Can Use of Botox Cause Facial Expression to Change Once It Wears Off?

Question

For about 3 years I have been getting botox injections between the eyebrow about twice a year. Its been about 8 months since my last treatment and I have noticed (or rather other people have noticed) that the expression I make with my eyes has changed. I seem to make a wide eye expression (with wrinkling of entire forehead) quite often when I speak. I can only attribute this to the botox, as it is something new that I did not do before. Could it be an unintended consequence of the botox?

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

The muscles treated with botox have now returned to normal as it's been 8 months since your last treatment and it should function as it always had. Possibly even before the Botox wore off, you had retrained your muscles and were using the outer forehead to help move the eyebrows when the Botox was effective.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

It would be most helpful to study before and after photographs. Ultimately if you are open to it, this is best assessed by superimposing the correct BOTOX treatment. Over time it is most likely that facial expression will return to the state it wants to be in without the effect of BOTOX. Consider a personal consultation with a BOTOX expert also look into my patented Microdroplet method.

Teanoosh Zadeh, MD, FRCSC · Answer

Without knowing or seeing the activity of your facial expression muscles, botox will not change your facial expression overtime. However there are many different techniques of botox administration and there are areas where botox should be avoided in some patients. i.e. women with many transverse forehead lines, with low brows.

Grant Stevens, MD · Answer

Greetings~

	The use of Botox won't make you get new wrinkles or change facial expression but I have seen patients that as a result of no being able to move certain muscles have 'learned' to use others.  The areas treated wtih Botox are areas that are muscle and facial expression driven--these are for the most part, learned behaviors....so certainly, we can learn new behaviors as well.  If the area you treated previously is now smooth, or significantly better, you may just be heightenedly aware of the lines that remain and may have always been present.

	Good luck~

	Dr. Grant Stevens

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

It is unlikely that your muscles are responding that differently after the Botox has worn off.  I suggest if you are unhappy with the lines, continue using the Botox.

Can Use of Botox Cause Facial Expression to Change Once It Wears Off?

Answers (6)