How Long Will I Have These Bags Under Eyes After Botox Injection?

Botox injected in the lower eyelids can reduce the bulging of a hypertrophic muscle, but if you are prone to periodic swelling of the lower eyelids, then Botox might exacerbate your condition by inactivating the pump action of the muscle which helps drain the fluids.

Hi Jan.  Injecting Botox under the eyes is unusual.  There are very few circumstances where this would be appropriate.  Injecting 2 units is also unusual.  This is a very low dose and would normally not cause swelling or bags.  

A picture and description of where you were injected would be very helpful in clearing up the confusion.  It should not be long until things return to normal, but if you experience further swelling or pain, be sure to return to your injector immediately.

Without knowing more specifics, I can only presume that the Botox was placed into a hyperactive orbicularis muscle below the eye, which is not commonly done but I have certainly done it with good results for carefully selected circumstances. If that is the case then the 2 unit dose was appropriate. However, if you truly had a hyperactive muscle in that area then swelling would not be expected. Discuss your concerns with your injector.

Please do not let this injector place any more treatment in the lower eyelid area.  Fillers are preferred for lower eyelid issues.  Consider finding a new injector.  Creating this type of an issues raises questions about the judgement of the injector.

This recently happened to one of my patients.It seems on exam to be from loss of some of the pumping action of the lower eyelid muscles.Had 10 units to lower crows feet out laterally by and experienced injector and Allergan Botox trainer.The edema improved rapidly and to my patients satisfaction with 20 units of Vitrase to right lower eyelid edema and 10 units to left lower eyelid edema.Thanks to Realself to allow me to research the problem and come up with a solution.Keith Denkler MDSan Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery Larkspur, CAClinical Professor of Plastic Surgery, UCSF

Lymphedema: This is a more likely possibility. When your muscles move, they pump fluid out of the area. For example when you stand still fluid can "pool" in your ankles and you need to walk to get the muscle pump working to move the fluid out of your legs. This sometimes happens around they eyes.When you lay down at night, your head tends to have more fluid in it. This can be seen by the distention of your neck veins (called Jugulovenous distention). Generally, your eyes are more swollen in the mornings due to this. During the day, gravity and your muscles (eyes blinking) tend to pump that fluid out of there. With Botox use in patients with a lot of lower eyelid and crow's feet wrinkles, the weakened action of the muscle can contribute to diminshed pump action of the muscles.

Botox injected too deeply around the eyes can cause swelling under the eyes since relaxing the muscle pump in this area will cause fluid to accumulate.  Lymphatic drainage techniques offered by some aestheticians below the eyes may help.  Sleeping on a few pillows to elevate your head and cold steeped green tea bags may also help but you will need to wait a few months until the Botox effect wears off.  Next time, fewer units of Botox placed superficially should prevent this swelling.  Please have treatment with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon who is an experienced injector.

Before treating the undereye area, I ALWAYS ask patients if they have a tendency for under eye puffiness in the morning.  This is a warning sign for possible "bags" following Botox treatment.  A snap test should also be performed by a physician prior to treatment in this area.  Avoiding salt, using an extra pillow while sleeping, and light massage/lymphatic drainage of the undereye may help.  The symptoms should start to improve in 4 weeks and should resolve in 3 months.

If the swellings under the eye are due to the fluid that accompanied the Botox, then this is likely to resolve within 2 weeks.

It would be helpful if you posted a picture.

You may have swelling after the injection and that's normal. I would give it a few more days. If you don't get better, see that doctor that injected you.