When it comes to addressing indications of aging, patients frequently express concern about fine lines and wrinkles. The rate of new collagen formation slows down and old collagen gradually disappears as we age. Because collagen, the protein that gives our skin structure, is lost over time, lax skin, fine lines, and wrinkles result. Deep creases on the forehead, glabella (“the elevens”), and around the eyes (crow’s feet) develop over time as a result of repeated muscle contractions and collagen deterioration. Dynamic wrinkles are the name given to these lines. Thankfully, a non-invasive, non-surgical injectable procedure called Botox can reduce and even get rid of dynamic wrinkles.
Because of its secure and efficient anti-aging effects, Botox, also known as botulinum toxin, is the most widely used cosmetic procedure in dermatology in the United States. As many patients plan their Botox visits during their lunch hour, they are quick and efficient with little to no downtime. Patients can resume their regular daily activities including working and running errands following Botox injections, unlike those who have undergone cosmetic surgery. There are, however, a very small number of post-treatment guidelines that must be observed, such as avoiding vigorous exercise for 24 hours after Botox treatments.
It’s crucial to avoid activity for 24 hours after receiving Botox, Dysport, or any other neuromodulator treatment, such as Xeomin or Jeuveau, and to stay upright for at least four hours. This prohibits any rigorous exercise, such as weightlifting, swimming, yoga with inversions, or pilates. Dr. Roel Galope from Lasting Impressions Medical Spa in Fair Lawn, New Jersey will meticulously craft your cosmetic injectable treatment plan and give you all the necessary aftercare instructions during your consultation for Botox treatments.
More About Botox
An injectable drug called Botox® Cosmetic is frequently used to treat and prevent aging symptoms like wrinkles and fine lines. The popularity of this cosmetic procedure has exploded since the FDA approved it in 2002, making it the most widely used non-invasive cosmetic injectable in the country. Botulinum toxin type A, a neurotoxic created by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, is the source of botox. The pharmaceutical business Allergan manufactures the injectable medicine under the trade name Botox® Cosmetic. Botox is also known by its generic name, onabotulinumtoxinA. Currently, the FDA has given Botox approval to treat moderate to severe forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet, and frown lines. In addition to lip flip, neck lines and non-surgical jaw slimming can also be treated with botox. Aside from blepharospasm and cervical dystonia, other medical disorders for which Botox is indicated now include the signs and symptoms of hyperhidrosis, TMJ, and migraines.
How Does Botox Work?
Botulinum toxin type A, the main ingredient of Botox, is a neurotoxin (a protein) that blocks the neurotransmitters that cause muscles to contract. Botox is a neuromodulator. As a result, the muscle at the injection site is momentarily paralyzed, halting the repetitive muscle motions that cause dynamic wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles are those that develop as a result of recurrent muscular contractions, such as forehead lines, crow’s feet, and frown lines (“the elevens”). Botox smooths down the skin’s surface when administered by a skilled injector.
The effects of Botox take about a week to become noticeable, and about two weeks to become fully apparent. In order to determine whether any touch-ups are required.
Do Facial Exercises Affect Botox?
Some patients may have been advised to perform facial workouts by their dermatologist or injector to enhance the results of Botox. This post-Botox instruction’s applicability is still up for debate today. According to a 2018 Northwestern University study that was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), among the 25 female participants, those who performed facial exercises after receiving Botox injections noticed the benefits of the treatment one day earlier than those who did not. More research is needed to determine whether consistently using the muscles that were injected after Botox will improve the uptake of the neurotoxic molecule into the neuromuscular junction. Generally speaking, individuals who choose not to move their face muscles after receiving Botox still see excellent outcomes from the procedure. It is not required to stop the muscle from moving after receiving Botox, though. Following a Botox injection, you can instantly continue to make typical facial expressions like smiling, frowning, and lifting your eyebrows.
How Soon Can You Exercise After Botox?
It is advised to avoid vigorous exercise for 24 hours after receiving Botox. Your heart rate rises during exercise, which improves blood flow throughout the body. This is not advised for 24 hours after Botox, even though it is often good for your cardiovascular system and overall health and wellness. The injected Botox may spread to nearby locations due to the increased blood flow, which may result in unfavorable side effects like drooping eyebrows and eyelids. Professionals also advise avoiding cardiovascular exercise for four hours, such as treadmill running. Saunas, hot yoga, tanning booths, and hot tubs should also be avoided because heat exposure increases blood flow and is linked to a higher risk of bruising following Botox. You can resume any rigorous activities, including cycling, trekking, jogging, and yoga, once 24 hours have passed.
Why Are You Unable to Workout After Botox?
There are a few reasons why you shouldn’t engage in intense exercise after receiving Botox. First, exercise speeds up circulation by raising heart rate. In addition to causing bruising and swelling, this increased blood flow and blood pressure may also cause the injected Botox to migrate to nearby locations and away from the injection site. This results in the temporary paralysis of the nearby muscles and may have unintended consequences, such drooping eyebrows and eyelids.
Second, one of the most significant after-Botox recommendations is to maintain an upright posture for four hours. This indicates that you should plié like a ballerina when bending over to pick something up off the ground rather than bending over with your back. Additionally, this implies that for four hours after receiving Botox injections, you cannot lie down, so avoid sleeping or visiting the dentist. This prevents unintended Botox migration after treatment. Yoga poses like the downward dog pose, which call for inversions, may cause the Botox to migrate outside of the injected location and harm the surrounding muscles.
The final piece of advice is for patients to refrain from applying pressure to the treated areas for 72 hours following treatment, including giving themselves facial massages. This is also because there’s a chance that the pressure will cause the Botox to spread to the nearby muscles. You might have to wear tight-fitting headgear for some sports, such as swimming and cycling, which puts pressure on common treatment locations like the forehead. Furthermore, when sweating profusely while engaging in vigorous exercise, you might unintentionally press on the injected locations.
After being injected into a facial area, Botox might continue to spread for several hours. Botox may spread into the tiny muscles of the upper eyelid when injected into the forehead, glabella (frown lines), or eyes (crow’s feet). Other neuromodulators like Botox including Dysport and Xeomin have distinct diffusion patterns and can diffuse across a wider area than Botox.
We recommend that patients work out before their Botox appointment. Exercise helps you feel wonderful and reduces the chance of migration and undesirable side effects after getting cosmetic injections. Exercise helps prevent guilt for skipping the gym that day before Botox.
Does Exercising Quicken the Loss of Botox’s Effects?
The effects of Botox injections typically last three to four months. It can, however, last for two to six months. Because Botox is formed of a protein generated from the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which our bodies naturally break down after it is injected into the desired muscle, it is only effective temporarily. Although some dermatologists may give anecdotal information to the contrary, there are presently no published studies that indicate exercising causes Botox effects to fade more quickly. The rationale behind this is that those who exercise have a faster metabolism, which causes the Botox to dissolve more quickly. Once more, there is currently no clinically proven data that claims exercising will hasten the Botox’s deactivation. If Botox does not have a long-lasting impact, it may be genetically predisposed or the treated area did not receive enough Botox injections.
Is It Okay to Weight Lift After a Botox Session?
After receiving Botox, patients should wait 24 hours before engaging in physically demanding activities like weightlifting. Weight lifting causes bruising and edema after any injections since it raises blood pressure and heart rate. The injected Botox may travel to nearby tissues as a result of the increased blood flow, temporarily paralyzing those muscles and raising the possibility of unfavorable side effects including drooping eyebrows and eyelids. Additionally, lying down or bending over is required for weightlifting exercises like deadlifts and bench presses, which is against the post-Botox recommendation to keep your head upright for four hours after the procedure.
Can You Do Cardio Workouts After Botox?
Cardio workouts should be avoided for 24 hours after receiving Botox injections. Cardio is an abbreviation for cardiovascular exercise. Cardio involves activities that increase heart rate in order to strengthen the heart and lungs, as the name implies. Increased circulation following Botox injections may cause bruising, edema, and unintended spread of the Botox into neighboring muscles. In the worst case situation, this can temporarily paralyze undesirable muscles, which might cause your eyes and eyebrows to droop. In order to give Botox time to settle into the places where it was injected, it is advised to avoid cardio for 24 hours after treatment.
Can You Exercise Prior to a Botox Session?
Yes! A few hours before your Botox session, you can work out. It is not required to miss exercising for the entire day if everyday exercise is a necessary component of your health and fitness. To eliminate stress about correctly following the aftercare recommendations, simply schedule your exercise before the Botox appointment.
However, there are a few items you should stay away from before Botox injections. To avoid bruising and swelling, refrain from taking blood thinners such aspirin, Coumadin, and Warfarin for two weeks prior to receiving Botox treatment (be sure to have permission from the prescribing doctor). Avoid taking supplements that contain blood-thinning characteristics, as they can increase the likelihood of bruising and swelling following injections. Examples include fish oil, vitamin E, and ginkgo biloba. Alcohol can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising, so refrain from drinking for at least 24 hours prior to receiving Botox treatment.
How Long Should You Avoid Exercising?
To prevent bruising, swelling, and the dispersion of the Botox into undesirable places, you should wait 24 hours after receiving Botox injections before engaging in any vigorous exercise. Exercise increases blood flow, which can contribute to post-Botox bruising and swelling as well as cause the Botox to migrate from the injection site into the surrounding muscles. In the worst situation, this may result in unsightly eyelid and brow drooping.
After receiving Botox injections, you are still permitted to engage in modest exercise, such as walking, light gardening, and yoga without inversions, provided that you don’t considerably raise your heart rate or bend over. Ask your physician or injector if you have any concerns about what to do following Botox.
Is It Safe to Exercise After 12 Hours?
Waiting 24 hours before starting intense exercises like jogging and weight lifting after Botox is the golden guideline. This provides the Botox enough time to properly take effect and prevents it from spreading to other regions. You can practice gentle yoga, light gardening, and light walking for the first 24 hours following Botox injections as long as you maintain an upright posture for four hours and avoid applying pressure to the injected areas. To prevent worrying about exercising after the Botox session, you can also work out a few hours beforehand.
