Wrinkle Relaxers Care Guide
(Botox®, Dysport®, Xeomin®, Daxxify®, and Letybo®)
Relax Expression Lines While Preserving Natural Movement
Wrinkle relaxers are among the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures worldwide. These prescription medications work by temporarily relaxing selected facial muscles that create dynamic wrinkles—those lines that develop with repeated facial expressions such as smiling, frowning, or squinting.
At LumiLife Aesthetic + Wellness, our philosophy is not to “freeze” your face. Instead, we use precise, physician-directed injection techniques to soften unwanted lines while preserving your natural facial expressions and individuality.
Treatment plans are customized to your facial anatomy, muscle strength, age, aesthetic goals, and desired level of correction.
Common treatment areas include:
- Forehead lines
- Frown lines (“11” between the eyebrows)
- Crows feet
- Bunny lines of the nose
- Chin dimpling
- Lip flip
- Downturned corners of the mouth
- Masseter muscles (jawline slimming or teeth grinding)
- Platysmal neck bands
Before Your Treatment
To help minimize bruising and optimize your experience, please review the following recommendations.
We recommend that you:
✔ Arrive with a clean face whenever possible.
✔ Eat a light meal before your appointment.
✔ Stay well hydrated.
✔ Inform your physician of all medications, supplements, and allergies.
✔ Notify us if you have previously received wrinkle relaxers or experienced side effects.
✔ Inform us if you have had recent facial surgery or other cosmetic procedures.
If approved by Your Treating Physician
Some medications and supplements may increase the likelihood of bruising.
If medically appropriate and only after discussing with the healthcare provider who prescribed them, you may consider avoiding for approximately 5-7 days before treatment:
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®)
- Naproxen (Aleve®)
- Fish oil
- Vitamin E
- Ginkgo biloba
- Garlic supplements
- Ginseng
- St. Johns Wort
- Other herbal supplements with blood-thinning properties
Never discontinue prescription blood thinners or other prescribed medications without approval from the physician who manages those medications.
Alcohol
Limiting alcohol consumption for approximately 24 hours before treatment may help reduce the likelihood of bruising.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Wrinkle relaxers are generally not recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding because adequate safety data are unavailable.
Please notify our office if you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
Cold Sores or Skin Infection
Please contact our office before your appointment if you develop:
- Fever
- Active cold sore
- Facial rash
- Skin infection
- Open wound near the treatment area
Treatment may need to be postponed.
What Happens During Treatment?
Your physician will review the treatment plan and answer any remaining questions before beginning.
Small amounts of medication are injected into carefully selected muscles using a very fine needle.
Most patients describe the injections as a quick pinching sensation.
Treatment typically takes 10-20 minutes, depending on the number of areas being treated.
Most patients return to normal daily activities immediately afterward.
What Should I Expect After Treatment?
It is normal to experience:
- Mild redness
- Small bumps at the injection sites
- Mild tenderness
- Occasional bruising
These effects usually resolve within several hours to a few days.
When Will I See Results?
Although every patient responds differently, most people notice gradual improvement:
- Dysport®: Often begins within 2-3 days
- Daxxify®: Often 2-4 days
- Botox®, Xeomin®, Letybo®: Commonly 3-5 days
Maximum improvement is typically seen around 10-14 days after treatment.
How Long Do Results Last?
Results vary from person to person.
Typical duration:
- Botox®, Dysport®, Xeomin®, Letybo®:
approximately 3-4 months - Daxxify®: may last approximately 4-6 months in some patients, although duration varies.
Regular maintenance treatments often help maintain consistent results.
After Your Treatment
For the remainder of the day:
Please
✔ Remain upright for approximately 4 hours.
✔ Gently exercise your facial muscles by smiling, frowning, or raising your eyebrows during the first hour if instructed by your physician. While evidence is limited, some clinicians recommend this practice to potentially enhance uptake.
✔ Resume most normal daily activities immediately.
Avoid for the First 24 Hours
Vigorous exercise
- Hot yoga
- Saunas
- Steam rooms
- Prolonged heat exposure
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Firm massage of treated areas
- Facial treatments that place significant pressure on injection sites
Gentle cleansing and normal skincare are generally acceptable unless otherwise instructed.
Makeup
If the injection sites are no longer bleeding, makeup may usually be applied gently after several hours.
Avoid vigorous rubbing or massage of the treated areas.
Sleeping
Many physicians recommend avoiding prolonged pressure on treated areas during the first night.
Sleeping on your back the first evening may be helpful if comfortable, although evidence supporting this recommendation is limited.
Follow-Up Appointment
Because wrinkle relaxers continue working for up to two weeks, we recommend waiting 14 days before evaluating your final result.
A follow-up visit may be recommended to assess your response and determine whether a small adjustment is appropriate.
When Should I Contact LumiLife Immediately?
Please contact us promptly if you experience:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty speaking
- Significant vision changes
- Severe eyelid drooping
- Increasing pain or swelling after several days
- Signs of infection, including spreading redness, warmth, drainage, or fever
- Any symptoms that concern you
Although serious complications are uncommon when treatment is performed by experienced medical professionals, early evaluation is important whenever unexpected symptoms occur.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Philosophy
At LumiLife Aesthetics + Wellness, PDO Threads are viewed as a regenerative treatment—not simply a lifting procedure. By combining mechanical support with the body’s natural collagen-building response, PDO Threads can help improve skin quality, facial definition, and early signs of aging while preserving your natural appearance. Every treatment is physician-directed, evidence-informed, and tailored to your individual anatomy and goals.