My daughter and I LOVE the holidays. For us, November 1st means it’s practically Christmas. It means we can start watching Christmas movies, and as soon as Thanksgiving dinner is finished, we feel it’s completely acceptable to start playing Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. I know people are generally heavily divided on this topic: some are like us and all the decorations go up on Thanksgiving weekend, and others would rather avoid it altogether.
Whichever camp you are in, chances are you at least plan ahead for your family events and holiday parties. Hair appointments have to be scheduled weeks out at this time of year, new outfits get bought because family photos are probably a must, and the same is true for your skin care and injectable treatments: you gotta plan ahead!
So here’s your guide to how much downtime you should allow for each type of treatment, to make sure you’re face is picture perfect by the holidays. Keep in mind everyone heals differently! And also remember the ladies’ schedules generally start booking 1-2 weeks out around this time of year. So book soon to avoid disappointment!
Botox or Dysport:
Botox and Dysport can take up to a week for results to set in. And if you desire a little tweaking after that initial appointment, our injectionists need 10 days before they can add extra units. So this appointment should be set for at least 2 weeks before you want your optimal results.
Fillers:
Filler results are immediate. However, the downtime you need to allow for these appointments involves letting your body heal from any possible bruising or swelling. As I mentioned in a previous blog: We always tell our clients that if you have an event within 1-2 weeks from your procedure and you don’t want people seeing a bruise, then wait on your treatment.
Some treatment areas are more prone to bruising than others, such as areas that are more vascular, with thinner skin, like the lip area. So many variables go in to whether a person will bruise after having injections: are you prone to bruising? Did you drink alcohol the day before? Do you take medicine that thins the blood? What area is being treated? Read a previous blog to find out tips for how to help minimize these issues.
So filler appointments, just like Botox, should be set at least 2 weeks prior to when you want your optimal results. (Note: if we are talking about a wedding, that’s a different story. Call us for advice on that! You need to have your appointments set more like 6-8 weeks prior to all pictures and events).
Laser Resurfacing:
Give yourself 10 days to heal from this. Your skin will go through stages: from redness, to tightness, to dry and flaky. Although you will be mostly healed by day 7, you probably don’t want to show up to a fancy party with cracked looking skin.
Photofacials:
Downtime for this depends on how much sun damage you have to start with. The visible pigment will become much darker after the treatment and will begin flaking off within a few days. But you can’t rush it! If you try to scrub at it, you will hypo-pigment: the new skin underneath will appear white or pink for quite awhile if you don’t allow it to heal properly. Give yourself at least 2 weeks downtime for total healing.
Micropen and PRP: Downtime with these treatments is much more minimal. Most people only experience redness that lasts about 3 days, if that. Sometimes people will have small patches of dry or flaky skin for a little longer. Give yourself 7 days to heal, to be on the safe side.
Microblading: You’ll look great when you leave this appointment, but you will need to treat your brows with ointment for 7 days after. The brows will look great, you’ll just be shiny for a week!
No Downtime Treatments:
HydraFacial MD: This multi-step treatment does it all, and treats it all: hyperpigmentation, acne, dry skin, redness, fine lines and texture. They can be done every week if you’re working on a particular skin issue, or once a month for skin maintenance. Here’s a previous blog with all the details.
MicroPeel: A great, three-step procedure that combines dermaplaning, a custom chemical peel and a cryo ball therapy. You’ll leave with a glow and stay that way for days!