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Botox: Before the Appointment and After the Needle

6 Important Tips for Before and After a Botox Procedure

When Botox was first introduced to the world it was presented as a medication to treat seizures, migraines, profuse sweating and even crossed or lazy eyes. Luckily it was found to have a profound effect on the facial muscles it came in contact with and doctors began using in the fight against aging. Now Botox is produced specifically for cosmetic purposes and is marketed under the name Botox Cosmetic.

Millions of women and Men have since undergone the needle to wage their own crusade against crow's feet and the dreaded 11's (those lovely deep lines right between the brows). Before heading off to the doctor to get your Botox injections, here are a few things to consider

Things to Know Before You Go

Make sure the treatment is correct for the desired effect and understand the differences.

Botox and fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm produce very different effects by very different means. Fillers are just what they sound like: fillers. Botox, on the other hand, is a purified protein originally found in the Botulinum bacteria. Its effectiveness comes from the fact that protein paralyzes the targeted muscles alternately causing surrounding muscles to relax. These reactions then result in the desired effect of lessening the appearance of crow's feet and creases between the brows. Botox does not fill wrinkles or plump the lips. Leave that to the fillers!

Getting rid of wrinkles? Here's the next step to looking younger.

Find a prominent doctor.

Most doctors offer free consultations but if you find a highly recommended a doctor in your area and she/he doesn't off a free consult, it's totally worth the asking fee to meet them and spend time talking to them about the procedure you are considering. This process will help familiarize you with your specialist and will likely include filling out forms and an overview of your medical history as well as meeting the person who will administer your Botox treatment. It's important to have your own list of questions for the doctor and nurses as well. If you feel comfortable with the doctor and staff, you might even decide to set an appointment for your procedure that same day!

Medications discontinue 7-14 days before treatment.

  • Aspirin
  • Excedrin
  • Ibuprofen
  • St John's Wort
  • Omega 3 Fatty Acids
  • Vitamin E
  • Ginkgo Biloba
  • Ginseng
  • Alcohol
  • If you need pain medication, Tylenol is always fine

Get Great Skin

Any esthetician will tell you it is best to have skin improvement services done before any medical cosmetic procedure. They are right! If you don't have great, smooth, glowing skin before the injections you will still not have great, smooth, glowing skin after the injections. You'll have fewer lines around your eyes and a tighter area of skin between your brows but you will have those areas of darker spots and large pores. Go in for a chemical peel a couple of weeks before your Botox appointment. Have a deep cleansing and exfoliating facial a couple of days ahead of the procedure. You'll be even more impressed with the results of the Botox and healthier skin to boot!

You Did It! Now What?

Aftercare

A return to normal activity is immediate but be aware that you have vulnerable areas at the injection site. Self care is very important.

Here are just a few things to keep in mind after you have Botox injections:

  • Most all technicians will tell you DO NOT lay down for 2-4 hours after the Botox injections. This helps prevent Botox from migrating to undesired locations of the face.
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes for at least 6 hours.
  • Avoid touching the injection site for at least 6 hours.
  • Stay out of the sun and far away from tanning beds until any initial redness or swelling has subsided
  • Give yourself a break from the gym for a day. The lower you keep your heart rate and your core temperature, the better

Give it time

Most Botox treatments will produce a small immediate effect but what you will see over the next few days is the exciting part. If you don’t see immediate results the day of your procedure, don't fret! Most Botox patients who have injections at the eye area and between the brows see results in at least 3-5 days!

The effects of Botox can last, on average, anywhere from 3 to 6 months. After about 6 months you will notice some of those lines begin to reappear though not nearly as prominently as before the Botox procedure. There is no limitation to the number of times you can have the injections administered so fear not. Medically speaking, Botox injections can be repeated indefinitely, and each time leads to a longer lasting result.