Botox Q&A
64%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
854 Reviews
Botoxbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Botox Cost: $425

Learn about Botox

3,022 people and 923 doctors are talking about Botox

Get Free Email Updates

Will the Droopiness in my Upper Eyelids Area After Botox Go Away?

asked 8 months ago by Silo
Latest answer by Ronald Shelton, MD
Question viewed 445 times
Tags: droopy eye, side effects

I had was given 20 units of botox 3 days ago for frown lines. They were given in the standard area for glabella lines. The area under my brows (upper eyelid) now seems to be saggy and puffy. I have little "hoods" of skin hanging over the outer corners of my eyes that didn't used to be there. Will this get progressively worse? How long will it take for this to start correcting itself? Is there any chance that the damage will be permanent? This was my first time ever using botox.

13 answers to Will the Droopiness in my Upper Eyelids Area After Botox Go Away?

+1

Droopy Eyelids after Botox?

Hi Silo. Yes you will recover soon and no the eyelid "hoods" you describe will not be permanent. You should discuss this issue with your injector and/or consider finding another injector as the glabella area between the eyes is the most basic of Botox injections. It should not lead to swollen or puffy eyelids. Give it 46 weeks and you should start seeing resolution. You may also want to ask your injector about Iopidine as this may lesson some of the... more
Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.celibre.com

+1

Botox droopiness of eyebrows is not permanent

It may even get more heavy in the next week. It will correct itself over twelve to sixteen weeks. The placement may have affected more of the forehead complex above the eyebrow than it should have, thereby eliminating your innate muscle's ability to keep the eyebrow/upper eyelid complex lifted. this could be technique. You should see your doctor for evaluation as normal glabellar treatment does not do this unless other areas of the forehead are treated.
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

Upper eyelid drooping is temporary after Botox injection in glabella

Silo, the lateral eyelid drooping you describe will certainly improve soon; it is unusual after injections in the glabellar area with this dose, and may be technique dependent. I would see your doctor to evaluate and discuss treatment with certain sympathomimetic eye drops, which may be helpful in the short run.
Harrison C. Putman III, MD

Peoria Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.specialface.com

+1

Yes, Botox Droopiness will go away!

Dear Silo, The good news is that the puffiness and drooping will get better. With botox injections into the forehead, for the "11"s (frown lines), or for horizontal lines, the botox will relax the muscles. If it relaxes the muscles that elevate your forehead, then you can get some temporary drooping of the eyebrows, or puffiness of the eyelids. It usually corrects itself before the botox wears off. In my experience, it tends to get better after 2-4 weeks. If you are still... more
Jennifer Reichel, MD

Seattle Dermatologist

www.pacificdermcenter.com

+1

Botox and eyebrow droop

It is very possible that the botox was injected into the frontalis muscle( the muscle which causes transverse lines on the forehead) and this may have cause your eyebrow to descend, This will get better with time. Sometimes a little injection in the tail of the eyebrow helps to elevate the brow a bit.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Sagging of Upper Eyelids after Botox

Sagging of the upper eyelids after Botox is always temporary and the duration of of this side effect is usually less than the normal muscle weakness after the injections. Ask your physician about the use of Iopidine eye drops to minimize the complication.
Richard W. Fleming, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Droopiness of Upper Eyelids

I would suggest you revisit your injector after 7-10 days so the full effects of the Botox can kick in and you can see what will have resolved as more of it is absorbed and settles, so to speak. Additionally, your injector can see if he or she should place your Botox differently next time. If you actually have an eyelid droopiness, there are Rx eye drops that can be prescribed to help with that. However, if it's actually overinjection into the glabella portion, you and your injector may... more
F. Victor Rueckl, MD

Las Vegas Dermatologist

www.lakesdermatology.com

+1

Will the Droopiness in my Upper Eyelids Area After Botox Go Away?

Yes, the effects of theBotox will slowly wear off over the next several months and there's no reason for any of these effects to be permanent.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Eyelid droopiness with Botox

These effects of eyelid "drooping" or "hooding" should resolve spontaneously with time you should see improvement by 6 weeks, if not sooner). If Botox was placed in the standard locations for the glabella, brow drooping from forehead muscle relaxation would be unusual. You may be experiencing some edema of the upper eyelids as a result of fluid migration from the glabellar area. This too should resolve, however, with time.
Bryan K. Chen, MD

San Diego Dermatologist
+1

You are describing the effects of freezing the forehead.

Lymphatic pooling? I would discount that as the basis of what you are experiencing. This is pretty simple stuff: where your eyebrows sit is a tug of war between the brow lifters (the muscle in the forehead that lifts the eyebrows) and the orbicularis oculi muscles underneath the eyebrows that pull the eyebrows down. Here your treatment has too aggressively paralyzed the forehead causing the brow to fall and this is creating the heaviness you are experiencing in the... more
Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Droopiness and Botox

Silo, Yes these side effects will disappear. If the Botox has affected the forehead muscles that were elevating the brows, this effect could last for several weeks. If this has affected the eyelid muscles, speak with your physician regarding eye drops that can help minimize this side effect. Botox should be a no-downtime procedure and you should not expect this droopiness after your injections. Please call your doctor today so that he/she can examine you... more
Christina Steil, MD

Chicago Dermatologist
+1

The excessive skin you're seeing in your upper eyelids after your Botox treatment will improve.

I read your concern: First of all, 3 days is too soon to judge your final Botox result. You may be surprised to see that your heavy upper eyelids may improve on their own. If you're concerned by your appearance in a week, you should re-visit your doctor. Sometimes additional, carefully placed Botox, may be used to elevate your brows. In most patients, eyebrow heaviness will improve without further treatment in around 6 weeks from the date of your treatment. I hope this is helpful... more
Eric M. Joseph, MD

West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

It will resolve!

Remember, botox relaxes muscles. There can be transient pooling of lymph fluid since the muscles are no longer squeezing the lymph fluid like they did before the botox. You might also have some inhibition of the muscles that raise the eyebrows, or that raise the eyelid - if it's the eyelid, get some Naphcon eye drops (OTC) and try using a drop every 2-3 hours and watch it improve. If it's the forehead that is not lifting anymore, the effect will soften in a few... more
Laura Skellchock, MD

Palm Beach Dermatologic Surgeon

Ask a question