Swollen Eyelids After Botox. Is This Temporary?

Hi Glasgow.  It's very likely that the swelling you are describing is actually eyelid or brow ptosis (droopiness).  In some cases your injector will be able to correct this and in others you may have to wait a few weeks to a couple months fo rthis to reverse itself.  Contact your injector to schedule a checkup.

I have heard many phone calls over the years when Botox patients are convinced they have eyelid problems after Botox.  In nearly all cases, it was brow ptosis that was the problem.  Injecting orbicularis often can raise the brow back up.

Dear Firefly

If your doctor injected the forehead, this causes the eyebrows to fall.  When this occurs the upper eyelid folds will look heavy in the upper eyelids.  Generally this effect begins to diminish after a few weeks.  However, this is an undesirable effect.  For this reason, I developed Microdroplet BOTOX to actually create a forehead lift effect rather then the usual eyebrow ptosis that is associated with standard treatments.

Botox acts on the muscles in the injection site.  In the crow's feet area, there is a rare complication of lower eyelid swelling that happens in about 1% of patients.  In these patients, it appears that interfering with the activity of the orbital muscle effects the lymphatic drainage of the lower eyelid.  This leads to a puffy, tired appearance to the lower lid.  In this scenario, the puffy appearance improves as the Botox wears off, improving over 1-3 months.  The puffiness is worsened by seasonal allergies, so I find that antihistamines like Zyrtec and Benadryl can help, as can sleeping on an extra pillow.  Upper eyelid swelling is even more rare than lower lid puffiness, and can occur if the brow is dropped by Botox placed too low in the forehead.  The most important thing to do is to see the doctor that performed the procedure as soon as possible so he/she can help analyze the problem and make recommendations for improvement.

Hope that helps!
Madeline Krauss, M.D.