The holiday season often brings a whirlwind of parties, gatherings, and family reunions—occasions where everyone wants to look and feel their best. Timing and planning are key for those considering aesthetic treatments like semaglutide for weight loss But with so many options available, a common question arises: Can you safely combine these procedures in the lead-up to the holidays?
To address this, we spoke with Jeisson Marbello, a Colombian-American facial and body aesthetics expert with over 16 years of experience. As the CEO of Banzai Spa in New York City and a nationwide specialist in cosmetic chemistry and post-plastic surgery rehabilitation, Marbello shared invaluable insights into optimizing your holiday beauty routine.
Regarding semaglutide, a treatment gaining attention for its weight-loss benefits, Marbello emphasizes that patience is crucial. On the other hand, injectables like Botox and fillers, which are popular for smoothing wrinkles and enhancing facial contours, require less lead time.
The holiday rush can also introduce additional challenges, from travel stress to festive indulgences. Marbello notes that maintaining a balanced diet and managing stress are essential to maximizing the efficacy of semaglutide. Similarly, careful aftercare—such as avoiding excessive sweating, sun exposure, and sleeping positions that put pressure on the face—is critical to preserving the results of Botox and fillers.
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Discover below the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating weight loss drugs and injectables into your self-care routine during the holiday season.
How soon before a holiday event should someone start semaglutide for noticeable results?
Semaglutide has a very complete formula. It is best to make at least four applications during one month to achieve considerable effects. Always remember that not all bodies react the same way, and results may vary from one person to another.
How far in advance should Botox or fillers be administered to avoid bruising or swelling for a big event?
Botox and fillers are procedures with different application techniques but similar absorption times in the body after application. Although both are safe to use, minor bruises can result from the fracture of a blood capillary vessel, so if we have an important event and we want to show off the results, it is best to have it done at least a week in advance.
Is it safe to combine semaglutide treatments with cosmetic procedures like Botox and fillers during the same period?
Chemically and pharmacologically, yes. In fact, fillers and Botox are treatments that can be performed regularly in the same session. But if we use semaglutide, it is advisable to wait for the results we want to achieve since considerable weight loss could negatively interfere with the results of Botox and fillers.
Are there any contraindications or risks people should know when combining these treatments?
As with all treatments, there are risks and contraindications. Let's start with the dangers: with Botox, we must avoid excess and choose the application area carefully since we can have the wrong results, affect the mobility and function of the muscles, and, worst case, botulism.
Something similar happens with fillers; they must be applied in the appropriate amount so as not to damage the natural proportion of the face and reapplication at the proper time so as not to fall into excess and so that our body has already absorbed it in the greatest possible quantity.
With semaglutide, the only contraindication that we must emphasize is that the person does not have hyper or hypothyroidism since the Tsh hormone can sabotage its results.
How might holiday stress, travel, and diet affect the efficacy of semaglutide, Botox, or fillers?
Anxiety is one of the main allies of stress. Most people wait for semaglutide to have the miraculous effect of eliminating their appetite, and this formula can indeed help stimulate the satiety hormone. Still, it is essential to have control over what we eat.
Especially for holidays, fillers, and botox, we must be aware that both must be given adequate time to see the results since the effects can be seen very soon, between 7 to 15 days, but not instantly.
Are there any aftercare precautions to consider when juggling these treatments during the holidays?
Excessive sweating, everyday positions such as suddenly lowering the head and sleeping with the face towards the pillow, and indiscriminate exposure to the sun are some of the primary precautions after injectables, which is why we should avoid saunas, severe training in the gym and turning sunscreen into our best ally.
© Getty Images / Jeisson Marbello
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