Botox & Anti-Wrinkle Injection Aftercare

Please follow these instructions carefully after your treatment. Appropriate aftercare helps protect the injection sites, reduce unnecessary bruising and ensure that any possible side effect or complication is recognised promptly.

Botox is a brand name. Your treatment may use Botox or another authorised botulinum toxin type A product. The advice given by your practitioner and the information supplied with the exact medicine used take priority over this general guide.

Contact the clinic promptly if you experience an unexpected symptom or are unsure whether your recovery is normal.

For a non-urgent concern, or if you are unsure whether something needs attention, you can also call NHS 111 (free, 24/7).

A guide only — everyone responds at their own pace.

Symptoms are usually minor — here's how to stay comfortable while the treatment develops:

For approximately three to four hours after treatment:

Remain upright. These precautions are commonly advised in NHS aftercare guidance following botulinum toxin injections. You may sit, stand, walk gently and continue normal light daily activities.

Do not attempt to move the medicine or smooth out the injection sites. NHS guidance advises avoiding touching, rubbing or massaging injected areas because pressure may affect surrounding tissues.

Gentle walking and normal light activity are generally acceptable. NHS botulinum toxin aftercare guidance advises avoiding strenuous activity for 24 hours. Avoid alcohol for the remainder of the treatment day where possible, particularly if you are prone to bruising. Do not stop or alter prescribed medication, including blood-thinning medication, unless advised by the clinician who prescribed it.

Allow the small injection points to close before applying makeup.

Avoid facials, facial massage, gua sha, microcurrent treatment, radiofrequency, HIFU, microneedling, chemical peels and similar facial procedures until the injection sites have healed and your practitioner confirms that it is appropriate.

Do not perform strenuous exercise for the first 24 hours. This includes:

You may return to activity gradually after this period if you feel well and your practitioner has not advised otherwise.

During the first 24 hours, avoid excessive heat that could worsen redness, swelling or bruising, including:

Do not apply ice directly to your skin. If cooling is recommended, use a clean, wrapped cool pack briefly without applying pressure.

Minor tenderness or a mild headache may occur. If you require pain relief:

Contact Layali Clinic if pain is severe, increasing, persistent or associated with significant swelling, weakness or visual symptoms.

Anti-wrinkle injections work gradually. You may begin to notice a change during the first several days, but the response varies according to:

For authorised cosmetic uses of Botox, improvement is generally noticed within the first week. Effects for forehead, frown and crow's-feet treatment have been demonstrated for around four months, although individual duration varies. Do not judge the result too early. A review is commonly performed at approximately two weeks, unless your practitioner has arranged a different review period based on the product used. Do not arrange an early top-up elsewhere. Too frequent or excessive botulinum toxin treatment may increase muscle weakness and may contribute to antibody formation, which can reduce future effectiveness.

During the first one to two weeks, you may notice:

Do not repeatedly test the muscles throughout the day or assume an early difference requires immediate correction. Contact the clinic if you are concerned, but allow the appropriate settling period before assessing the final cosmetic outcome unless you develop a significant side effect.

Possible temporary effects include:

Drooping eyelid or eyebrow may not appear immediately. In Botox clinical information, the median onset was reported at approximately nine days for eyelid drooping and five days for eyebrow drooping. Difficulty fully closing the eye can expose the surface of the eye and may require assessment and treatment. Do not self-treat eyelid drooping with borrowed or unprescribed eye drops.

Do not massage or manipulate the nose.

Contact Layali Clinic if these effects are significant, worsening or interfering with eating, drinking or speech. Seek urgent medical help if lower-face weakness is accompanied by generalised weakness, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech or breathing difficulty.

NHS guidance for botulinum toxin used in jaw-muscle treatment advises avoiding hard or chewy food for the first 24 hours.

The functional effect may be noticed before a visible reduction in jaw width. Changes in facial contour take longer to assess than muscle relaxation.

Improvement in underarm sweating is generally noticed during the first week. For authorised Botox treatment, the average effect after the first treatment is reported to last approximately four to seven months, although this varies. Possible effects can include increased sweating elsewhere, abnormal skin odour, itching, temporary hair loss, arm discomfort and localised muscle weakness.

Small bruises can occur and may become more visible the day after treatment. To reduce irritation:

Contact Layali Clinic if bruising is rapidly spreading, associated with significant swelling or accompanied by severe pain.

Infection is uncommon but can occur after any injection. Contact promptly if you develop:

Do not squeeze the area, apply leftover antibiotics or attempt to drain an injection site yourself.

Botulinum toxin temporarily weakens muscles. Occasionally, a nearby muscle may be affected or the response may differ between sides. Possible changes:

Contact Layali Clinic so the area can be properly assessed. Do not seek immediate corrective injections from another provider before your original treatment has been reviewed. Some effects cannot be instantly reversed and may need to improve gradually as the medicine wears off.

Do not drive if you experience:

Arrange alternative transport and seek clinical advice.

Flying does not normally require a prolonged restriction solely because botulinum toxin has been administered. However:

Attend your planned review appointment where offered. The review may include:

Do not arrange a top-up before the medicine has had appropriate time to take effect. Additional treatment should only be provided following assessment and should not be automatic. Contact the clinic earlier if you experience a side effect or complication. Do not wait for a routine review when you have swallowing, breathing, speech, eye or significant muscle-weakness symptoms.

Contact the clinic if:

• You are concerned about your recovery
• You develop significant asymmetry
• An eyelid or eyebrow droops
• You cannot close an eye properly
• You experience persistent dry eye or visual disturbance
• Your smile or lower-lip movement changes significantly
• You have difficulty chewing
• You develop neck weakness
• You experience swallowing or voice changes
• An injection site becomes increasingly painful, hot or red
• Your symptoms worsen instead of settling
• You experience no meaningful treatment response after the expected review period