid Motrin, aspirin, garlic, vitamin A, vitamin E, cod liver oil, gingko biloba, flax oil and any other fatty acids for at least three days to one week because these items may increase bruising and bleeding.
• 1-2 weeks after: Wait 7-14 days post-injection for Botox touch-ups after the initial treatment. Wait 14 days for cosmetic treatments with Dysport® or Botox, such as facials, laser, peels, ultrasound or medspa services. Avoid a facial massage until 14 days after treatment.

Report to your provider if you experience any redness, blisters, itching, increased swelling or increased pain after your treatment.

Dermal Fillers Pre- and Post-Treatment Instructions

How do you get the best results with dermal fillers? By following pre and post treatment instructions, you can achieve the safest and most optimal results to softer folds, restored volume loss and an overall rejuvenated appearance.

Please note that you shouldn’t use dermal fillers if you are allergic to lidocaine mixed in the syringe with CosmoPlast, CosmoDerm or Zyderm.
Before Treatment

Follow these steps before receiving treatment:

• Avoid dental procedures 14 days before your appointment.
• Inform your provider if you have any skin conditions requiring prescriptions seven days before your treatment.
• Avoid aspirin, Motrin, ibuprofen and Aleve or other blood-thinning medication one week prior to prevent bruising.
• Come to your appointment with a clean face without moisturizer or makeup.
• Consume food and water before your appointment to avoid nausea.
• Take Tylenol one hour before.

After Treatment

After your treatment, maintain your beautiful new look with these tips:

• Take Tylenol every 4-6 hours.
• Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and soreness, if needed.
• Apply makeup as desired  24-48 hours after treatment if there aren’t any complications.
• Avoid touching or rubbing the area for six hours.
• Avoid alcohol for 24 hours to reduce swelling or irritation.
• Limit sun or UV exposure for 24 hours — if swelling occurs, make this 5-7 days.
• Use an SPF of 30 or higher with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide if you can’t avoid the sun.
• Wash with a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil®, Cerave®, Dove® Unscentedor ZO Skin Health Gentle Cleanser.
• Avoid exercise or sweating for 48 hours.
• Avoid dental cleaning and procedures for 14 days.

Book Your Appointment Today

Trust Face Forward Aesthetics for safe, healthy and cost-effective cosmetic treatments. A Botox procedure can be done in about 10-15 minutes on a lunch break for many clients. Scheduling your appointment about two weeks before a big event will give you picture-ready beauty.

Please book your appointment with our online form today!

About the Author

Nicole Talley, APRN-CNP

Nicole Talley is a board-certified nurse practitioner as well as a certified aesthetic nurse practitioner. She completed her BSN at the University of Kentucky and worked as a critical care nurse for 7 years. She graduated from Otterbein University with her family nurse practitioner degree in 2019. She is certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.  She has been with Face Forward Aesthetics since 2019.  She loves working together with patients to develop a treatment plan, providing education, witnessing their transformation, and watching their confidence flourish by the end. Outside of the office, Nicole loves to spend time with her husband, family, and friends, traveling to new places, and trying new restaurants.