Does Botox in the hairline treat anything other then reducing how much you sweat at that site?

Question

I have gotten Botox about 5 times over the last several years for lines on the forehead, between the brows and crows feet. The last two times I got injections the doctor put quite a few injections in my hairline. This seems odd to me and I can't seem to figure out what lines that would treat or what effect it would have other then diminishing some sweating which is not a problem for me. Is it a way of charging me for extra units that aren't really needed?

Young R. Cho, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  I often treat the forehead lines higher up in the forehead to diminish the chance of brow ptosis.  There are several different techniques to treat the forehead lines, and I will vary them depending on the physical exam and where I see the most movement and lines.

Donald B. Yoo, MD, FACS · Answer

It's unlikely your physician is simply injecting extra Botox in unnecessary areas to charge you more.  Without being able to examine your hairline your forehead and hairline, it's difficult to make a definitive conclusion but it is possible that your hairline extends beyond the area of frontalis muscle activity.  This would necessitate some injections near the hairline to fully treat the lateral aspects of the muscle.

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  Unfortunately without an in-person examination or photographs that demonstrate the type of wrinkling you have, it is difficult to be able to answer why your doctor places injections at your hairline. I would assume it is for dynamic forehead wrinkles that can be present near the hairline.  I would recommend you speak with your injector directly and have them explain to you their treatment plan used to gain your results.

Martie Gidon, MD, FRCPC, FAAD · Answer

Botox can be used high on the forehead, even extending into the hairline if there is muscle movement there causing wrinkles when you raise your forehead.  The higher up on the forehead the injection, the less likely to have lowering of the eyebrows.  If your doctor sees lines high on your forehead or asks you to raise your forehead before the injections, it would be an appropriate treatment.

Jerrold Gendler, MD, FRCS · Answer

I would be skeptical of anyone claiming or trying to reduce sweating at the Frontal hairline . Of course Botox has been used in this location to soften horizontal furrows

Marc Cohen, MD (retired) · Answer

Botox is a great treatment for forehead lines.  However there are some important nuances to get the best treatment.  The horizontal lines of the forehead are caused by the action one large forehead muscle on each side called the frontalis muscle.  If you relax this muscle completely the lines that change with expression will go away completely.  The issue is that this muscle is also responsible for lifting the eyebrows. So a treatment can make your brows sit lower and, for some people, that can make the upper eyelid space look too full and heavy.  So it is a bit of a balancing act to get just the right amount of Botox into the right place in order to get an ideal result.Without seeing you and watching your muscles move it is not possible to give you a specific answer.  I can tell you that the frontalis muscle does go up to the hairline and treatment in that area is the least likely to make the brows lower.  What I can't say, with the information at hand, is if I would suggest Botox treatment that high up on your forehead.  Your best bet is to discuss this with your doctor so you understand why the treatment is being done in a certain way.Hope this is helpful.

Does Botox in the hairline treat anything other then reducing how much you sweat at that site?

Answers (6)

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