We’ve recently received a number of questions about Botox bruising. Specifically, “How likely am I to bruise after receiving Botox?” and “How bad will the bruises be?”

The reality is every patient is different (and sometimes, the same patient can react differently each time. I’ve personally both bruised and not bruised after receiving Botox from the exact same doctor on many occasions!).

The good news is, almost all bruising is minimal, clears up in a couple days, and can usually be easily masked with concealer. Plus, there are a number of ways to reduce the chances you’ll bruise, as well as minimize the duration of bruising should it occur.

Botox Bruising Prevention:

1. ) Avoid medications that cause blood thinning

Botox bruising (and bruising in general) is often made worse when a patient is on medications or supplements that cause the blood to thin, like Aspirin and Ibuprofen. Because of this, you should avoid taking such medications the days leading up to your procedure if possible. However, there are also of course doctor-prescribed medications that one needs to take daily that may thin the blood (like certain steroids and antidepressants). Keep taking these daily if this is the case.

If you are on prescpription blood thinners, we advise contacting your Botox/Derma Filler provider before your appointment, as they may recommend lowering your dosage in the days leading up to treatment.

2.) Take Arnica

Arnica is a fantastic supplement for bruising prevention. We recommend taking Arnica seven days before your Botox session and for at least several days after. Arnica can be found in almost any drug store.

3.) Ice the area after treatment

It can be tempting to go on with your day as usual, but icing the treated area for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for several hours post-procedure can do wonders for preventing bruises.

4.) Avoid alcohol the day before, of, and after treatment

Alcohol thins the blood — which means it makes it more likely that you’ll experience Botox bruising. Avoiding alcohol the day before, the day of, and the day after Botox can definitely help reduce the likelihood bruising will occur.

5.) Avoid vigorous exercise for a couple days

Hitting the gym after Botox will definitely increase your chances of bruising, as it pumps blood to the micro-injured treatment sites. We recommend avoiding the gym the day of treatment and even the following day if you’re prone to bruising.

Again, Botox bruising clears up within 2-3 days for the vast majority of patients and is generally considered a minor post-procedure side effect. But if it bothers you, consider any or all of the above tips — and don’t hesitate to call or text us with questions!