Few aesthetic procedures are as successful as Botox® Cosmetic, the lunchtime injectable that relaxes active lines and wrinkles caused by expression muscles that lose the ability to relax fully.
A powerful medication originally developed to treat eye disorders by isolating a natural neuromodulator, Botox temporarily blocks the chemical process that causes muscles to contract. Your best results come from a provider with a complete understanding of anatomy.
The team at Rinnova Skin & Body, led by Dr. Todd Becker, has the expertise to get the naturally blended results you expect from your Botox procedure. As a unique treatment in the aesthetics field, Botox also requires certain considerations on your part.
The normally positive vigorous blood flow that follows an exercise session can affect your Botox application by causing the medication to migrate away from its injection point. Fortunately, that’s a temporary vulnerability.
In the 24 hours following your Botox injection, avoid strenuous workouts, exercise, job tasks, or other activities that could boost heart rate and blood flow or increase facial pressure.
Migration of Botox could cause unexpected activity, such as drooping or weakness in your face, as the neuromodulation affects unintended muscles. These effects are temporary, but Botox treatments can last 3-6 months; you could be stuck with the migration effects for that long.
A heavy workout can also aggravate bruising and swelling around the injection site. Workout gear like bicycle helmets or tight-fitting swimming caps can increase facial pressure, as can wiping away sweat.
While Botox has been heavily researched, the effects of exercise around treatments haven’t received extensive scrutiny. The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends only a two-hour wait before strenuous activity.
However, we and other medical aesthetics professionals recommend 24 hours for its increased safety buffer, since the potential effects of Botox migration are potentially long-lasting.
There’s also no conclusive word on whether regular exercise causes the effects of a Botox treatment to wear off more quickly. A small study with 60 women in 2023 indicated it’s possible with higher-intensity exercise. The precise cause of this effect wasn’t pinpointed.
The effects of Botox vary widely between individuals, so it’s normal to expect your patterns may be influenced as much by your biology as your lifestyle.
Given the many positive anti-aging effects of regular exercise, we don’t recommend altering your workout schedule for Botox, apart from the 24-hour break after a Botox session.
Learn more about what Botox can do for you by visiting Rinnova Skin & Body in Boulder, Colorado. Call or click to book your appointment today.
