So you finally took the plunge and visited a dermatologist about Botox treatment. Perhaps you’re feeling a bit self-conscious, but thousands of women worldwide are enjoying the benefits of this popular and minimally invasive cosmetic treatment. Since it is not a surgery, many people are often shocked at how short the recovery period is.
For most people, in just a few short hours they can continue their day like normal. But despite how quickly Botox works, there are still some things you should be wary of the first few days after Botox treatment. For instance, perhaps you are hoping to get a facial as well as a massage as part of your spa-day treatment. In this article, we answer whether it is okay to receive get a massage after botox and ways to speed up the effects of Botox.
Is It Okay to Get a Massage After Botox?
After receiving Botox injections it is not recommended to touch your face for any reason, and that includes getting a facial massage. Any dermatologist worth their salt will tell you the same thing and for good reason.
The reason why you shouldn’t even touch your face, let alone rub it or get a facial is because even small amounts of pressure immediately after Botox treatment can cause it to shift to unwanted areas.
If you’re dead set on getting a massage, even if you instructed the massage therapist not to massage your face you are still putting yourself at risk. In order to receive a massage you will be expected to lie face down which puts pressure on your face and may cause bruising.
The site of injection is also highly susceptible to infection, and having direct contact with a public massage table greatly increases the risk. Furthermore, having your face squished against the head support will also cause the Botox to diffuse to unwanted muscle groups where you did not want to get treated.
It is recommended that for four hours after Botox, patients should avoid lying down in general. In the meantime, try to stay upright and try not to touch your face for any reason. If you absolutely have to lie down, make sure you keep your head tilted at a 45 degree angle.
When Can You Get A Massage After Botox?
It is recommended that patients wait at least seven days before having massages, facials, or any other routines that put unnecessary pressure on the face.
In the meantime, you can continue your daily skin care routine to moisturize and cleanse it. However, any product that must be rubbed or massaged into the skin should be avoided until at least six hours – ideally 24 hours – have passed since the Botox treatment.
How to Speed Up The Effects of Botox
The effects of Botox are not immediate. You should expect to wait at least three to four days until its wrinkle-reducing effects start kicking in. The full effects of Botox can take up to two weeks to occur, and many patients get Botox injections just prior to attending a social engagement not realizing this is the case.
For those who have just received Botox treatment and have plans to attend a social event, there is a way to speed up the wrinkle smoothing effects of the toxin. A study conducted by Northwestern University has found that performing facial exercise after the injections can reduce the time it takes to kick in by one day.
Shouldn’t you avoid doing exercise after Botox? Apparently these facial exercises are okay, and thankfully they are quite easy to perform. Let’s go over them. Participants in the study performed “raised motions of the forehead and scowls (i.e., knitting the brows) in three sets of 40 repetitions separated by 10 minutes.”
What are Sets and Reps?
If you are not familiar with gym terminology, sets are how many cycles of repetitions you need to do for an exercise. Repetitions are how many times you must perform the exercise movement. After each set, you should rest to allow your muscles to recover.
Let’s put things into practice. For the scowl exercise, making a scowl and then returning to a resting face position is one repetition. Scowling for 40 repetitions constitutes a set, after which you rest 10 minutes.
Perform another two sets of scowls for three total sets, resting 10 minutes after each set. Repeat this process for the raised forehead motions. All in all, you should have performed 120 total repetitions per exercise.
If you are about to make a public appearance and want to look your best with Botox, then make sure you still have a couple of days to spare.
The Bottom Line
If you want to get a relaxing full body massage and Botox injections on the same day, it is best to get the massage first. Getting a massage after Botox puts you at unnecessary risk of bruising, infection, as well as diffusion of Botox to unwanted areas of your face.
You should wait at least seven days before getting a massage, when much of the effects of Botox have set in. After two weeks, it will have completely set in. You can speed up this process by one day if you perform facial exercises immediately after Botox treatment.
This way, you don’t have to wait as long to do the things you want to do like attend a social gathering or get a massage without worrying about if the Botox has set in or not.