Here’s exactly what you need to know to get the best cosmetic injection results in Kamloops and Kelowna.
Planning ahead for your botox and dermal filler treatments is key to optimal recovery and ultimately, achieving optimal results. When you’re informed about how to prep and care for yourself before and after your botox and dermal filler treatment, you help ensure everything goes smoothly and that you get the most out of your injections. I’m here to help you every step of the way, here’s your before and aftercare guide for botox and filler:
*Side note: throughout these instructions I will be referring to neuromodulators as botox, but please note that I use other brands of botox including Botox® Cosmetic, Dysport®, and Neuvia™. If you have a preference on the type of botox you receive, please let me know upon booking and I’ll do my best to accommodate. Not sure which brand will work best for you? That’s why I’m here! I tend to favour Dysport®, for its quick effectiveness and smoothing properties, but after we see how your body responds to the product, we may decide to switch it up.
Pre-Treatment Instructions for Botox
Your pre-treatment botox instructions are geared towards reducing the risk of bruising and swelling, and ensuring that the neuromodulators are as effective as possible—yes, you read that right. Not preparing for your botox injections properly can impact the efficiency and longevity of your results.
- Avoid Blood Thinners: Pause taking blood-thinning medications and supplements like aspirin, ibuprofen, and fish oil for at least one week prior to treatment, unless advised otherwise by your family doctor. This helps reduce the risk of bleeding and bruising.
- Limit Alcohol Intake: Avoid alcohol for 24-48 hours before your appointment. Alcohol can increase the likelihood of bruising and swelling.
- Skip the Caffeine: Don’t hate me for this one…Avoiding caffeine before botox injections is recommended because caffeine can increase the risk of bruising and swelling. It acts as a mild blood thinner, which could make the injection sites more prone to bleeding and bruising. For the best results and to minimize any side effects, it’s advisable to skip caffeine for at least a few hours before your appointment.
- Refrain from Skincare Treatments: Avoid any harsh skin treatments such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, or laser treatments for at least one week before your botox appointment.
- Discontinue Retinoids: If you use retinoids or other similar topical treatments, stop using them a few days before your appointment to minimize the risk of skin irritation.
- Hydrate Well: Drink plenty of water leading up to your treatment—and always!! Staying well-hydrated can help your skin and tissues respond better to the injection.
- Avoid Sun Exposure: Minimize sun exposure and avoid tanning beds for a week prior to treatment to prevent skin damage and potential irritation. If you happen to have a sunburn in the treatment area, please let me know ahead of time as we may need to postpone your appointment.
- Plan Around Social Events: If possible, schedule your botox treatment well in advance of any major social events. While downtime is minimal, some people experience mild swelling or redness. Plus, botox results usually don’t kick in until two weeks after your injections, with the “sweet spot” being about four weeks post injections.
Post-Treatment Instructions for Botox
You really do play a hand in the effectiveness and quality of your botox results. Understanding and following post-treatment instructions is really important for achieving the best results, while minimizing risks like bruising or uneven results.
- Avoid Touching or Rubbing: Keep your hands away from your face to avoid touching, rubbing, or massaging the treated areas for at least 24 hours. Too much touching can encourage botox to spread to unintended muscles.
- Stay Upright: Keep your head upright for the first four hours after your treatment—beware of looking down at your phone! Avoid lying down or bending over to help the botox settle into the targeted muscles.
- Skip the Workout: Alright, here’s your excuse in writing. Tell your workout buddy that “Dr. Kaleb says I can’t exercise today.” Avoid strenuous exercise and heavy sweating for at least 24-48 hours post-treatment to prevent the risk of bruising and product migration.
- Avoid Heat: Steer clear of hot showers, saunas, and hot tubs for the first 24 hours to prevent increased blood flow that could affect your results.
- No Alcohol: Refrain from consuming alcohol for at least 24 hours to minimize the risk of bruising and swelling.
- Use Gentle Skincare Products: Stick to gentle skincare products and avoid any exfoliating or irritating treatments for a few days. Depending on what time of day your appointment is, you may need to skip your regular skincare routine the day of your injections (too much friction).
- Avoid Cosmetic Treatments: Wait at least one week before undergoing any additional cosmetic treatments, such as facials, dental procedures or laser procedures.
- Follow-Up Appointments: Schedule and attend a follow-up appointment two weeks after your injections. This will ensure we can assess how the product is taking effect and allow for any touch-ups recommended for optimal results.
Pre-Treatment Instructions for Dermal Filler
Whether it’s lip filler, cheek filler or something else, by following pre-treatment instructions while preparing dermal filler injections, you can help minimize risks like excessive swelling, bruising and migration, giving you more natural-looking results, faster.
- Avoid Blood Thinners: To minimize bruising, avoid blood-thinning medications and supplements like aspirin, ibuprofen, and fish oil for at least one week before your appointment.
- Limit Alcohol Consumption: Skip alcohol for 24-48 hours prior to your treatment. This helps reduce the risk of swelling and bruising.
- Skip the Caffeine: I know skipping your morning pick-me-up is a BIG ask, but it might be worth it to reduce the risk of bruising, swelling and bleeding. Additionally, caffeine can cause dehydration, making the skin less supple and potentially affecting the outcome of the filler treatment. It can also heighten feelings of anxiety or jitteriness, which might make the procedure more uncomfortable.
- Skip Waxing or Hair Removal: If you’re planning to have any hair removal treatments, make sure to do them at least a week before your appointment to avoid irritating the area.
- Refrain from Aggressive Skincare Treatments: For at least one week before your appointment, avoid any aggressive skincare treatments like chemical peels or laser procedures to keep your skin calm and ready for your dermal filler.
- Consult on Retinoids: To further that last point, if you use retinoids or similar topical treatments, check with me about whether to pause these before your appointment.
- Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure: Minimize sun exposure and avoid tanning beds for at least a week before your treatment to prevent skin damage and irritation.
- Plan Ahead for Downtime: Although downtime is usually minimal, plan your appointment well before any significant events, just in case you experience any swelling or redness. Remember it takes up to two weeks for dermal filler to settle and all swelling to subside. Do not have any trips planned by plane (attitude is not great for new filler), weddings, or photoshoots planned for at least two to three weeks post-injections.
- No Makeup: If possible, arrive with a clean face. I’ll of course sanitize the area prior to injecting, but it always helps keep your appointment efficient (and avoids you wasting your makeup products) if you arrive fresh faced.
Post-Treatment Instructions for Dermal Filler
These guidelines help ensure that your filler settles properly and supports your body’s natural healing process while reducing bruising and swelling.
- Avoid Touching or Massaging: Refrain from touching, rubbing, or massaging the treated areas for at least 24 hours to allow the filler to settle properly.
- Keep Head Elevated: Keep your head elevated while resting or sleeping for the first 24-48 hours to minimize swelling.
- Avoid Strenuous Activities: Stick to lighter exercise for 24-48 hours to reduce the risk of swelling and bruising.
- Steer Clear of Heat: Avoid hot environments, such as saunas, steam rooms, and direct sun exposure, for at least 24 hours to prevent increased swelling.
- Skip Alcohol: Avoid consuming alcohol for 24-48 hours as it can increase the risk of bruising and swelling.
- Apply Cold Compresses: Gently apply a cold compress to the treated areas for the first 24 hours to help reduce swelling and discomfort.
- Use Gentle Skincare Products: Stick to gentle skincare products and avoid exfoliants or any treatments that could irritate the skin for a few days.
- Avoid Makeup: Avoid applying makeup to the treated areas for at least 24 hours to prevent potential irritation or infection.
- Monitor for Side Effects: Watch for any unusual symptoms such as severe swelling, persistent pain, or lumps, and contact your provider if you have concerns.
In general, I suggest patients do not make any plans the rest of the day (or keep them low key), especially if they are new to dermal filler. Every individual is different, so we don’t know how your body will react to the cosmetic injections and you’ll likely be more comfortable just taking it easy. And remember, don’t try to cover up your injection sites with glasses or a hat. While it may be a good way to go incognito to the grocery store, the pressure of both can cause migration of the product leading to unintended results.
Kamloops and Kelowna Cosmetic Injection Before & Aftercare Guide
While all of this is great general advice for preparing and caring for yourself after your cosmetic injections, I will always reiterate these instructions to my patients upon booking and during their appointment. And if you have any questions or need any advice in the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact me or book your complimentary consultation at one of my six locations across Kamloops and Kelowna, BC:
Total Health Clinic in Kamloops
Heather Polak Aesthetics Studio Kelowna
