How to Prepare for a Botox Treatment
When using Botox for cosmetic purposes, the procedure is a minor one. However, there are some side effects and additional information you should be aware of. As with any medical procedure, you should do your due diligence to research Botox injections and determine whether the treatment is right for you. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Find a reputable medical practitioner to perform your Botox treatment. Botox injections are available from a number of shady sources, but because it is a medical procedure you only want to go to a license medical professional to have it done.
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Determine how you want to pay for your Botox injections and be prepared to pay at the time of the procedure. Because Botox is a cosmetic procedure, your insurance will not cover the costs. Most doctors expect payment when service is rendered.
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Talk to the doctor you choose for your procedure about possible complications or side effects. Botox injections are not associated with long-term side effects, but there may be some temporary ones like nausea, headache, eyelid droop and tenderness at the injection site. You should be completely informed about anything that can go wrong.
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Talk to your doctor about post-procedure activities you should avoid and ways to reduce side effects before the procedure. Applying an ice pack to your injection sites usually helps prevent bruising and swelling. You should avoid strenuous exercise for a day and the area where you received the Botox should not be massaged. Many practitioners also advise not lying down for 3 to 4 hours after the injection.
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Apply an ice pack to your forehead for several minutes immediately before the injection to prepare for the procedure. The ice pack helps reduce the pain of the injection and swelling afterwards.
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Ask the doctor to apply a local numbing agent to prepare the injection sites if you know that you have a low tolerance to pain from injections. This is usually unnecessary, as the injections are no more painful than an insect bite.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are returning to work immediately after your Botox treatment, bring some concealing makeup with you to the procedure. There may be some redness or bruising around the injection sites that you'll want to camouflage.
Some frequent Botox users report that taking an over-the-counter ibuprofen to prepare for the procedure reduces swelling and pain from the injections.
Getting Botox injections from anyone other than a licensed professional can expose you to severe complications. You have no way of knowing whether the Botox you are receiving is properly formulated and safe for cosmetic use or that the equipment used is sterile. Don't try to save money at the expense of your health.
