What to Expect – Downtime & Discomfort

Downtime and discomfort vary by procedure, ranging from little to none to several days of recovery. During a consult, your provider will walk you through these details in depth as well as pre-care and post-care considerations. The table below can help set expectations:  

0 = None | 1 = Minimal | 2 = Mild | 3 = Moderate | 4 = Significant | 5 = Intense (short-lived but strong)

Injectables

Treatment	Typical Downtime	Post-Treatment Appearance & Sensations	Discomfort Level
Botox/Dysport/Neurotoxins	None	Small bumps at injection sites for 20–30 minutes; possible minor bruising	1/5
HA Dermal Fillers	2-7 days	Swelling and possible bruising; lips swell more than other areas	3/5
Sculptra	3-7 days	Generalized swelling, tenderness, possible bruising	3/5
Kybella	3–14 days	Moderate–significant swelling under chin, tenderness, firmness	4/5
PDO Threads	3–10 days	Swelling, bruising, tenderness, tight sensation. Possible skin puckering early on and soreness	4/5
O-Shot & P-Shot	0–2 day	Mild swelling or spotting possible same day	2/5

Laser & Energy

Treatment	Typical Downtime	Post-Treatment Appearance & Sensations	Discomfort Level
HALO (Sciton Hybrid Laser)	3–7 days	Redness, swelling, sandpaper texture, bronzing and peeling	3/5
BBL (Sciton IPL)	1–5 days	Mild redness; darkened pigment (looks like coffee grounds) before flaking	2/5
TRL (Sciton Resurfacing Laser)	7–10 days (depends on depth)	Redness, swelling, peeling; deeper treatments may involve oozing and prolonged redness	4/5
V-Beam (Pulsed Dye Laser)	3–5 days	Redness, swelling	2/5
Laser Hair Removal	Few hours	Redness and mild follicular swelling	2/5

Skin Rejuvenation

Treatment	Typical Downtime	Post-Treatment Appearance & Sensations	Discomfort Level
Microneedling	3-5 days	Redness, mild swelling, light flaking	3/5
Morpheus8 (RF Microneedling)	3–7 days	Redness, swelling, possible grid marks or small scabs	3/5
VI Chemical Peel	3–7 days	Tightness, redness initially; visible peeling days 3–7	1/5

Body Treatments

Treatment	Typical Downtime	Post-Treatment Appearance & Sensations	Discomfort Level
CoolSculpting	Minimal activity restriction; soreness about 1 week	Numbness, swelling, bruising, tingling, firmness in treated area. Mild cramping.	2/5 during, 3/5 after
MiraDry	3–7 days	Swelling, tenderness, underarm fullness; temporary numbness or lumps possible	3/5

Feminine Rejuvenation

Treatment	Typical Downtime	Post-Treatment Appearance & Sensations	Discomfort Level
ThermiVa	None	Mild warmth or swelling possible same day	1/5

Skin Tightening

Treatment	Typical Downtime	Post-Treatment Appearance & Sensations	Discomfort Level
Ultherapy	1–3 days	Mild swelling, tenderness, or tingling beneath the skin	3/5

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