The short version
The rule
- Leave 2 weeks between Botox and microneedling
- Either order is fine – Botox first or microneedling first
Why
- Microneedling involves direct pressure and needling over the muscle
- Two weeks lets each treatment settle before the other starts
Why microneedling needs a longer gap than most things
This is one of the treatments covered under “other facial treatments” in What Not to Do After Botox, and it gets its own explanation because the reasoning is more direct than something like makeup or skincare.
Microneedling involves a device pressed repeatedly across the skin, creating controlled micro-injuries to stimulate collagen. That is a much more direct form of pressure and manipulation than daily skincare, which is why the gap is two weeks rather than 24 or 48 hours – the same category of caution as facials and chemical peels, just applied to a treatment that involves actual needling rather than just touch.
Does the order matter?
Not particularly. Some people prefer Botox first, then microneedling two weeks later once results have fully settled and can be assessed. Others prefer microneedling first, then Botox once any redness has resolved. Both are normal sequences – the two-week spacing is the part that matters, not which one comes first.
If you get both as part of a regular routine, many people settle into a pattern of alternating them roughly every six to eight weeks, which naturally keeps two weeks of separation between each.
What actually happens if you do not wait
Nothing dramatic in most cases, but it works against both treatments rather than either one specifically. Fresh Botox is still settling into place for the first couple of weeks, and pressing a microneedling device over that area is unnecessary mechanical disturbance during that window. Going the other direction, injecting into skin that is still healing from microneedling is not ideal either. Two weeks lets each treatment do its job without interference from the other.
Questions people ask
How long after Botox can I get microneedling?
Wait 2 weeks, which also gives your Botox results time to fully settle so you can see the actual outcome before adding another treatment.
Can I get microneedling before Botox instead?
Yes, either order works. Wait 2 weeks either way.
Why can’t I do both on the same day?
Microneedling involves direct pressure and needling over the treated muscle, which is unnecessary disturbance while Botox is still settling into place.
How do I schedule both if I get them regularly?
Many people alternate on a six- to eight-week rhythm, which naturally maintains two weeks of separation between each treatment.
Building both into your routine?
A nurse practitioner-led practice in Scottsdale, Arizona, offering both Botox and SkinPen microneedling.
