Can Botox be used to maintain natural eyelid hooding?

Question

I have always had hooded eyelids, like Kathleen Turner. Since getting glabella Botox, my eyelids have lost the hooding. My injector has tried the trick of putting a unit over the peak of my brows, which only helps a little. I'm in my 60s. Is there a way to get Botox and maintain natural eyelid hooding?

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

Botox can sometimes alter the appearance of the eyelids and brows by changing how the muscles pull in the area. In patients with naturally hooded eyelids, Botox placed in the glabella or forehead can lift the brows slightly, which may reduce or change the natural hooding. While small adjustments in technique—such as adding units to the lateral brow—can help, there is no guaranteed way to preserve the exact natural hooding effect with Botox. If maintaining your natural eyelid appearance is a priority, careful dose adjustments and precise placement are key. In some cases, alternatives to Botox or different injection patterns may be more suitable.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Botox can help with brow positioning.  While Botox can provide a conservative brow lift, it can also create more of a "heavy" brow if desired.  Make sure to visit with an experienced injector to discuss your desired look.

Behnoush Zarrini, MD · Answer

Botox can create subtle changes around the brows and eyelids, but it cannot truly “maintain” natural eyelid hooding. What’s happening in your case is that Botox in the glabella or forehead relaxes muscles that normally pull the brows downward. When those muscles are weakened, the brows can sit slightly higher, which makes the eyelids appear less hooded.
For patients who want to preserve or even emphasize a hooded eyelid appearance, it’s important for the injector to be conservative and very precise with dosing in the brow and forehead region. In some cases, avoiding Botox in the lateral forehead altogether may help, since this area contributes to brow lift when relaxed.
Ultimately, Botox is best at softening lines and balancing brow position, but not at restoring or preserving natural eyelid hooding. If maintaining a certain eyelid look is the priority, careful technique or alternative treatments may be a better fit. An in-person consultation allows us to customize placement to your exact goals.

Can Botox be used to maintain natural eyelid hooding?

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Can Botox be used to maintain natural eyelid hooding?

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Everything you need to know about Botox

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