BOTOX®

BOTOX® is one of the most popular non-invasive, anti-wrinkle solutions currently on the market. Millions of people use this powerful, FDA-approved solution every year for its cosmetic and functional benefits. As a treatment that lasts just 15 to 20 minutes, and with virtually no downtime, BOTOX® offers a convenient and safe way to turn back the hands of time. Despite its reputation for having an incredibly short and easy healing process, however, there are a few things that Sudbury, MA locals should avoid doing immediately after their treatments. Even with strategic application of this FDA-approved product, there are still steps that should be taken to ensure the best possible outcomes. This way, you can gain the full benefits of a skillfully applied neurotoxin that’s designed to restore the aesthetically beautiful, line-free look of your youth.

Don’t Stress Yourself Out

The most important thing to do after your BOTOX® procedure in Sudbury, MA is to relax and take it easy. After all, it may have been your tendency to furrow your brow with unnecessary worry that caused dynamic wrinkling in the first place. This procedure has been designed to be as safe, simple, and easy to recover from as possible. This is why it is the very first injectable to be called “the lunchtime facelift”. The truth of the matter is that many seasoned BOTOX® users really do get their injections in the middle of their work days. Once this 10 to 15 minute treatment is complete, there isn’t much that you’re going to have to do in order to get the results you want. In fact, the less you crease your face with worry, agitate the treatment area, and stress yourself out, the easier and more successful the recovery process will invariably be.

Avoid Touching, Rubbing, or Otherwise Agitating Your Face

A truly successful BOTOX® treatment in Sudbury, MA will only minimize movement in the specific muscles responsible for dynamic wrinkling. When too much of this injectable is used, or when it starts migrating outside of the intended treatment area, patients become less able to enjoy completely natural looks. More specifically, it becomes harder for these individuals to smile, frown, or make other facial expressions in a natural-looking way. Rubbing or agitating the face in any significant manner post-procedure can cause nearby muscles to become affected by this neurotoxin. Repeated rubbing has a very high likelihood of causing BOTOX® migration. Try to be cognizant of where your hands are for at least six hours. After this time, it should be fine to wash your face with a mild cleanser, gently inspect your face for visible changes, and lie down.

Keep in mind that as simple and straightforward as not agitating your face might sound, it is probably going to be the one thing that you want to do the most. That’s because BOTOX® is known for producing a range of subtle changes right away. Many people attest to seeing a significant decrease in dynamic wrinkling within just several hours. As such, it’s not uncommon for patients to find themselves constantly checking their mirrors, and frequently inspired to manually pull the treated skin upwards and taut. These are urges that you’ll definitely want to avoid. Once the first few hours have passed after your treatment in Sudbury, MA, you can resume gently touching your face, and can look forward to watching changes manifest in the hours and days to come.

Engaging in Excessive Exercise and Laying Down

When receiving BOTOX® in Sudbury, MA, you’ll be committing to a recovery time of just two to six hours. Best of all, you can actually spend these hours engaging in a variety of normal activities. What you should not do, however, is participate in any high-energy sports or heavy exercise. Much like touching your face, this can actually cause the solution to migrate from the targeted area to other locations. Surprisingly, you don’t want to lie down immediately after treatment either. You’ll need to avoid taking a nap for at least two hours to ensure that no pressure is being placed directly on your face. This still gives you access to plenty of things to do including watching movies, typing at your desk, attending meetings at work, and more. 

Don’t Expect the Full Measure of Treatment Results to Manifest Right Away

This increasingly popular cosmetic has developed quite a reputation throughout the decades as being able to produce instant or near-instant results. In reality, however, you should not expect the full measure of your treatment results to manifest right away. Like many patients, you may notice a significant decrease in dynamic wrinkles at your lips, eyes, and brow immediately after your procedure in Sudbury, MA. The complete range of benefits, however, will usually present themselves over the next two to three days. As the neurotoxin gradually silences the nerve signals that cause specific dynamic movements, key facial muscles will relax, the underlying collagen layer will lie smooth, and your face will gradually become line-free.

The length of time that it takes for a person’s results to manifest is often determined by the individual. It all ultimately depends upon how quickly your body responds to this neurotoxin, and how quickly your nerves react by slowing their messages down and then ceasing them entirely. This same is also true for the duration of the resulting benefits. Some people are able to maintain their new and line-free looks for up to six full months. Others will start to see a noticeable return of dynamic facial wrinkles within just four to five months. The good news is that it is always possible to have your injections repeated at this time.

Excessive Consumption of Alcohol

Given that you can’t work out, you can’t lie down, and you have to keep yourself from touching and agitating your face, fixing yourself a drink or heading to the bar with friends might seem like the obvious choice. Unfortunately, too much alcohol can actually delay resolution of post-treatment bleeding and bruising. Like many prescription medications and store-bought drugs, alcohol is a known blood thinner. It can also unnecessarily complicate your body’s efforts to heal itself. These are all good reasons to avoid drinking the night before your procedure as well.

Fail to Pamper Your Skin

Once you’re able to touch your face again, avoid up picking up your normal skin care routine right where you left off. During the first 24 to 48 hours that follow these procedures, you shouldn’t perform any at-home exfoliation or use any abrasive or micro-abrasive products to clean the treated surface. In addition to using a very mild face wash, use only your hands to lightly apply circular cleansing motions. Wash and thoroughly rinse your face with lukewarm water, and then gently pat your skin dry. 

This is also an important time to minimize sun exposure. It is never a good idea to get too much sun on your skin without adequate protection after any cosmetic facial procedure. Instead, you should treat your facial skin with kid gloves. While you’re still unable to touch your face, consider donning a loose-fitting sun hat that doesn’t touch or constrict at the brow. Once you’re able to apply topical agents, lather on a decent sunscreen. The most effective way to prevent sun damage during the earliest stages of healing, however, is to avoid directly sun exposure entirely. The treated area should become less vulnerable to extremes of sunlight and heat within just two to four hours.

Don’t Use Any NSAIDs

Before performing your injections, the doctor can apply ice or a topical agent for numbing. The needle that’s used in this procedure is very short and fine-tipped; not unlike the needles that are used for insulin shots. Moreover, patients are unlikely to experience any significant aftereffects or discomfort following their injections. If you do experience discomfort post-treatment, you want to avoid the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which include aspirin and Ibuprofen. Much like alcohol, these over-the-counter pain relieving agents are blood thinners. They can cause complications with clotting and bruising, particularly when other risk factors exist in these areas.

The effects of NSAIDs on these and other injectable treatments make it important for patients to discontinue their use of these products two to three weeks before BOTOX® injection. This is something that you will also need to do with any prescription medications that are contraindicated for use with BOTOX®. Blood thinning agents will increase the likelihood of bleeding and bruising. They will also make any bruising that does occur significantly more severe.

Mulling Over Unasked Questions

If you feel, see, or experience anything unusual after your treatment, it is important to call the doctor right away. While this remains a low-risk and highly popular procedure, you want to keep the doctor abreast of any unexpected developments or changes. Moreover, if you any have questions throughout the healing process or want to know more about the timeline for BOTOX® results, be sure to reach out and ask.

Scheduling Secondary Cosmetic Treatments Too Soon

Another very important thing to remember about BOTOX® is that it can be safely and easily paired with an expansive range of non-invasive cosmetic treatments. In some instances, however, the timing of each procedure must be very precise in order to ensure optimum results and minimal risk. For instance, if you intend to both relax your dynamic wrinkles with BOTOX®, and improve the texture and tone of your skin with microdermabrasion, these treatments will need to be spaced apart accordingly. With the right combination of cosmetic procedures, it’s possible to smooth out both dynamic and static creases, restore lost facial volume, and improve the overall look and vitality of the skin. Best of all, you can accomplish all of these things without the excessive downtime and considerable risk of invasive surgery. Get in touch with our team at Infinity MedSpa in Sudbury, MA to learn more about the anti-wrinkle treatments we offer. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!