Droopy eyelid

Shawn Allen, MD answers: Can too much Botox cause eyebrows to drop?

I have been getting Botox for about 4 years and everything has been great. This time when I got it, it made my one eyelid look like it was a double eyelid (kind of baggy).  However, I thought I noticed that my eyelid needed a lift before I went this time, but now it's worse. And both my eyes are baggy in the corners. Both my eyes feel heavy. I'm 40 years old but never had any of these problems before. Will this go away when the Botox is out? Did she give me too much??


Shawn Allen, MD
14 months ago

There are 2 ways to have this problem from Botox injections.  If the product is placed too low on the forehead, the muscle that raises the forehead (frontalis) will be inactivated and not able to lift the brow.  A droopy brow can look like a droopy lid , but usually will correct if you pull the lateral brow upward with your finger.  If it corrects by you doing this, a little Botox placed by an experienced injector into the lateral tail of the brow, into the eye muscle (orbicularis) may help relieve the downard pull somewhat. If the lid stays drooped when you pull on the forehead, then the problem is that the Botox has reached the eyelid muscle (Muller's) and this will only respond to eye drops, but only temporarily and drops need to be used frequently throughout the day.  Usually, this lid ptosis resolves quicker than the 3-4months you may have read about, somewhere in the 1-2 months range or shorter.   

The best treatment for these complications is prevention.  I recommend that you seek a board certified dermatologist or facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon when getting any cosmetic procedures performed. And please have the doctor do the injection themselves!

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