We get asked about recovery timelines more than almost anything else. How long am I going to be swollen? Can I work out tomorrow? When will I actually see something? Fair questions, and the answers are different for every treatment we offer.
So here it is, all in one place. These are the real timelines we give our patients in the room, not the polished marketing version. Bodies differ, so treat these as the typical range rather than a promise. Some people bounce back faster, some take a little longer, and that’s all normal.
| Treatment | Same day | Next 24–48 hrs | Week 1 | Visible results | Full results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botox / Dysport / Daxxify | Tiny bumps, back to normal activity | Possible pinpoint bruising | Smoothing begins | Day 3–5 | Day 14 |
| Lip filler | Swelling, tenderness | Peak swelling, bruising likely | Swelling fades, may feel firm | Right away (under swelling) | ~2 weeks, fully settled |
| Cheek filler | Swelling, possible tenderness | Swelling, bruising possible | Settling, may feel firm | Right away (under swelling) | 2–4 weeks |
| Sculptra | Mild swelling from the water it’s mixed in | Swelling resolves, possible bruising | Looks like baseline again | Gradual, starts ~6 weeks | 2–3 months, builds over a series |
| Morpheus8 | Redness, warmth, swelling | Redness fades, mild swelling | Sandpaper texture, tiny grid marks | Early glow in weeks | 3–6 months, often a series |
| IPL photofacial | Redness, warmth | Spots darken (coffee-ground look) | Dark spots flake off | As spots clear, ~1–2 weeks | After a series for even tone |
| Laser hair removal | Redness, bumps around follicles | Redness settles | Treated hairs shed | Thinning after each session | After a full series of sessions |
| Hydrafacial | Glow, no downtime | Nothing notable | Skin stays fresh | Same day | Same day |
| SkinPen microneedling | Redness, like a mild sunburn | Redness fades, slight dryness | Light flaking, smoother feel | A few weeks | After a series, builds over months |
| Chemical peel | Tightness, redness | Peeling may begin (depth-dependent) | Peeling finishes, fresh skin | Once peeling is done | 1–2 weeks; deeper peels longer |
| Dermaplaning | Smooth skin, no downtime | Nothing notable | Soft, makeup goes on smooth | Same day | Same day |
| PRP undereyes | Swelling, tenderness, bruising risk | Bruising possible (thin skin here) | Bruising fades | A few weeks | 2–3 months, often a series |
| PRP scalp | Tenderness, mild swelling | Scalp tenderness eases | Back to normal | Around 3 months | 6 months+, with a series |
| B-12 injection | Sore injection site, no downtime | Nothing notable | Possible energy lift | Within days, varies | Best with regular dosing |
| Medical weight loss | Sore injection site, no downtime | Possible mild nausea early on | Body adjusts to dose | First weeks of consistent use | Over months, with follow-up |
| BHRT | Minor soreness if pellet inserted | Insertion site heals | Settling in | A few weeks | Several weeks to months to balance |
The first 24 hours after any injection
Most of our injectable aftercare comes down to a handful of simple rules, and they apply whether you came in for Botox, filler, or Sculptra. After tox specifically, stay upright for about four hours. No lying flat, no face-down naps, no bending over to dig through a low cabinet. That keeps the product where we placed it.
For the rest of the day, skip the gym, the sauna, the hot yoga, and anything that gets your heart racing or your face hot. Heat and heavy blood flow can make swelling and bruising worse. Try not to rub or massage the treated area unless we’ve told you to, since pressure can move product before it’s set.
Bruising is the most common nuisance, especially with filler and undereye PRP. Arnica, taken or applied as a gel, helps some people fade a bruise faster, and a cold compress in the first day can take the edge off swelling. Skipping alcohol and avoiding non-essential blood thinners like ibuprofen for a day or two also lowers your odds of bruising in the first place. If you bruise easily, plan accordingly.
When to call us versus wait it out
Here’s the part that saves you a worried Google search at 9 p.m. Swelling, tenderness, redness at the injection sites, a little asymmetry while things settle, and bruising that shows up over the first day or two are all normal. They resolve on their own. You don’t need to call us for any of that, though we’re always happy to reassure you if you’d rather hear it from us.
What does warrant a call: pain that’s severe, worsening, or clearly worse on one side than the other; skin that turns white, dusky, or mottled near filler; or any change in your vision after a facial filler treatment. Those last two are rare, but they’re the signs we take seriously and want to know about right away. If something feels truly wrong, don’t wait it out and don’t wait for business hours. Call us, and if it’s an emergency, treat it like one.
Planning treatments around your life
If you have a wedding, a reunion, a photoshoot, or any event you want to look your best for, give yourself runway. For injectables, book about two weeks ahead. That lets Botox reach full effect and gives any filler swelling or bruising time to clear so you’re settled and photo-ready, not fresh out of the chair.
Energy devices and peels need more thought. Morpheus8 can leave you red and slightly textured for the better part of a week, and a deeper chemical peel means visible peeling, so don’t schedule either right before a big day. Treatments that build over a series, like Morpheus8, laser hair removal, and microneedling, work best when you start well in advance and space the sessions out the way we recommend. If you tell us the date you’re working toward, we’ll build a plan backward from it.
Want it mapped to your own face and your own calendar? Book a consultation with our team and we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect, start to finish. And if you’re in regularly for treatments, our VIP members get 15% off all services, which adds up fast over a series.
