# After the treatment: *what to do, what to avoid.*

> Aftercare after Botox and hyaluronic acid: the first hours, sport, sauna, make-up, sleeping, alcohol – and which signs are worth a call to the practice.

- Source: https://www.vivaderm.de/guide-aftercare-en.html
- Language: en
- Publisher: VIVA DERM, Privatpraxis für ästhetische Medizin, Rosastraße 6a, 45130 Essen, Germany, +49 1520 8367711
- Responsible physician: Katayoun Mostaghimi (Fachärztin für Allgemeinmedizin)
- Updated: 2026-10-05

The treatment takes minutes – the aftercare helps decide the result. The most important rules for the first hours and days, sorted by procedure.

## The rules in brief.

**After botulinum toxin – the first 4 hours:** stay upright, don't lie down, don't rub or massage the treated area, no tight hat or headband. The substance should stay where it was placed. Moving your facial muscles is fine.

**After botulinum toxin – the first 24 hours:** no intensive sport, sauna, tanning bed, facials or massages. Alcohol and blood-thinning painkillers (aspirin, ibuprofen) increase the risk of small bruises; paracetamol is fine if needed.

**After hyaluronic acid – the first 24–48 hours:** cooling helps against swelling (no ice directly on the skin). No sport, sauna, heat or pressure on the area; sleep on your back if possible. Make-up only after 24 hours, once the injection points have closed. Dental appointments are better avoided in the first two weeks.

**What is normal:** redness, mild swelling, tenderness, small bruises; with hyaluronic acid also palpable unevenness in the first days; with botulinum toxin occasionally a headache. This usually settles within a few days.

**When to call:** severe or increasing pain, white-bluish or mottled discolouration of the skin, visual disturbances, a drooping eyelid, fever or pus at an injection point. These are rare signs that need immediate medical assessment – please don't wait.

## The essentials.

- **Lying down after Botox:** only after 4 hours
- **Sport / sauna:** 24-hour pause
- **Make-up:** after 24 hours
- **Judge the result:** after about 2 weeks

## Important note.

This text is general information. It replaces neither a medical examination nor the consultation required before any treatment under German law (§ 630e BGB). Whether and which treatment is suitable for you can only be said after examination and consultation. No treatment results are promised.

## Frequently asked questions.

**Can I drive after the treatment?**

Yes. Neither botulinum toxin nor hyaluronic acid affects your ability to drive. If you feel faint right after the treatment, wait a moment.

**Can I fly?**

Yes. A gap of one to two days is advisable so that swelling settles and a check-up remains possible.

**What about alcohol?**

Better not in the first 24 hours: alcohol widens the blood vessels and encourages swelling and bruising.

**When will I see the final result?**

With botulinum toxin after about two weeks; with hyaluronic acid also after about two weeks, once the swelling has settled.

## Related.

- [Botulinum toxin](https://www.vivaderm.de/botox-en.html) – Process and risks
- [Hyaluronic acid](https://www.vivaderm.de/hyaluronsaeure-en.html) – All areas
- [First treatment](https://www.vivaderm.de/guide-first-treatment-en.html) – How an appointment works

## Sources

- [§ 630e BGB – duty to inform before treatment (German Civil Code)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgb/__630e.html)
- [GOÄ – German scale of medical fees (official text)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/go__1982/)
- [§ 11 HWG – ban on before/after images and advertising promises](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/heilmwerbg/__11.html)
- [Professional code of the Medical Association North Rhine](https://www.aekno.de/aerzte/berufsordnung)
- [NHS: non-surgical cosmetic procedures](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/non-surgical-cosmetic-procedures/)
- [Medical Association North Rhine – patient information](https://www.aekno.de/patienten)
- [DGBT – German Society for Aesthetic Botulinum Toxin Therapy](https://www.dgbt.de/)

---
This page is general information and does not replace medical consultation and informed consent (§ 630e BGB). No guarantee of results. Prices are guide prices per GOÄ. Quoting with attribution (VIVA DERM, Essen) is expressly permitted.