Is it a bad idea to get cosmetic injections before a major social event?

This is a great question. The short answer is that two weeks is cutting it close for Botox and fillers before an important social event. As others have noted, Botox takes time for the results to show and there is always the possibility of bruising and swelling after injectable fillers. You can minimize the chances of bruising by taking arnica before your filler treatment, but it's not a guarantee.

Because so many patients ask us questions like these, we dedicated a column to just this subject in our most recent newsletter. I am cutting and pasting it for you below. I hope you find it helpful.

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When is your next Milestone Moment?

We all have them. Times when it is important to look and feel our absolute best. We call these Milestone Moments.

Maybe your son is getting married, your daughter is graduating or a class reunion is coming up. You may have a big holiday party. Perhaps you are getting married, turning fifty or starting a new career. It could be that you are dating again, planning a beach vacation or celebrating an important anniversary. Happy, sad or a bit of both, milestone moments are when we could all use a bit of extra self-confidence.
 
We see many patients who are going through these transition periods. Some have more time than others. Some are super-organized planners and some are not. We thought it might be helpful to give you an ideal timeline for getting ready for your milestone moment. Please keep in mind that this is more of a guideline than a rule. If you don't have this much time, you still have plenty of options. 

 
Getting Ready for your Milestone Moment: A Checklist

6 Months to a Year before Your Event: 

This is a time to reflect realistically about where you are and set goals for where you want to be. Are you at or near your ideal weight? Is there something about your figure that you have always wanted to change?

Are you eating healthy and exercising? If not, you still have time to make a change. Remember, not only will you look better for your big event, but any changes you make now will help you feel better too.

Consider working out with a trainer or if you are already physically active, set a new goal to accomplish before your big event. Think how much more you'll have to talk about if you become a triathlete or learn to row.

Start thinking about your skin, not only on your face, but your neck, chest and hands. Try more aggressive skin care treatments now to jumpstart positive changes. If you are not religiously wearing sunscreen, we have cosmetically appealing sunscreens that are actually good for your skin.

Now is a good time to start Laser Hair Removal. It is sometimes hard to tell how many treatments you might need in advance. Hair develops in phases and we can only treat hair in its active, visible stage.  Therefore, the number of treatments depends on how quickly the untreated hairs appear.  For significant clearance, most patients require a course of four to six treatments, which are spaced at least six to eight weeks apart.

Schedule a consultation to discuss a plan of treatment for your milestone event. Keep in mind that if your plan involves surgery, you'll want to factor in as much recovery time as you can before your big event. My surgery schedule is always busiest when people naturally have time off from work and school. If you have a specific date in mind, the sooner you schedule it the better. Especially if it is around a holiday.

Be sure to factor in the financial aspects of your plan and also, if your plan involves surgery, you may want to talk to a care giver who can support you during your recovery period. 

• 1-3 Months Before:

This is a great time to think injectables. Schedule your appointment for Botox, Injectable Fillers or Radiesse. If you request it, we will  do a "touch-up" appointment within six weeks to tweak your results so they are just where you want them on your big day.

Any new skin care products with active anti-aging ingredients should be started now. Most skin care products reach their maximum effectiveness at the 90-day-point.

•  1 Month Before:

Schedule a Results Rx Peel to remove any dull skin and accelerate the results of your skin care regimen.

Think about your makeup. Experiment with new makeup techniques and colors. Visit our store and feel free to try things on. Be sure your foundation matches your skin color now and isn't the one you bought with a tan or in the middle of winter.

If you are going to have your hair done, try out the style before your big event to avoid any scary surprises.

• 1 Week Before:

Invest in a Spanx Slim Cognito Bodysuit so you won't have to remember to suck in your stomach for all the pictures. It flatters your backside as well.

If you are wearing a strapless dress, consider vibra-infusion on your back, chest and the backs of your arms. Vibra-infusion greats rid of back acne ("Backne" as the teenagers call it) before prom night.

Nothing ages the skin like dehydration. A relaxing hydrating facial will give your skin a glow and your spirits a lift.

Any waxing procedures should be done now.

• The Day Before:

Have a Laser Genesis treatment. Really. You'll be glowing!

On the Big Day: Relax. Have fun and remember, we're behind you all the way.

Two weeks is probably the minimal amount of time needed to see the results of fillers and Botox.

Generally, Botox will take 2-3 days to produce noticeable effects, which will improve over 1-2 weeks.

As mentioned by others, I do not see patients for at least 10 days before considering additional treatment.

While bruising is always a possibility, the risk is fairly minimal with Botox and an experienced practitioner should not produce much if any bruising. The big thing with Botox is that you may not notice the full effect for 1-2 weeks. Fillers are a much different story.

Bruising is a common occurrence and cannot be predicted pre-treatment. There are several things physicians and patients can do to decrease the risk of bruising but this is still an uncontrolled variable. Some bruises may take 1-2 weeks to disappear and may not fully cover with makeup during that time. Patients may also experience localized swelling which may also take some time to dissipate.

If it is vitally important not to have any evidence of the procedure, 2 weeks is a good time period to wait between Botox and injection procedures and big events.

Do NOT get the injections within 10 days of a major social event. While bruising doesn't usually occur. . .it's more likely if you ABSOLUTELY can't have it. Isn't that how it always works? :-)

You want time for the Botox to take effect and have a touch up if you need it. We don't typically see a patient for two weeks so we are confident that all of the Botox has taken effect. I would try to have the treatment a month before the major event if you can plan it in advance.

It really depends upon which injectable you're talking about. BOTOX Cosmetic can easily be injected by an experience injector with very little risk for bruising and other side effects. As such, it is very common for me to inject my patients right before a major event. Fillers are a different story. These tend to be associated with varying degrees of swelling and bruising and so should be injected at least 2-3 weeks before an event. In addition, once in a while it is necessary to touchup an uneven result and so a little extra time to get that perfect result before that big event can be very helpful!

This is a tricky decision inasmuch as one wants to look their best but may not want to risk an unexpected outcome. If the patient has had the same procedure before (Botox or fillers) and was happy with the result - doing the treatment no sooner than 2 weeks before the event should be fine. In this way, if there was any unexpected bruising or swelling, it will have resolved. Also, the full effects of these products will be at the 2 week mark.
On the other hand, if someone is new to this procedure or doing this with less than 2 weeks before the event, I would recommend waiting.