Short answer: the sources we read give three different exercise windows after Botox: 2 hours (AAD), up to 6 hours (NHS Lothian) and 24 hours (NHS Doncaster). Alcohol (6 hours) and long-haul flying (24 hours) each appear in one leaflet only. No source we read covers heat or saunas.
Most people who book a skin trip to Seoul ask the same few things about Botox. Can I go to the gym? Can I have a drink with dinner? Do I need to skip makeup? Can I fly home the next day? Clinics answer these in a leaflet or a short talk, and the answers do not always match. This guide puts three public sources side by side so you can see where they agree, where they differ, and where they say nothing.
What the sources say
Data card: Botulinum toxin (Botox-type) injections. Evidence tier: mixed. Last checked 2026-11-02. Full list on Sources.
| Item | Reported days | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | up to 1 day | AAD: wait 2 hours before strenuous activity (lifting heavy items, working out). NHS Lothian: no strenuous exercise for up to 6 hours. NHS Doncaster trust: no strenuous exercise for 24 hours. Sources differ; 24 hours = 1 day. | AAD, NHS (Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals), NHS Lothian |
| Alcohol | no number given | NHS Lothian: do not drink alcohol for six hours. AAD and the Doncaster leaflet do not mention alcohol. | NHS Lothian |
| Makeup | up to 0 days | AAD: makeup can be applied as soon as you leave the treatment room, applied without pressing or rubbing. NHS Doncaster trust: avoid touching the area, including applying make-up (no time given). NHS Lothian: no make-up for 4 to 6 hours. Sources differ. | AAD, NHS (Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals), NHS Lothian |
| Massage or pressure | up to 1 day | AAD: do not rub or massage the treated areas. NHS Doncaster: do not massage the injected area. NHS Lothian: do not rub or massage the injection sites; any marks or bumps will disappear. Also Lothian: no facial treatment for 24 hours (1 day). No end date given for the rubbing/massage rule by AAD or Doncaster. | AAD, NHS (Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals), NHS Lothian |
| Flying | up to 1 day | NHS Lothian: do not take any long-haul flight for 24 hours (1 day). No other source read mentions flying. | NHS Lothian |
What the sources do not say: No source found for: heat/sauna/hot tub/steam room after botulinum toxin (none of AAD, NHS Doncaster, NHS Lothian, the review mention it).; No source found for: sun exposure, tanning or swimming after botulinum toxin.; Flying: only NHS Lothian (24 hours, long-haul); AAD and NHS Doncaster do not mention it. Single, one-page leaflet.; Alcohol: only NHS Lothian (6 hours); AAD and NHS Doncaster do not mention it.; Facial/massage: AAD and Doncaster say no rubbing or massaging with no end date; Lothian gives 24 hours only for facial treatment.; AAD gives no duration for swelling or redness and no onset time.; Mayo Clinic Botox page could not be read (HTTP 403); ASPS, Aesthetic Society, ASDS botulinum pages and the FDA Botox Cosmetic label were not obtained.; Onset/duration review data is for abobotulinumtoxinA only; the NHS Lothian leaflet does not say whether the use is cosmetic.; Exercise windows differ across sources (2 hours, up to 6 hours, 24 hours); not merged.
Exercise. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) patient page says to wait 2 hours before strenuous activity, such as lifting heavy items or working out. An NHS Lothian leaflet says no strenuous exercise for up to 6 hours. An NHS Doncaster hospital leaflet says no strenuous exercise for 24 hours. These three numbers are the whole range we found. For planning, the planner uses the longest value, 24 hours, which is 1 day. If you want the detail by activity, read our guide on exercise after Botox.
Alcohol. Only NHS Lothian mentions it: do not drink alcohol for 6 hours. The AAD page and the Doncaster leaflet do not mention alcohol. There is more in our alcohol guide.
Makeup. The AAD page says makeup can go on as soon as you leave the treatment room, applied without pressing or rubbing. NHS Lothian says no makeup for 4 to 6 hours. The Doncaster leaflet says to avoid touching the area, including applying makeup, and gives no time. See makeup and skincare after Botox for more.
Flying. One source speaks to it. NHS Lothian says not to take a long-haul flight for 24 hours. The AAD page and the Doncaster leaflet do not mention flying. The Lothian leaflet is a single page, and the sources we read do not say what counts as long-haul. Our page on flying after Botox goes through this.
Heat, sauna and steam. The sources we read do not say. None of the three mentions saunas, hot tubs, steam rooms or hot showers. See sauna, hot tub and steam room after Botox.
Other aftercare lines. All three sources say not to rub or massage the treated area. The Lothian leaflet also says to keep your head upright and not lie down or bend forward for 4 hours, not to wash your hair until the day after treatment, and to skip facial treatments for 24 hours.
What they do not say
- Whether heat (sauna, hot tub, steam room, a very hot shower) matters. No source we read covers it.
- Why the exercise windows differ. The sources give a rule, not a reason, so we cannot tell you which number fits which product or injection site.
- Whether the rules differ for cosmetic and medical use. The Lothian leaflet does not say which use it is written for, so we treat it as general aftercare.
- What counts as a long-haul flight, and whether a shorter flight changes anything.
- Sun exposure, tanning and swimming. The sources we read do not say.
- Any end date for the rubbing and massage rule in the AAD page and the Doncaster leaflet.
We also tried to read the Mayo Clinic Botox page, but it would not load for us (HTTP 403), so we took nothing from it. The onset and duration review is about one product (abobotulinumtoxinA) and was sponsored by the maker, so we use it only for timing, not for aftercare.
Ask your clinic
- Which product are you using, and is it licensed in your country?
- What is your own advice on exercise, and for how many hours?
- Do you have a rule on alcohol, heat, or a long flight home after my appointment?
- Can I wear makeup, and how should I put it on and take it off?
- Should I keep my head upright for a set time, and when can I wash my hair?
Plan it
If you are building a Seoul schedule, put the Botox visit early and keep the first 24 hours free of gym time, drinking and a long flight. That is the longest value in the sources we read, used as a planning placeholder only. Replace it with your clinic’s own instructions.
You can also browse the after-treatment hub and the list of sources we use.
Frequently asked questions
Can you exercise after Botox?
The sources differ. The AAD patient page says wait 2 hours before strenuous activity. NHS Lothian says up to 6 hours. NHS Doncaster says 24 hours. The planner uses 24 hours, the longest value. Your clinic’s advice comes first.
Can you drink alcohol after Botox?
One source we read speaks to it. NHS Lothian says do not drink alcohol for 6 hours. The AAD page and the Doncaster leaflet do not mention alcohol.
Can you wear makeup after Botox?
The AAD page says makeup can be applied as soon as you leave the treatment room, without pressing or rubbing. NHS Lothian says no makeup for 4 to 6 hours. The Doncaster leaflet says avoid touching the area, including applying makeup, with no time given.
Can you fly after Botox?
Only NHS Lothian addresses it: no long-haul flight for 24 hours. The AAD page and the Doncaster leaflet do not mention flying, and the sources we read do not say what counts as long-haul.
Can you go in a sauna after Botox?
The sources we read do not say. None of the AAD page, the Doncaster leaflet or the Lothian leaflet mentions saunas, hot tubs or steam rooms. Ask your clinic.
Sources
- AAD: Botulinum toxin FAQs (public patient page) (read: full page; checked 2 November 2026)
- NHS Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals: Botox patient leaflet WPR47810 (read: full page; checked 2 November 2026)
- NHS Lothian: Botox post treatment care (information for patients) (read: full page; checked 2 November 2026)
- PubMed, J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2020: Onset and Duration of AbobotulinumtoxinA for Aesthetic Use in the Upper Face, a systematic literature review (read: abstract only; checked 2 November 2026)
General information, not medical advice. Your clinic’s instructions come first. See the medical notice and how the planner works. Not reviewed by a physician.