BOTOX: Advice for Before and After Treatment

BOTOX Cosmetic can help Walnut Creek patients significantly reduce the appearance of facial lines and prevent new lines from developing. Dr. Christopher Manios offers the following guidelines to help you get the most from your treatment and avoid complications related to your care.

Before BOTOX

Do Not Drink Wine for One Week Before Your Appointment

BOTOX can give you a more youthful appearance with results that look subtle and natural. While there’s no downtime after treatment, one factor may prevent you from benefiting from its effects as soon as possible: facial bruising.

Drinking wine—and consuming red wine in particular—can increase your chances of bruising following BOTOX. To avoid this, Walnut Creek patients should plan to give up wine for seven days before they come to see Dr. Manios.

Don’t Take Anti-Inflammatory Medications During the Week Before BOTOX

Ideally, you will be able to enjoy the results of your BOTOX treatment within 4-5 days: less prominent facial lines and overall younger-looking features.

However, bruising and discoloration aren’t part of anyone’s plan for aesthetic improvement. That’s why Dr. Manios recommends that you avoid anti-inflammatory medications for seven days before you have BOTOX injections.

There are certain patients for whom anti-inflammatory medications are medically necessary. If this is your case, please discuss this need with Dr. Manios during your initial consultation so that he can plan your care accordingly.

Avoid Foods That Contain Garlic (and Consider Using Arnica)

Eating garlic can increase your chances of bruising after BOTOX. Walnut Creek patients should not consume food with garlic for seven days before their procedure.

While giving up garlic and other recommendations to this point have focused on what to avoid, there’s one remedy that Dr. Manios suggests BOTOX patients add to their routine. He advises patients to begin using arnica, a natural herb, to minimize bruising following treatment.

After BOTOX

Save the Workout

While many of Dr. Manios’s patients exercise to stay active, healthy, and fit, he advises them to work out either before their BOTOX appointment or to postpone exercise until the morning after treatment.

Why? Exercise can raise a person’s blood pressure. As a result, Walnut Creek BOTOX patients who exercise soon after they receive treatment increase their risk of inflammation.

Wait to Apply Makeup

Dr. Manios recommends that you not use makeup before your appointment or for one day after your visit. Makeup and other foreign substances on the skin can interact with BOTOX injection sites, and this can lead to an infection that causes redness, swelling, and discomfort.

Use a Gentle Facial Cleanser

The right hygienic regimen can keep your skin healthy and beautiful. However, you may be using an aggressive facial cleanser, which can cause an infection after BOTOX injections. Dr. Manios can advise you about alternative cleansers if necessary. You can return to your normal hygienic routine 24 hours after your procedure.

Learn more about how to get the most from your treatment with BOTOX. Walnut Creek patients can schedule an appointment with Dr. Manios online or by phone at 925 989 6560.