What happens if you drink on the day of a skin treatment
It is better not to drink on the day of a treatment. Alcohol opens the vessels and brings a flush of heat, so swelling, redness and bruising come up larger. With injectables the difference is in how far the bruise spreads. If the dinner is already booked, moving the treatment to the next day is the better trade, and if something important is coming up, the recovery time has to sit between the two.
Several times a day, patients ask on the way out, "I have dinner plans tonight, can I drink?" Usually it is something already in the diary and hard to cancel.
What alcohol does at the treated area
Alcohol dilates the vessels and raises the body's heat. Straight after a treatment the vessels in that area happen to be sensitised. Put the two together and swelling that was settling comes back up, redness spreads wider, and bruises at injection points come up larger.
If you bruise easily the difference is bigger still. It shows most with treatments where a needle goes in, such as filler or botulinum toxin.
Why the waiting period differs by treatment
It is hard to reduce this to a single number of hours, because the kind of stress put on the skin is different each time. With injectables it comes down to vessel damage and bruising, with lasers to how long the heat stays, and with lifting to how fast the swelling goes down.
| Treatment | What matters most | On alcohol |
|---|---|---|
| Botulinum toxin and filler | Bruising and swelling at injection points | Avoid on the day, and one more day if you bruise easily |
| Pigment and vascular lasers | Redness and heat | Avoid on the day until the heat settles |
| Lifting (ultrasound, RF) | Swelling and tightness | Drinking the same day prolongs the swelling |
| Skin boosters | Needle marks and redness | Avoiding it on the day leaves fewer marks |
The table is a general guide. In practice I advise differently according to the extent of the treatment and how the skin responded that day. Even with the same filler, I say something different for the under-eye than for the chin.
What else works the same way as alcohol
Alcohol is not a case on its own. Anything that opens the vessels and raises the heat works much the same: saunas and jjimjilbangs, hot showers, hard exercise, strong massage. Plenty of patients go to the gym on the day of a treatment and come back the next morning with swelling.
Fixing the schedule first and fitting the treatment to it
Before setting a date in the consultation, I ask what the two weeks either side look like. A wedding, a shoot, a business trip or travel changes which treatment we choose in the first place. Not putting a treatment with recovery left in it right before a fixed date is the surest method. For patients flying in, that means telling me the return flight and any dinners already in the diary at the first consultation.
If the drinks are already arranged, move the treatment to the following day. Losing a day is better than accepting the side effects.
FAQ
Surely one glass is fine?
The type and extent of that day's treatment matter more than the amount. With many injection points, or if you bruise easily, one glass shows the next day.
I have already had a drink. What now?
Cool the area with a cold damp towel, and skip the hot shower and exercise for the rest of the day. If the swelling or bruising lasts longer than expected, let the clinic know.
Can I drink the night before a treatment?
Drinking the day before also affects bruising and swelling on the day. If injectables are planned, it is better to stop from the day before.
Should I mention medication in advance?
Tell me about any medication or supplements that affect circulation. They change how much you bruise, and I sometimes adjust the method and the order because of it.
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