If you’re about to get your first Botox treatment, or are thinking about it, you may be wondering what you can expect before, during and after your appointment. In this article, we’ll explain the basics of getting a Botox treatment.
Before your Botox treatment
About a week before you get Botox injections, you should avoid alcohol and blood thinners. These can cause you to bruise more than if you don’t have them in your system. However, if you need your blood-thinning medications for health reasons, be sure to discuss them with your doctor before deciding not to take them.
Always bring a list of allergies or medications you are taking to your Botox appointment. It is important for the doctor to be able to rule out any contraindications before your treatment. Sometimes things may seem harmless, or unrelated to getting Botox. But they can impact other medical treatments in a big way - and Botox is a medical treatment. So just to be safe, always be transparent about your health history during a Botox appointment.
Botox does not usually require anaesthetic of any kind, since it is a quick, in-and-out procedure using thin, small needles. However, when a lot of Botox is being used in a large area, such as for migraines or sweating, it’s possible a doctor may recommend some sort of numbing solution. Your doctor will let you know if this is necessary before performing the injections.
Before injecting you with Botox, your doctor will ask what you’re trying to achieve. They will use this information to determine how strong of a dose to give you.
During your Botox treatment
Botox injections are usually performed by a trained medical professional, such as a doctor or nurse, in a medical office or clinic. If you are being treated by a non-physician or nurse, run the other way, fast!
The procedure typically takes only a few minutes. It involves the use of a fine needle to inject small amounts of botulinum toxin into the targeted muscles.
How thin are the needles? Doctors typically use insulin needles to inject Botox. If you are afraid of needles, you probably won’t feel a lot of pain from these types of injections.
Botox is a powder that needs to be mixed with saline before being injected into you. The doctor will prepare the mixture in the room while you are present, so it is fresh.
The doctor will ask you to make certain facial expressions so they can see where your target injection sites are. For example, they may ask you to make an ‘angry’ face, or to look up, or to smile or squint your eyes.
The number of injections needed will depend on the size and location of the area being treated and the desired outcome.
Depending on whether you are a male or female, the doctor will also consider your facial anatomy to decide where to inject the Botox. For example, males typically have more muscle in the forehead, which makes their dosing different than for females in that area.
After your Botox treatment
Following the procedure, you should avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas for at least 24 hours to help prevent the toxin from spreading to other areas.
You should be able to resume normal activities immediately after the procedure.
It is important to continue to avoid alcohol or blood thinners for about a week after the appointment, to avoid bruising. But again, only if your doctor gives you the clear for other important medications you are taking.
When does Botox start working?
Botox begins to show its effects about 3 to 6 days after the injection procedure. The results last about 3 to 4 months. However, this always depends on the area that was treated, and for what reason.
You should be ready to schedule your top-up Botox treatment about 3 or 4 months after your session.
Getting Botox is a breeze!
As seen above, Botox is a fairly simple procedure. However, it is still a medical one. Before your procedure, take necessary precautions to avoid bruising and side effects. For example, avoid blood thinners and tell your doctor about your health history. The procedure itself will go very quickly. The doctor will determine your injection points and dosage needed. Then they will inject Botox in small amounts with a thin needle. Afterwards, you can go back to your normal activities right away. The results will begin to show in about a week, and will last three or four months.
