Dr Johnson gives the following aftercare advice following Botox treatments in her clinic at Cheshire Lasers:
Do I need recovery time after Botox?
No recovery time is usually required after a treatment, and you can return to day-to-day activities straight away.
You may experience slight redness and tiny bumps in the area being injected. This usually goes down after 10 minutes but can take a few hours.
Dr Teri Johnson recommends you avoid make-up for 12 hours after treatment, to avoid the risk of infection.
What are the risks and side effects of Botox?
- Small areas of redness at treatment sites lasting 1-3 hours (common)
- Bruising / swelling of treatment area (less common)
- Dull heavy sensation / occasional headache (less common)
- Infection (rare)
- Ptosis (droop) of eyebrow or eyelid (rare)
- Botulism – very rare but serious (see below)
When to seek urgent medical help
Very rarely, the effect of the toxin can spread beyond the treated area and cause botulism, which can be serious. This can happen up to 4 weeks after treatment, though it usually appears within 4 to 8 days.
Call 999 or go to A&E straight away if you have any of these:
- difficulty swallowing
- slurred speech or difficulty talking
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- general muscle weakness
- severe drooping of the upper eyelids
Tell them you have had botulinum toxin treatment, then let Dr Johnson know.
You can report any side effect to the MHRA through the Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.
Important Aftercare Advice – What should you do and not do after Botox?
- Gently move the treatment areas by frowning, smiling and lifting the eyebrows to optimise your results
- Avoid strenuous physical activity for 2 days; this includes horse riding.
- Do not rub or massage the treatment areas as this may increase the risk of complications by spreading the product
- Try not to take alcohol, aspirin and ibuprofen for 24 hours as they can increase the risk of bruising and swelling
- To reduce the risk of complications, do not undertake activities that may disturb the treated area for up to 2 weeks. Things to consider a risk include:
- Facial massage
- Eyebrow waxing
- Eyelash extensions
- Saunas
- Microblading
- Facial Treatments such as Radiofrequency, Hydrafacial, Microdermabrasion and CACI
Find out more about Botox Treatments here.
