Getting Botox and fillers can be as simple as booking a date in the calendar. But the truth is: when planning for an injectables appointment, there are a range of things to consider, for the sake of your personal well-being, your safety, and (obviously) the best aesthetic results.
Prior to stepping into a doctor’s office—and even before scheduling an appointment—consider these specific and helpful tips from board-certified dermatologists who administer Botox and fillers as part of their everyday jobs.
Be sure to keep these important points of advice in mind, so you can feel your best, look your best, and carry on with your life. From your social life to exercise and everything in between, here’s what to do—and what not to do—before receiving any injectable.
Vet your vitamins and inspect your supplements
“Take a look at your vitamins. If your multivitamin contains vitamin E, you should hold off on taking it until after your procedure,” says Dr. Debra Jaliman, a New York City dermatologist. “Many people aren’t aware of the supplements, such as fish oil, ginseng, ginkgo biloba, and a few others, that thin your blood.”
Booze = bruise
Avoid planning your best friend’s birthday rager for the night before your injection appointment,” says New York dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross. “Get a good night’s rest. Drinking alcohol before your appointment increases the likelihood of bruising.” Alcohol dilates blood vessels, causing them to expand and flow closer to the surface of the skin and be more susceptible to injury.
Cancel your exercise classes
“Don’t schedule yoga, Pilates, a long run, or a personal training session for the day before or after your filler or neuromodulator—Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, or Jeuveau— to prevent bruising, migration, or shorter or decreased results,” says Houston dermatologic surgeon Dr. Suneel Chilukuri.
Pose for a picture or make a video
Take a ‘before’ selfie of yourself at baseline—scowling, raising your brows and smiling—beforehand so you can really appreciate your results when the Botox kicks in,” says Dr. Susan Bard, a dermatologist in Brooklyn, New York.
“Sometimes we forget the degree of wrinkling or even asymmetry we had before, and it’s great to have a comparison point,” says Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali, a dermatologist who practices in New York City and Miami. “I have all my patients take pics on their phones before the procedure so they remember what they looked like before the injections. Videos are even better. Doctor’s orders!”
Related: The Dos and Don’ts of Tipping for Aesthetic Treatments
Keep it natural, kind of
“Go into your appointment with the mind-set that less is more, when it comes to Botox injections,” says New York dermatologist Dr. Arash Akhavan. “It is better to have a few lines but still maintain some normal facial expressions than to be completely smooth but have a frozen, artificial-looking face. In my opinion, when Botox is overdone, it actually makes the patient look not only odd but much older as well.”
Know your goals, but don’t be bossy
“While it is very helpful to know what you want the doctor to change or accomplish for you, don’t tell them how to do it!” says Dr. Neal Schultz, a dermatologist in New York City. “So many patients come in and say, ‘I want Restylane for my lines,’ when it may not be the correct filler for what they want accomplished—or they point to lines in their cheeks and ask for Botox when only fillers will work. Know your goals, but let the doctor figure out how to get you there. This is not the place for micromanagement.”
Ice, ice, baby
“Immediately before your procedure, you should ice for a few minutes—and again afterward, as this will reduce bruising,” by helping the blood vessels constrict, says New York dermatologist Dr. Ariel Ostad. “Icing isn’t just for after the procedure.”
