Is It Okay to Take Acetaminophen 24 Hours After Botox?

Acetaminophen does not interfere with the activity of Botox or Dysport, nor does it contribute to more bruising. Tylenol, the brand name of acetaminophen, is safe to take after or before Botox. If there is any pain in the area of treatment, you should let your doctor know.

Acetaminophen does not "thin the blood."  For this reason it is often recommended after surgical procedures and safely incorporated into narcotic preparations.  This is in marked contrast to products like aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) products like Advil.  For this reason patients are often counseled to avoid aspirin and NSAIDs after BOTOX and filler services because of concerns that these products will inhibit platelet function.  Inhibiting platelet aggregation increases the risk of bruising.  Acetaminophen is not associated with platelet inhibition at the dosages used in clinical practice.  So I can not understand the information posted by Dr. Ruecki-it is not accurate.  What is true that any drug in sufficiently high doses can be toxic.  This is generally true of every drug.  In the case of Acetominophen poisoning , the liver can be damaged and this will have an adverse impact on the coagulation pathways.  If you follow the recommendations found on the bottle of Acetaminophen, these dosages are safe and are not associated with "thinning the blood."  I tell my patients that they may safely use Acetaminophen after a procedure including a BOTOX treatment.

Thank you for your question sasha33. I understand your concern. Botox is a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with facial expression. When injected into the skin Botox will relax the muscles and smoothen out the overlying wrinkles. The most common areas of treatment are in the upper face. These include the horizontal lines seen on the upper forehead when one raises the brows, the vertical lines seen between the brows when one frowns (frown lines), and the crow's feet seen around the eyes when one smiles.It is difficult to make an assessment without a formal exam where the entire medical history is reviewed. However, I hope the information provided here is useful.The safety record of Botox is well established. The product has been used for over 20 years for a variety of treatments with minimal side effects. Botox is amongst the safest treatments for treating facial wrinkles.While Botox is one of the safest treatments offered, there are some situations where it is not appropriate. These include anyone who has an allergy to any of the inactive ingredients or who has had an allergic reaction to any botulinum product including Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, or Myobloc. The safety and efficacy of Botox has not been established in women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breast feeding. Therefore, women in these categories are advised to wait until breast feeding is completed prior to having a Botox treatment. Botox should not be placed in the skin on the site of an infection. Those who are taking an aminoglycoside antibiotic, an anesthetic, D-penicillamine, antimalarials, or immunosuppressants should not be treated, nor should those who have undergone chemotherapy within the previous six months. It is important to avoid blood thinners before and after a treatment. These include both prescription and non-prescription medications such as warfarin (coumadin), aspirin, ibuprofen, alcohol, fish oil, vitamin E, and ginko biloba. Those with conditions that affect muscles and nerves such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome should not undergo Botox treatments.With any injection, there are risks such as pain, bleeding, bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, and infection. We take special precautions to minimize these risks such as using a painless technique. We also treat bruises with a laser as early as the next day. Bruises usually resolve within two weeks if untreated. After a laser treatment bruises usually resolve in 1-3 days, but may still take two weeks for full resolution. In addition to these risks, with Botox there is also a risk that the product spreads or diffuses to nearby structures. Spread to nearby muscles can lead to side effects such as the temporary appearance of droopy eyelids or a temporary asymmetric smile.
After a Botox treatment, I recommend that my patients avoid heat exposure, alcohol consumption, and strenuous exercise for 24 hours and not lie down flat for four hours. This is because all of these activities may possibly lead to the movement of the product and consequent side effects such as droopy eyelids. Although there have been no definitive studies shown that these actually occur and some physicians do not provide such aftercare instructions, in the absence of data I err on the side of caution and recommend that my patients avoid such activities.
For discomfort, I recommend that my patients avoid medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen sine they thin the blood and increase the risk for bruising. Tylenol, or acetaminophen, does not carry this risk and is safe. If I had a patient with the concern described here I would say that it is safe to take acetaminophen 24 hours after a Botox treatment.
Please consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!