My Botox Has Gone Wrong- Eyes Are Puffy With Hooded Lids. What to Do?

Question

I had botox 4 days ago and i look terrible.I have been getting botox on and off for about 6 years now and i never had any trouble until now. I went to a different clinic, looked lovely had all the qualifications etc but im devestated with the result. when i get up in the morning my eyes are all puffy and heavy- it feels like i cant open them, my eyelids are hooded and when i try and frown i look deformed as my eyelids droop down.I still have a tiny movement in my eyebrows can anything be done?

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

You got a bad treatment. Time is generally the best solution for this. I would be very careful if someone wanted to inject you with more BOTOX to correct this. They may mean well but it can actually make your situation worse. It will take many months for the effects of this to fully resolve.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

If your forehead was treated and is lower than usual, it has brought down the eyebrows and eyelids too. If the upper eyelids are droopy without the brow, then possibly the levator muscle can be treated with a prescription Iopidine eyedrop to cause it to contract and lift up a little. If it is not the levator that was affected, and it doesn't appear to be based on your description, but just the droopy forehead, possibly injecting the glabella (between the eyebrows) if it wasn't treated, or by placing more units in the glabella and outer tail of the eyebrow will help lift the eyebrows, forehead, and wtih that the eyelid areas. It may be though, that there will be still, an ongoing drooping for a few more days as the Botox becomes more effective. Sometimes filler, injected off-label, into the outer eyebrow area can help lift the eyelids a litte. Time will make it all come back to normal, but this can take 12 weeks or more.

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

I agree with the panel that it sounds as if you were injected too low on the frontalis muscle. Time will resolve this issue, but I encourage you to notify your injector. Most injectors appreciate feedback from patients and will often do what they can to maintain a good relationship with them.

Louis M. DeJoseph, MD · Answer

The hooding and heaviness of your eyelids most likely is from injection of the forehead.  The frontalis muscle is the only muscle that raises your brows.  Botox here relaxes the horizontal wrinkles, but can drop your eyebrows.  This sounds like what happened in your case.  There is no other treatment other than time as the botox will ware off in 2-3 months.  In the meantime I suggest you go back to where you got it and let the physician take a look at you.  Hope this was helpful.   Best regards

Dr D

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! I agree with the panel that it sounds as if you were injected too low on the frontalis muscle.  Time will resolve this issue, but I encourage you to notify your injector.  Most injectors appreciate feedback from patients and will often do what they can to maintain a good relationship with them. Best of luck!

My Botox Has Gone Wrong- Eyes Are Puffy With Hooded Lids. What to Do?

Answers (7)