9 Things to Know Before Getting BOTOX®


BOTOX® has quickly become a favorite cosmetic approach at temporarily fixing wrinkles and larger brow lines. If you’re considering it but have never done it before you likely have several questions and we have put together the things to know before getting Botox ®. While your cosmetic professional administering injectables can go over all these questions, it is always important to educate yourself before going in.

9 things to know before getting BOTOX ®.

things to know before getting botox

Does Botox® Hurt?

It’s a simple injection that doesn’t go deep into your skin. In many ways, it is less painful than an inoculation shot. Now each person experiences needles and shots a bit differently, but in reality, there isn’t much pain at all involved with this. You will likely have more discomfort plucking your eyebrows than a Botox® injection.

It can be uncomfortable for some to have a needle near their face (which is where most Botox® injections take place), but beyond this initial uncomfortable feeling, it’s a simple needle injection.

How Long Before Botox® Works?

Botox® solution will take about 20 minutes for it to absorb into the muscles. After that, it will begin getting to work right away. However, you will not see the results until, at the earliest, the 3-day mark, although it may take longer than this – most likely, seven to ten days.

What To Do Before Getting Botox®?

One thing to know before getting Botox is you don’t need to do much before getting Botox®. First, you’ll want to eat something in the morning before you go in. There’re no rules about eating or not eating, although for some people needles can make them feel weak and light-headed. You can avoid this by eating something before you go in. Other than this, make sure to exfoliate and wash your face earlier in the day (don’t use anything too harsh, you just want to make sure your skin is clean) and avoid putting on makeup. You need to have a clear and clean face.

How Long Before Botox® Takes Effect?

Botox results are not instant. It takes some time for the solution to kick in. In general, you’ll begin to see results in around 3 to 5 days. In some cases, it can take up to a week to ten days for Botox to fully work, which if you have deep lines in your forehead this isn’t all that bad. It makes it a slower transition which can help reduce the impact on people who see you every day.

Can You Wear Makeup Before or After Botox®?

You can wear makeup before getting Botox, but your provider will clean off the areas where you’ll be injected. It’s very important for the area to be cleaned and prepped with rubbing alcohol to avoid infection. That said, you may want to have some touchup makeup with you, or take advantage of The Skin Center’s Finishing Touch option where they touch it up for you.

You can apply makeup after Botox. However, you do not want to massage the treated area for at least 24 hours. Due to this, it may be better to use powdered makeup that you don’t need to massage and work into the skin. Massaging the muscles may cause problems with the Botox and spread it around into other areas you don’t want it to be in.

Workout Out After Botox®?

It’s best to take the day off. Botox will take about 20 minutes to settle in the muscles, and while you could potentially still hit the gym later in the day, it’s better if you take the day off. However, after a day you are more than welcome to return to your standard workout routine.

Can You Drink After Botox®?

It is best to keep any kind of alcoholic beverage consumption to a minimum in the days after a Botox® or filler injection. Alcohol thins the blood, including the blood flowing through the muscles where you had an injection. This is most likely to potentially cause a complication in the few days after you had Botox®. So while you may be able to have a drink during this time, anything more should be avoided.

After a few days if you want to have more than a single drink it is more than likely alright. However, it is still a good idea for you to ask this question when you go in for the Botox® vs dermal fillers injection. It may depend on the amount of the solution being injected. Also, when considering a Botox® before and after review it is important to not drink before Botox®. Thin blood at the time will cause problems with the muscle’s ability to absorb the filler.

Laying Down After Botox®?

You may have heard a myth floating around the Internet that it can take hours for the Botox® to settle in your muscles and if you lay down too soon it will cause problems with the injections. That’s not the case at all. You’ll want to remain upright for the next 20 to 30 minutes. After that, it doesn’t matter what you do (in certain instances if there is a considerable amount of solution injected your doctor may have you stay vertical for a few more minutes, but it isn’t all that much longer than a half-hour at most).

Will People Notice You Had Botox®?

This is certainly a thing to know when getting Botox ®. Immediately after you will likely have some redness at the injection sites. It’s no different than if you had some extractions performed on those areas. The redness will dull down after a few minutes to hours and the next day your skin will likely not show any signs of an injection. So immediately after it is apparent you had something done. Beyond this, the only thing people will notice is the lack of wrinkles with preventative Botox® use.

Set Up Your Botox® Appointment Today

Getting Botox® is relatively common now and a great solution for how to get rid of wrinkles. Several people do this to improve the way they look and boost their confidence levels. If you’re considering Botox® prior to a big event, such as a wedding or a high school reunion, it is a good idea to test Botox® out well in advance, just to make sure there are no side effects (which are uncommon, but it’s still best to test it out just in case). If you want to learn more, or are ready to schedule a Botox® session, now is the perfect time to give The Skin Center a call.

We hope this answered your questions on things to know before getting Botox ®.