# Alcohol and *skin.*

> How alcohol ages the skin, why it promotes bruising before injections and how long to abstain before and after Botox or fillers.

- Source: https://www.vivaderm.de/guide-alcohol-skin-treatment-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

A glass of wine the evening before treatment – is that a problem? Yes, a small one. Why, and what alcohol does to the skin long term.

## Short term and long term.

**Short term:** alcohol widens blood vessels and mildly inhibits clotting. Anyone who drank the night before bleeds more during injections – bruises become larger and last longer. Alcohol also dehydrates the skin so that it is slacker and duller on the treatment day than usual.

**Long term:** regular intake promotes redness and dilated vessels (especially with rosacea), disturbs sleep, depletes vitamins (B, A, C, zinc) and raises inflammation markers. The skin becomes thin and uneven faster. The combination of alcohol plus smoking amplifies both.

**Before treatment:** no alcohol 24 hours before botulinum toxin and 48 hours before fillers. The same applies to blood-thinning painkillers (aspirin, ibuprofen), fish oil, ginkgo and high-dose vitamin E – unless prescribed by a physician.

**After treatment:** abstain on the treatment day; after fillers better two days. Alcohol increases swelling and redness. After that there is no restriction – a glass of wine dissolves neither fillers nor botulinum toxin.

**Honest assessment:** moderate intake is no aesthetic drama. But anyone who seriously wants to improve their skin often notices more from an alcohol-free month than from any cream.

## The essentials.

- **Before botulinum toxin:** 24 h no alcohol
- **Before fillers:** 48 h no alcohol
- **Afterwards:** pause 1–2 days
- **Long term:** redness, vitamin deficiency

## 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.

**I had two glasses of wine yesterday – do I have to cancel?**

Not necessarily. Tell the practice; with fillers in sensitive areas (lips, tear trough) postponing may make sense.

**Does alcohol dissolve fillers faster?**

No. The breakdown of hyaluronic acid is not measurably accelerated by alcohol.

## Related.

- [Nutrition & skin](https://www.vivaderm.de/guide-nutrition-skin-en.html) – Guide
- [Smoking & skin](https://www.vivaderm.de/guide-smoking-skin-en.html) – Guide
- [Haematoma](https://www.vivaderm.de/lexicon-haematom-en.html) – Lexicon

## Sources

- [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)
- [§ 630e BGB – duty to inform before treatment (German Civil Code)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bgb/__630e.html)
- [DGBT – German Society for Aesthetic Botulinum Toxin Therapy](https://www.dgbt.de/)
- [AWMF – German clinical practice guidelines](https://www.awmf.org/)

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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.