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Botox Injections: Pre-Treatment Instruction

Cosmetic patients are very unhappy when bruising results as a complication of botulinum toxin injections. The following can decrease the incidence of bruising:

Green Tea; avoid drinking green tea for 10 days before your injection.
Discontinue aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. brufen, Ibuprofen, Voltarol) for ten days prior to treatment.Paracetamol is permitted.
Avoid Vitamin E supplements for two (2) days prior to treatment. Regular multivitamins are permitted.
Avoid alcoholic beverages for 24 hours prior to treatment.
Remove all facial makeup in any area that you may wish to have treated upon arrival to the office.
Some patients claim taking 2 paracetamol 1 hour before Botox treatment lessens the discomfort of the injection.
Ice packs can be placed on the area to be injected just prior to injection. This may help decrease the pain of injection (which is minimal) and decrease the incidence of bruising.

Botox Injections: Post-Treatment Instruction

Because there is no sedative or anaesthetic used, you can return to normal activities immediately after the procedure. It is possible that you may experience a mild headache after the procedure. You may take paracetamol if this should occur.

For the first 4 hours after the injection you must:

Keep your head up
Not stoop over or strain
Not massage or manipulate the treated area; though you can apply light makeup after 30 minutes
Not take any naps or sleep in a reclining position
Exercise the remaining facial muscles by frowning or smiling frequently
Not take aminogycoside antibiotics (e.g. gentamicin, tobramycin, netilmicin and amikacin)
[Beware!! massaging or touching the injection sites and leaning forward or backwards can cause the injected Botox to spread and may result in a droopy eyelid or other unwanted facial weakness!!]

After 4 hours you can:

bathe/shower normally
apply make-up

The next morning you may:

resume your normal schedule of exercise and activity