I got a black eye from Botox injections that I got on April 29th. Is this normal and will it ever go away?

Certain drugs and herbal products increase the risk of bruising with these treatments.  Small bruises clear up relatively quick.  Unfortunately, not with a bad black eye.  These can take weeks to resolve, even up to 4 or 5 weeks.  While that situation is unusual, this may be the situation you are in.  Time will clear this bruise.  Unfortunately, it makes you look like the victim of domestic violence.  The deep bruises are hard to hide with make up.  Regarding the suggestion that arnica, icing, and cold compresses would be helpful, at this point the benefit for icing and cold compresses would not be helpful.  Arnica is a homeopathic medication touted to reduce bruising.  Careful clinical studies do not support that it actually does anything.  Certain light based treatments can accelerate the removal of the bruise but rather than making that expenditure, I encourage patience at this point.

Yes, there can be some bruising in this area after Botox. It may last a few weeks. In the mean time, arnica, icing, cold compresses and VBeam treatments can give improvement. Best, Dr. Emer

An actual "black eye" is not typical after getting Botox injections.  Is it possible that you bumped your head, or had some other kind of trauma, that may explain this black eye?  If you're on blood thinners (think aspirin or warfarin), then your risk of bruising is much higher. Other things that can cause dark discoloration under the eye are "allergic shiners", which can look like black eyes but are due to sinus congestion, or prominence of the normal blood vessels beneath the eyes that can be seen in folks with thinner skin in the area.

While it isn't unusual to get a bruise after any kind of injection, it isn't normal to develop a black eye. Are you on any kind of blood thinner or having you been taking Advil, Motrin or aspirin? If so, that can cause more intense bruising. Keep up with the arnica. You could try laser to dissipate the bruise in the short term. Ice is not really going to be helpful at this point. So sorry that this has happened to you. 

Thank you for your question.  I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing significant bruising after your Botox treatment.  Unfortunately, there is always a risk of bruising with any cosmetic injection.  That said, while minor, pinpoint bruising after a Botox treatment isn't uncommon, it's quite rare to get a black eye.  Are you on any blood thinners, supplements, or NSAID pain medications?Does your injector offer any laser treatments?  Certain lasers/light treatments (such as VBeam, Excel V, or BBL) can be used to help bruises fade much faster - we offer this as a complimentary service after any cosmetic injection in our clinic.  I don't generally recommend arnica products - there is little evidence to show that they are of benefit, and in any case, most homeopathic supplements commonly marketed for bruising are diluted to the point that they contain virtually no arnica to begin with.  Instead, I would recommend a vitamin K based cream, as these are far more likely to be beneficial.  Best of luck!   

Bruising can occur with any injectable treatments, including botox.  This risk is further increased if you are on blood thinners such as aspirin and/or vitamin supplements such as fish oil.  To minimize the risk, I recommend patients avoid these products for 2 weeks before treatment and to start taking oral arnica 1 day prior to treatment.  Once bruised, you may apply topical arnica to speed the recovery and/or consider treatment with a vascular laser such as Excel V.  The good news with bruising is that it will go away in a matter of days.   

A black eye is not common after a Botox injection. Minor bruising can occur if vessels around the eye are injured from the needle. If you take any blood thinning products such as ibuprofen, motrin, advil, aspirin, fish oils, and many of the supplements, bruising is more likely. If you have a bruise, sometimes lasers can limit the duration to only a couple days. Arnica will help. Ice will only be helpful in the first 24 hours or less. An experienced injector is able to see the vessels and avoid them in most cases.

A black eye is a bruise and anytime there is injection in the eye area this can occur.  taking Arnica and using compresses will help it to go away faster and eventually it will be entirely gone with no residua

Thank you for your question cmjully10. I am sorry to hear about your
situation. Botox is a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with
facial expression. With any injection there is a possibility of a bruise. Botox injections are made using small needles and bruises after Botox are usually small, can be covered relatively easily, and resolve relatively quickly. Bruises normally last 1-2 weeks and resolve on their own. I recommend that my patients avoid blood thinners for a few days before and after a treatment to decrease the risk for bruising. Arnica and cold compresses may help the bruise go away faster. In our office we treat bruises with a laser as early as the next day. This usually makes the bruise resolve more quickly. Please consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!