Lying Down Directly After Botox, Is This Not Recommended?

Although there is no scientific research that speaks to post-Botox instructions that discourage strenuous exercise, massaging, or lying down for a short time after treatment, our theory is that, if it could only help - why not?  Anything is possible, and the recommendation (it's just that - a recommendation) is not difficult to follow. 

Whether or not the patient follows these recommendations is an individual choice.  However, if we are able to make suggestions to help maximize the financial investment of the treatment and maintain good outcomes, then it seems like a very small inconvenience.

Thank you for sharing your concerns. The bumps are definitely not from lying down. You should follow up with your doctor if they do not resolve. Good luck.

Thank you for your question. I typically focus my aftercare on restricting activities that make you hot, sweaty or flushed: Examples include strenuous activities, alcohol, saunas, hot baths, etc… This will increase your chance of bruising. If no bruising, by the next day, the you should be good to go. If there is, then I recommend another day to make sure the bruise is not getting worse. I am not as worried about the not laying down after four hours.

There have been no studies that investigated the positional changes after Botox and studied the number of hours after which it is safe to do normal activity. This has been a theoretically-based recommendation to minimize the chance of the Botox moving to the adjacent area and affecting muscles that shouldn't be treated.  We recommend not to lie down flat (on the back or stomach) or to bend over at the waist for four hours after Botox, but again, this has not been proven to be a problem if those restrictions were not followed by the patient. Possibly the bumps might be more noticable because you increased the blood pressure in the head when lying down but this should go away quickly.

While our practice doesn't recommend lying down directly after a Botox treatment for about four hours (just in case), there isn't any comprehensive information on this subject.  Someone from my office has a story, however. A patient from another practice decided to get a massage immediately after she got her Botox treatment.  She placed her head face-down on the head rest, which applied pressure to the forehead for about an hour.  As a result, her Botox was not evenly distributed and she returned a week later for a touch-up.