There are several key things you should avoid in the hours, days, and weeks following the injection of fillers or neurotoxins to minimise the likelihood of unwanted side effects.
The injection of botulinum toxin or hyaluronic acid fillers is undoubtedly one of the easiest methods to achieve dramatic results with minimal recovery time. Often referred to as “lunch break procedures,” they are usually quick and relatively painless. The top dermatologists have selected 9 of the most important things you should not do immediately after your injectable procedures, and we have decided to present them to you in this article.
After neurotoxin injections
- Avoid intense cardio
Plan your workout before your procedure appointment at the clinic. The intense physical activity increases the blood flow throughout the body, including the face. This could theoretically interfere with the injected neurotoxin binding to the intended muscle, and it might cause its action to spread to some nearby muscles. The top dermatologists advise you to wait for at least 12 hours before engaging in any exercises that might raise your heart rate. The same rule applies to the injection of fillers, as such exercises increase the blood pressure and subsequently the risk of bruising.
- Avoid yoga
The yoga exercises are also not a good idea. For four hours after the procedure, it is important that you stay upright, avoid lying down, and refrain from any activities that involve placing your head in a downward position. This also means not lying down or getting a facial massage.
- Avoid applying makeup
The neurotoxin injections can leave small red marks at each injection site. These small spots are temporary and can be easily covered with makeup, but you should just be sure to wait at least for 30 minutes before applying foundation.
Even though they are very small, each of these marks is a tiny open wound. The top dermatologists do not recommend you to risk introducing bacteria from the makeup onto your skin. If you wait for half an hour, your skin will have enough time to re-epithelialise, and your small wounds will close.
- Avoid using facial tools
Save the jade rollers, the facial dermarollers, and the gua sha tools for another day. The top dermatologists agree that using them immediately after an injection could cause the neurotoxin to spread to unintended areas. They advise you to wait for 12 hours after the injection.
- Wait for two weeks before getting a COVID-19 vaccine
While no negative interactions between the vaccine and the botox have been reported, the top dermatologists say that the available clinical observations are not sufficient to know for sure. They emphasise that it is better to be cautious and schedule your vaccine two weeks before or two weeks after your neurotoxin injections. (As for fillers, there have been some reports of increased swelling in the filler areas after the vaccine. It is recommended to space the vaccine and the filler injections by four weeks.)
After hyaluronic acid filler injections
- Avoid massages
There are several reasons to avoid massages for at least two weeks after your filler injections. Lying face down with your face pressed into a “doughnut” pillow on a massage table can significantly increase your swelling, especially if the filler is in the temple or the cheek areas. Although it may not necessarily affect the final results, it will prolong your healing time. Similarly, any kind of a facial massage, especially a deep lymphatic massage, is strictly contraindicated.
- Avoid visiting the dentist
It is advisable to avoid any dental work, even a simple teeth cleaning, within 4 weeks after the filler injections. As with the massage, there is a risk of filler displacement if it is injected around the mouth, in the lips, or in the nasolabial folds. Regardless of where the filler is injected, there is some clinical evidence that the increased bacteria in the bloodstream resulting from the dental cleaning or work could be transferred to the injection area and cause an infection.
- Avoid wearing glasses
When the filler is injected in the nose area for non-surgical correction, the wearing of glasses throughout the day can put repeated pressure on the injection site. This could cause the gel to migrate, requiring an additional filler to correct the imperfection once again. After such a procedure, it is best to wear contact lenses for two weeks or at least minimise the time your glasses are on your nose.
Similarly, the pressure from the wearing of swimming goggles, ski goggles, diving masks, or even virtual reality headsets can displace the filler that has been placed in the tear trough or the cheek areas.
- Avoid drinking cocktails
It is not a good idea to consume alcoholic beverages on the day of your procedure. After the filler injections, a small blood clot forms beneath the skin’s surface, which can be dissolved by alcohol and cause a hematoma. Many patients leave without bruising after the procedure, only to develop bruises afterwards due to an alcohol consumption. To be completely safe, it is best to avoid any alcohol consumption for 24 hours after your filler injection.