I cannot move my forehead and it feels tight and numb 1 week after Dysport. Is this normal? When will it clear up?

Dysport and botox both can cause heaviness in the eyebrows and varying degrees of forehead movements.  Next time have the doc inject smaller amts of the dysport so as to allow more movement for your forehead.  Don't worry , usually in a few weeks that effect improves some.  Sincerely,

David Hansen,MD

It may be that too much was used in the area, resulting in heaviness.  This can be caused by both Dysport and Botox.  This should improve over the next few months.  

Brow heaviness and forehead immobility can occur with either Botox or Dysport, both of which are brand names of botulinum toxin A made by two different companies. The toxin in each is identical; the additional proteins and exact composition or each product is (minimally) different. Each toxin works the same way--as a neurotransmitter blocker that paralyzes the muscles into which it is injected. Onset (several days usually) and duration of effectiveness (2-6 months, 4 months average) can vary with each product, but more with each patient, and even more with each injector!

If you wanted all of your forehead lines or wrinikles "gone" then that is what you got--unfortunately the "frozen," heavy feeling is the lack of muscle tone that allows your forehead to animate normally. Neither Botox nor Dysport cause numbness, which can be confirmed by stroking your forehead skin. Lack of any forehead movement may "feel weird," but describing that feeling as numb is perhaps inaccurate.

There is nothing to inject or take that will reverse the effects of botulinum toxin, but your body will make new receptors and the adverse feelings should diminish gradually over time, and be gone entirely in several months.

BTW, Dysport is NOT "another Botox." Since Botox Cosmetic brand of botulinum toxin came into the marketplace first, it achieved "name branding" similar to the first photocopiers: you "Xeroxed" something; or soda pop in the south: you aske for a "Coke" and are then asked "What kind?" Both products work well and the differences are less than the other factors noted above.