Unclear about Botox aftercare (hot showers, bending over & fasting)?

Protocols will vary by provider. It should be fine for you to take your shower as usual and you can certainly bend over to tie your shoe. We do recommend that you avoid exercise until the day after your treatment. The intermittent fasting is fine for you to continue before, during, and after your treatment. to minimize risk of bruising we advise our patients to avoid aspirin, NSAIDs, Vitamin E and Fish Oil supplements prior to treatment. I encourage you to discuss your concerns with your injector.

Hello, and thank you for your question. While Botox requires little to no downtime, there are things you should observe to ensure optimal results. It should be your goal to let the product settle, as well as to minimize the risk of bruising or for Botox to migrate to other areas of the face. General recommendations typically include gently exercising your face, maintaining a normal heart rate (wait 24 hours before exercising or doing strenuous activities), and avoiding touching, rubbing, or applying physical pressure on the treatment areas. Avoid lying down for the first 4 hours after getting Botox, since this could cause the neuromodulator to migrate to other areas of the face. Showering with warm water is okay, but don't go into any saunas or hot tubs for at least 4 hours. I highly recommend only seeking treatments from a reputable experienced injector. Such experts will not only know how much product to use and where to precisely inject it to achieve the most natural-looking results, but they will provide you with specific after-care instructions appropriate to your unique case and help you achieve the best possible outcome.

The goal of Botox aftercare is to encourage optimal treatment results. It can also minimize the risk of bruising and spreading to other areas.

Generally, on the day you get Botox, it’s a good idea to:

gently exercise your face
relax for the rest of the day
maintain a normal heart rate
avoid touching, rubbing, or physical pressure on the affected area
leave the treated area alone
You can also follow the best practices for Botox aftercare below.

Return to your normal activities
Botox injections don’t require any recovery time. Therefore, you won’t have to take off work or school. You can resume your usual activities right after.

Wait 24 hours to exercise
If exercise is part of your daily routine, wait at least 24 hours to work out. Your doctor might suggest waiting for several days.

Physical activity increases blood flow. This could potentially spread the toxin to unintended areas and reduce its effectiveness at the injection site. It also increases the risk of bruising.

Exercise also contracts your muscles, which may decrease the toxin’s effectiveness.

However, it’s safe to do facial exercises like:

frowning
smiling
raising your eyebrows
These movements can help the effects of Botox show up sooner.

Go makeup-free
If you received a Botox injection in your face, take a break from makeup for 24 hours. Applying makeup will rub the skin, potentially dispersing the toxin.

Each physician may have their own instructions for aftercare following a Botox treatment. In my opinion, it would not be a problem to take a hot shower, fast, or bend over to tie your shoes after Botox. The particular physician treating you may feel differently, so I would check with the office that you would be going to.

Hi,

Post treatment for botox includes not laying flat or performing any vigorous exercise for 2 hours after. Also you do not want to massage the treated area for 2 hours. Hot showers, bending over and fasting is ok.

Every surgeon has their own post Botox instructions. While I do agree reframing from working out till the following day, I do not restrict any diet or shower temperatures. I have not seen any issues with leaning over post injection so I stopped including this in my instructions.
Best wishes.
Dr. Taranow

All of the instructions that you have heard doctors use after Botox treatment have been nothing more than a technique used in excusing the doctor from a poor result. I have been using Botox and similar products for nearly 30 years and I allow my patients to resume normal activity 15 minutes after the treatment with Botox. The patient should be able to go to the gym, take a nap, Take hot showers or do yoga almost immediately after a Botox treatment. I hope this helps and good luck from New York City plastic surgery

Hello, and thanks for your question. You can continue intermittent fasting, you can shower with warm water, and you can bend over for a few seconds- just don't exercise for a long period of time because you don't want to increase blood flow to your head as it could produce less effective results. Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon for your consultation. Best of luck to you!
Sincerely, James Fernau, MD FACS Aesthetic Surgery Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery Certified, American Board of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery Member: American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS) American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) American Academy of Facial Plastic Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery (AAOHNS) American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) The Rhinoplasty Society

Hello and thank you for your question. What you describe would not be a problem after botox - the key things to avoid are massaging and rubbing the area and very strenuous exercise that could cause flushing of the toxin from where it has been injected. I hope that helps answer your question. Always seek an experienced and qualified medical professional for these treatments. Very best wishes

There are only two precautions after receiving Botox. The first is to do nothing vigorous for 3-4 hours to reduce even more the small chance of bruising. The second is to avoid rubbing toward the eye when the Botox has been injected near the eye, especially above the eyebrow, to prevent the Botox from being moved toward the muscle in the eye that elevates the lid thus causing eyelid droop. None of the other things you see on the internet or hear from others have any base in reality.