Treatment Instructions

Treatment Instructions

General Pre-Treatment Information

Hydration is important so drink plenty of water prior to your treatment. Generally speaking, bruising is seldom a major problem after a treatment; however the chance of bruising can be reduced by minimizing your consumption of ASA (Aspirin), non steroidal anti-inflammatories (ie. Ibuprofen Advil / Motrin), alcohol and Vitamin E for 7 days before your treatment. Please wear no makeup, or makeup that is easy to remove, so that the area to be treated can be clearly seen and cleansed.

You may wish to consider having the whole day “off” for your treatment. While it is possible to return to normal activities within a very short time after the treatment, you may wish to delay “full” activities until the next day. If you require a Physicians note to validate your absence for medical reasons, one can be provided to you. Be sure to carefully read the appropriate consent form before any treatment.

Options to Minimize Discomfort

Discomfort with all our treatments is very minimal. Below is some information as to steps that you may wish to consider to reduce discomfort, but most patients find the discomfort so little that they do not take any special measures.

You may wish to take a regular dose (325 to 1000 mg – depending on your size) of plain Tylenol, 1 –2 hours before your treatment. This will generally make you more comfortable during the procedure. You may also wish to consider the use of topical anesthetic cream such as Maxelene or EMLA. These creams are available over the counter in most drug stores and provide excellent topical pain control. In our opinion Maxelene is superior to EMLA.

For Maxelene or EMLA to be effective, it is best put directly on the area where your treatment will be at least 45 minutes before you arrive at the clinic. For Maxelene, you simply apply it to any area that you may wish to have treated, however for EMLA the effectiveness can be further improved if you cover it with a clear plastic wrap such as Saran wrap. Please check / consult with your preferred pharmacy / pharmacist regarding these over the counter creams.

General Post-Treatment Information

Avoid touching the treated area for six hours. After that, light makeup can be applied and the area can be gently washed with soap and water.

Do not expose the treated area to intense heat (e.g. solarium and sunbathing) or extreme cold for at least two weeks.

Immediately after the treatment, there may be slight redness, swelling, tenderness and an itching sensation in the treated area. This is a normal result of the injection. The is usually temporary and generally disappears in less than 6 hours after injection into the skin and less than 1-2 days after injection into the lips. Occasionally the initial swelling after lip treatment may last longer. Occasionally some patients experience swelling for about a week and the lips can look somewhat uneven during this time. This means that the result immediately after the treatment should not be considered as the final result. If you have previously suffered from facial cold sores, there is a risk that the needle punctures could contribute to another eruption of cold sores. If you are using aspirin or any similar medication, be aware that these may increase the bruising and bleeding at the injection site. Cold compresses or ice pack can also be used to reduce any swelling, itching or discomfort.

Other types of reactions are very rare, but occasionally some patients have experienced other reactions. Please be sure to review the consent form for further details.

These esthetic products are temporary and the duration of the effect can vary from patient to patient. You may wish to consider additional treatments before the effect has completely dissipated.

Options to Minimize Discomfort

You may wish to take a regular dose (325 to 1000 mg – depending on your size) of plain Tylenol every 4-6 hours after your treatment for a day or so. This will generally make you more comfortable. It is also a good idea to apply ice to the treated area for 20 minutes every 4 – 6 hours for the first 12 –24 hours after your treatment.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.

Additional Post Treatment Instructions for Botox® / Dysport®

To ensure the best possible uptake of Botox® / Dysport® by the treated muscles, we encourage you to exercise the treated muscles using normal facial movements during the first 4 hours after your Botox® / Dysport® treatment.


For example, so that your Botox® / Dysport® will work to maximum advantage:


  1. Frown to exercise the muscles above and between the eyebrows which cause the frown lines.
  2. Raise the eyebrows to exercise the muscles which cause forehead wrinkles.
  3. Squint and smile to exercise the muscles which cause crow's feet.


It is also important for you to avoid rubbing or pressing on the injected areas for 4 hours to avoid spreading the Botox® / Dysport® out of the treated muscles and into non-targeted muscles. We also recommend that you do not lie down for 4 hours after the injection to reduce the chance that you will accidentally move Botox® / Dysport® to an area where you do not want it.


After Botox® / Dysport® is placed into the targeted muscles, the weakening effect gradually begins over 1 – 5 days, and may not be complete for 2 weeks. Therefore, optimal results may not be seen until 2 weeks, and sometimes longer.


If your Botox® / Dysport® was moved out of the muscles it is injected into, there might be less effect on those muscles, and unwanted temporary relaxation of nearby facial muscles, which could be a nuisance for a week or two. In rare cases, this unwanted relaxation of muscles could cause temporary drooping of an eyelid or slight asymmetry of facial expression. Because the effects of Botox® / Dysport® are reversible, these rare side effects are usually temporary, and resolve after a few weeks.


After four hours, there are no restrictions at all.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.

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