How Long After Botox is Necessary Before Facial Massage?

Most of my colleagues recommend four hours or less to avoid bending, lying flat or vigorous facial massage after Botox treatment, but this is not based on any studies of which I'm aware. The theory is to avoid diffusion to unwanted areas, but most doctors believe that the Botox is anchored to its region almost as soon as it's injected.

There are definitive answers, simply because there are no good clinical studies examining this.  I usually recommend no heavy physical activity for about 3-4 hours after the injection, but regarding facials or directly rubbing the area, I tell my patients to wait until the following day.  The theory there being that, physical activity or massaging may actually cause the Botox to affect other nearby muscles that we don't want to affect.  But again, this is still just theory, not fact.

We generally advise no rubbing of the face for 4 hours or essentially the same day. For a facial, the next day is probably fine, but I'd still prefer people generally wait 3-4 days before a facial - why take any chances.

You should not massage the areas that have received Botox injections for 4 hours, but you should wait until the next day before having a facial.  There is a potential for small bruises with Botox injections and they would be evident by the next day.  If you see bruises, wait a few more days before having a facial.

We recommend waiting 24 hours.  This is fairly arbitrary, like the recommendation for remaining upright for 4 hours after injection.  The most important area to be cautious is the glabellar region.  You do not want to massage the Botox into the upper eyelid region.  This could result in a drooping eyelid.  You should ask your injector what they believe is prudent.

We advise you to wait at least 4 hours before rubbing the area, but 24 hours would be a safer time frame if you were planning a vigorous facial massage.  There aren't any good scientific studies on this, which is why different injectors have different recommendations. The theory is that rubbing the area might cause the product to migrate little beyond the treatment area.  I agree to consult with your injector before scheduling a facial massage after your Botox injection.  

Each injector will have a different recommendation. Typically, it is best to wait until the next day in order to ensure that the massage does not affect the botox treatment results. Consult with your injector before scheduling a massage.

We recommend waiting 24 hours after a Botox treatment before any type of facial massage, including pressure from applying creams and make-up.  As always, contact your doctor for their opinion.