Despite the fact that mesotherapy is considered a safe and gentle procedure, before and after it is performed, it is important to follow some precautions and restrictions prescribed by the cosmetologist. Mesotherapy and alcohol are a limitation that many girls neglect. However, violating the ban can have serious consequences, reflected not only in the effectiveness of the technique, but also in your health.
What happens to the body after mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that involves the injection of special compounds into the structure of the dermis. They saturate epithelial cells with useful substances and restore natural metabolic processes.
Due to this effect on the skin, its microflora changes - blood vessels dilate, cell regeneration accelerates, the production of collagen and elastin is restored, as well as tissue metabolism.
Because of such changes, the girl is given skin care recommendations and restrictions that must be followed for 3-4 days after the session. They allow the epidermis to recover and prepare for the next mesotherapy procedure.
However, keep in mind that the procedure can be performed using either injection methods (manual or hardware) or non-injection methods. In the second case, the load on the skin is created much less, therefore the restrictions when performing it are prescribed relative.
General information about the procedure
Before moving on to the question of why you should not drink alcohol before, during and after mesotherapy, you need to understand what this manipulation is. An injective procedure is an effective method of restoring the natural beauty of the face, neck and décolleté.
There are minimum doses of individually tailored anti-aging products. They are introduced by numerous microinjections into the middle skin layer. These substances (hyaluronic acid, vitamins, minerals, amino acids) provide the skin with moisture and stimulate collagen regeneration and cell renewal.
In addition, it is possible to add small doses of Botox to mixtures of active substances (mesobotox). As a result, the skin becomes elastic, pink, finely porous, and wrinkles are smoothed out. The mesotherapist chooses the composition of the drug individually.
Indications and technique
Cosmetologists recommend mesotherapy for the following problems:
- fine wrinkles;
- pale complexion;
- rough pores;
- stretch marks;
- acne scars.
The session begins with the application of a local anesthetic ointment to ensure that the client does not feel any pain or discomfort. Apply it for only 10 minutes. This is followed by medical cleaning, after which the specialist proceeds directly to the procedure itself.
The drug with the active substance is injected using small thin needles into the middle layer of the skin. After this, a soothing, moisturizing non-woven mask is applied. The duration of the session is 45 minutes.
Result
The therapy is minimally invasive and therefore does not injure tissue. With the exception of temporary redness, which most often disappears after a few hours, there are no adverse reactions of the body.
The skin looks fresher, healthier and smoother from the first procedure. The final result is achieved a month after treatment. For the first few months, sessions should be repeated 3 times every 4 weeks. Then the frequency is reduced to 1-2 times a year, depending on the client’s condition.
How does alcohol work before and after mesotherapy?
Mesotherapy and alcohol are two incompatible concepts. A ban on its use is prescribed both before the session and after the procedure.
This is due to the following factors:
- When drinking alcohol, blood vessels dilate, which is why the meso-cocktail is more quickly distributed throughout the structure of the skin, while reducing its concentration;
- All useful substances, including hyaluronic acid, are eliminated from the body faster;
- The likelihood of swelling, papules, increased sensitivity of the skin and other manifestations of tissue reaction to mechanical stress increases. The rehabilitation period after mesotherapy increases;
- The blood clotting rate decreases, which is one of the contraindications. This also increases the period of tissue recovery;
- The water balance of the dermis is disrupted. Hyaluronic acid promotes tissue hydration, but alcohol neutralizes its effects, causing dehydration.
The condition of the skin generally worsens after drinking alcohol and energy drinks - it becomes less elastic, puffiness, dark circles under the eyes, and inflammation appear. When combining mesotherapy with drinking alcohol, be prepared for a decrease in the effectiveness of the procedure and the occurrence of serious side effects.
To drink or not to drink alcohol after biorevitalization
The answer to this question is completely unambiguous - do not drink, no matter how the situation encourages it. Firstly, an injection is also a medicine. And almost all medications, at best, lose their effect when taken simultaneously with alcohol, and at worst, they can give an unexpected reaction or lead to complications. If we talk about biorevitalization, then the body, which has experienced stress after the procedure, requires that it be protected, while alcohol, on the contrary, further reduces its protective forces, making it vulnerable.
In addition, there are other, no less compelling reasons to wait a few days, or initially plan a visit to the clinic with a reserve of time before upcoming events: - the vasodilating effect of alcohol in combination with the acceleration of blood circulation can cause migration of substances injected under the skin
- the body's metabolic processes are greatly affected by the influence of alcohol; in turn, this leads to characteristic side effects - for example, retention of fillers in the blood, and this threatens not only the loss of the effectiveness of the procedure, but also possible suppuration;
- One of the greatest strengths of hyaluronic acid is its ability to perfectly moisturize the skin (this directly affects its health and regeneration). Alcohol has two sequential negative effects - first it leads to edema, after which, on the contrary, it stimulates intensive removal of fluid from the body. At the same time, it is impossible to predict the strength of the body’s reaction to alcohol in each specific case - for example, there are known cases of the development of swelling that requires hospitalization.
Even outside of beauty treatments, alcohol causes damage to the skin. First of all, due to the already mentioned property of removing fluid from the body - this affects, among other things, skin color. The accumulation of toxins with the parallel occurrence of vitamin deficiency slows down the process of synthesis between elastin and collagen, affecting the elasticity of the skin. And swelling caused by alcohol leads to deformation of the skin and the appearance of problem areas. It is obvious that drinking alcoholic beverages immediately after biorevitalization enhances these negative effects, endangers health and leads to the fact that the costs of the procedure risk being in vain.
A reasonable period of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages of any strength is 4-5 days. During this time, hylauronic acid will dissolve and the first side effects will disappear. No matter what other opinions are expressed by “experts” from the Internet, do not forget that it is easy to give harmful advice, but you will have to pay for the consequences with your own health. An important point: all these recommendations apply to both injection and hardware methods of treatment, since the active substance still enters the body.
Author of the article: | Khreptik Marina Alekseevna |
Speciality: | Cosmetologist, dermatovenerologist |
Experience: | 24 years |
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How long before drinking alcohol is allowed?
As a standard, cosmetologists recommend stopping drinking alcohol the day before visiting cosmetology. This time is enough for its complete removal from the body and normalization of the internal microflora.
When drinking alcoholic beverages in large quantities, you should take care of preparing for the procedure in advance.
In addition, keep in mind that one of the contraindications to mesotherapy is a low blood clotting rate. And the consumption of alcohol and energy drinks directly affects it, increasing the period of tissue restoration.
Side effects and complications
Among the most common side effects and complications that arise from drinking alcohol before or after mesotherapy, cosmetologists call:
- Redness and bruising in the injection area. These symptoms usually disappear within a few hours. But if you drink even just a little alcohol during the preparation and recovery period, unsightly spots on the skin can remain for 20-30 days.
- Alcohol consumed the day before or immediately after the procedure causes severe swelling and swelling.
- The development of necrosis is one of the common reactions to drinking after mesotherapy. Even a small dose of alcohol in combination with hyaluronic acid or other active substances can cause the formation of unpleasant bumps that will not resolve on their own.
Drinking alcohol after the procedure
After introducing the meso-cocktail into the tissues, you should also stop drinking alcohol, but the restriction is more strict.
The minimum period of abstinence from alcohol is 6 hours. When performing non-injection mesotherapy, it is often enough for partial absorption of nutrients and tissue healing. However, in other cases, you should avoid drinking alcoholic beverages for two days.
A similar restriction also applies to caffeine and energy drinks. They have a more gentle effect, but also affect the integrity of blood vessels, blood microcirculation and the state of metabolic processes in the dermis.
Alcohol during injection procedures
The compatibility of the mesotherapy procedure and alcohol is zero. Its use is a strict contraindication for any injections. Even a family doctor, when prescribing a course of injections of any medicine to a patient, emphasizes that he will have to wait a while with alcohol.
If you neglect this prohibition, the condition of the skin after mesotherapy sessions may worsen, contrary to the expectations of a positive effect. The cosmetologist must warn you about this at the preliminary consultation.
The duration of the “dry” period before and after the procedure is clinically established - 14 days. However, the doctor can adjust it, taking into account the particular lifestyle that the client leads.
Before manipulation
Since mesotherapy is an injection procedure, the body’s reaction to the administration of drugs may be different. For this reason, experts strongly recommend carefully preparing for each session. In particular, do not drink alcohol, ideally for 2 weeks.
Any strong drink (even a low-alcohol cocktail) causes mild intoxication. As a result, the body has to spend a lot of energy on recovery. Weakening of its protective function during this period can cause side effects, including allergies.
After mesotherapy
Alcohol has an effect on blood vessels, dilating them. Even a small amount of beer, wine, champagne changes blood flow. Drinking alcohol after mesotherapy can affect its results, and not in the most favorable way.
The positive effect of the procedure is achieved due to the slow disintegration of active substances. If during this period the blood vessels are dilated, the beneficial components will simply be removed from the body without having the desired therapeutic effect. This is the answer to the question of whether alcohol is allowed after mesotherapy.
Compatible with hyaluronic acid
Any injections are incompatible with alcohol. Men and women are strictly prohibited from drinking alcohol throughout the entire course of treatment to avoid risks.
In contact with hyaluronic acid, alcohol reduces its effectiveness until there is no result at all. In addition, it increases the likelihood of developing adverse reactions: redness, rashes, itching.
Sometimes the patient (according to reviews) feels drowsiness and lethargy. If the listed complications occur, you must:
- Stop drinking drinks containing alcohol.
- Drink as much fluid as possible for 4-5 hours.
- Contact your doctor for advice.
It does not matter in what form the hyaluronic acid was introduced - in tablets, ointments or injections. When interacting with alcohol, such a “cocktail” will cause a clearly negative reaction.
Does degree matter?
It is impossible to say exactly how long a girl needs to stop drinking alcohol after mesotherapy. This depends on the strength of the alcohol, since it is eliminated from the body at different rates and has different effects on it.
If we talk about low-alcohol drinks (beer, wine, champagne), on average they leave the body within 8-15 hours.
Drinks with a high alcohol content (martini, vodka, rum) can last up to two days, so you must adjust the limit yourself. This is the only way you can avoid unwanted consequences and complications after manipulation.
Consider the amount of alcohol consumed - the more alcohol that enters your body, the longer it will take to dissipate.
Possible consequences of drinking alcohol
The most common consequence of drinking alcohol after an anti-aging procedure is a sharp deterioration in the general condition of the skin. Bruises may occur at the injection site, swelling and inflammation may increase. The skin becomes flabby, new wrinkles and rosacea appear.
In addition, drinking alcohol after facial mesotherapy leads to the following consequences:
- Lack of the desired effect from the procedure. Neutralization of vitamins and other beneficial substances by ethanol will result in mesotherapy not bringing any benefit;
- Excessive oily skin. The interaction of ethyl alcohol with the components of the drug can disrupt the functioning of the sebaceous glands;
- Vasodilation and a sharp increase in blood pressure. The drugs used in mesotherapy have vasodilating properties. Alcohol also dilates blood vessels. Its use in large quantities when interacting with the components of the drug will lead to a significant increase in blood pressure, which can be life-threatening. In addition, increased blood circulation is fraught with a decrease in the concentration of the administered drug in those places where its effect is necessary;
- Vascular spasms. In most cases, alcohol after dilation of blood vessels leads to their spasm.
In addition to the above-mentioned consequences when drinking alcohol after mesotherapy, one should not exclude the development of an allergic reaction. It may appear as slight redness or a profuse rash accompanied by itching and swelling.
Minimizing the impact of alcohol
If you do drink alcohol immediately before or immediately after a session, you should consult your doctor for advice. Then he will prescribe you some remedy that will help you remove alcohol faster: antihistamine, decongestant or anti-inflammatory.
You can enhance the effect of medications using traditional methods of removing alcohol from the body: brine, activated carbon, Polysorb, drinking plenty of fluids, citrus fruits.
If you drank alcohol after visiting a cosmetologist, pay attention to the following precautions that will help you avoid unwanted consequences:
- Avoid washing your face and applying cosmetics for 4 hours;
- Stop smoking for 6 hours;
- For three days, avoid visiting the bathhouse, sauna, swimming pool, or taking a hot bath;
- Stop taking blood thinning medications and avoid sunbathing.
Treat your skin as gently and carefully as possible after the session. You should not use scrubs and peels for several days after the injection of meso-cocktails in order to reduce the burden on sensitive skin and speed up its recovery.
Be more careful about the selection of food in your diet. It should not be too heavy and fatty, since the body should spend energy on eliminating alcohol, and not digesting food.
If serious side effects or complications occur (itching, peeling, rash, irritation, pain), consult your doctor immediately.
And finally
Any injections require abstaining from alcohol 1-2 weeks before and the same after surgery. Unfortunately, many people do not take cosmetic procedures seriously enough and wonder why they cannot drink after a mesotherapy session.
Any alcoholic drink entering the body causes changes in blood flow, provokes the appearance of edema and swelling and promotes almost instantaneous elimination of the active substance. That is, if you drink alcohol before and after the procedure without maintaining the recommended period of time, the “beauty injections” at best simply will not work, and at worst they will provoke serious complications.
So don't take risks. Not a single, even the most elite, alcoholic product is worth your health.