Botox and DMSO: Why Your Skin Routine Needs a Two-Week Pause

Botox and DMSO are both popular with people who care about how their skin looks. They work in very different ways, and for a short window after a Botox appointment, they should stay apart. Here's what each one does, and how to time them.

What Botox Does

Botox is a purified protein called botulinum toxin type A. A trained injector places tiny amounts into specific facial muscles. The protein blocks the nerve signal that tells those muscles to contract, so they relax.

When the muscle relaxes, the skin above it stops creasing. That's why Botox works on expression lines, the wrinkles made by movement:

• Frown lines between the brows (FDA-approved for cosmetic use since 2002)
• Crow's feet at the outer corners of the eyes (approved in 2013)
• Forehead lines (approved in 2017)

Results usually start to show in 3 to 5 days and reach full effect at about 2 weeks. They typically last 3 to 4 months, as the nerve endings gradually recover.

One thing Botox does not do is change the skin itself. It does not add moisture, firmness, or a more even tone. That is where a skincare routine comes in.

What DMSO Brings to Skincare

DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a plant-derived compound that comes from wood pulp. It is best known for one property: it passes through skin quickly and carries other ingredients along with it.

In skincare, that makes DMSO a delivery partner. Paired with a rich oil like Jamaican Black Castor Oil, it helps the castor oil's ricinoleic acid and fatty acids move past the surface of the skin, instead of sitting on top of it. The result is skin that looks and feels more deeply moisturized, softer, and smoother.

This is why DMSO is the common thread in our most intensive skin formulas. It helps the hydrators, oils, and conditioners in each formula reach further than they could on their own.

Why the Two Should Not Cross Paths

The same quality that makes DMSO useful in skincare is the reason to keep it away from fresh Botox.

Botox needs time to settle. After injection, the protein binds to nerve endings over roughly the first 24 to 72 hours. Until it binds, it can drift. Injectors already tell patients not to rub, massage, or heat the treated areas during this window, because pressure and increased circulation can move the toxin to nearby muscles.

DMSO moves things and increases local circulation. Massaging a DMSO product into a freshly treated forehead or the skin around the eyes works against everything that aftercare is designed to protect. If Botox spreads to an unintended muscle, the result can be a heavy brow or a drooping eyelid that lasts until the Botox wears off.

No published study has tested DMSO and Botox together. That's exactly why a conservative approach makes sense.

How to Time Your Routine

• Before your appointment: Skip DMSO products on your face for a day or two, so you arrive with clean, calm skin.
• First 2 weeks after Botox: Keep DMSO products off the forehead, the area between the brows, and the skin around the eyes. Two weeks is when Botox reaches full effect.
• Everywhere else: Hands, arms, neck, décolletage, and body are fair game during those two weeks.
• After 2 weeks: Bring your full routine back to your face.
• When in doubt: Ask your injector. They know your dose and exactly where it was placed.

Botox Relaxes. Skincare Restores.

Botox and a good skin routine aren't competitors. They do different jobs. Botox softens the lines made by movement. A nourishing routine supports the look of the skin itself: its moisture, its firmness, and its tone.

Our Severe Skin Combo is our most intensive skin routine, built for skin that looks thin, crepey, sun-weathered, or uneven:

• 2•2•2 Max Hydration: Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, and DMSO at 2% each, for a plump, bouncy look.
• Firm Believer Skin Firming Serum: Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Rosehip Oil, and 2% Hyaluronic Acid, for skin that looks firmer and brighter.
• 4060 DMSO & Castor Oil Blend: 40% DMSO and 60% Jamaican Black Castor Oil, for deep nourishment where skin needs it most.

During your two-week Botox window, use the combo on your hands, neck, chest, and arms. Then bring it back to your face once your results have settled.

Have questions? Join our live Q&A every Thursday from 7 to 8:30pm Eastern on Zoom.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Follow your injector's aftercare instructions.