can steam bath and sauna damage the effects of botox?

Botox won't be effected by a hot steam bath or sauna. I think the logic behind it is that Botox is supposed to be refrigerated until used, and therefore if it gets hot, it won't work. Well once Botox is injected, it becomes body temperature or 98.6 degrees, and yet it works just fine. Don't worry about a sauna, steam bath, or hot tub, it won't effect your Botox.

Andrew C. Campbell, M.D.

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

Injection points can become more inflamed and swelling/bruising may also worsen if you take a steam bath or enter a sauna right after your treatment. This would delay your recovery. However, the actual Botox does not get "damaged".

There is no medical evidence of which I am aware that has proven that Botox's effect is affected by exogenous heat once it is in the body.  Botox should not be subjected to heat prior to mixing it, but once it's diluted and injected into your skin, your body maintains its temperature well enough and the Botox becomes incorporated in its tissues so that it is doubtful heat would damage it then.

There are many "recommendations" after Botox, but not of them really make sense.  Except for the time immediately after injection, my feeling is that none of the recommendations really matter.  After the first couple of hours, you can likely do whatever you want and it will not affect the Botox once it is absorbed by the receptors in the body.  Immediately after injection, just leave the areas alone and let the Botox absorb.  Anything that increases blood flow such as dilating the vessels (hot steam bath) or mechanical (rubbing the areas) may increase the diffusion.  But is it really that big of a deal to refrain from having a steam bath for the first couple of hours after a Botox injection?

 

Good Luck.

There are some standard post care instructions after Botox injections. They include no heavy excersice for 24 hours, mostly becuase you do not want to have a flushed face. By dialating those vessels you can potentially flush the product away from the muscles in your face and into other areas of your body. That is the only reason you may want to avoid a sauna/ steam bath the day of your injections.

Not sure why your dermatologists said that steam baths can ruin the effects of Botox. They may have suggested you not have a sauna or steam bath immediately after getting injected, which would dilate your blood vessels and possibly cause migration of the product.  For the same reason, I ask my patients not to exercise immediately after injection.

No, a steam bath or sauna will not effect yoru Botox.  I do however, recommend against steam bath or sauna for 24 hours after injection because of irritation and sensitivity at the injection sites. You have had multiple small needle sticks in order to get the Botox into your muscle that can be irritated with heat and steam.  From the other responses, you can see that many of these old myths are not based in fact - you can put your head down, you can fly on a plane, you can go to the gym, you can get a facial, etc, etc.

Hi hearty-

I know of no problems with steam baths or a sauna  causing a problem with the effectiveness of Botox.

Sincerely,

Tom Kaniff

Hearty

Sauna or Steaming will not affect your treatment.  Sometimes doctors give advice that is off the cuff and not always based on science.  There are looking to be conservative and telling someone not to do something represents conservative advice.  Because your skin has been poked by needles, we generally advise people not to engage in strenuous activity for 24 hours.  I have had a couple of patients who definitely made post-procedure bruising much worse by being too active immediately after a treatment.  I also advise waiting a few hours before reapplying make up.

Heat from the steam baths/ sauna will make the injections sites slightly red or inflamed the day of the shots but nothing the following day or later and won't affect the results of the botox or Dysport.  If you had the botox shots a few days previous then you have no worries.