Did something go wrong because my eyelids are hooded from Botox in my forehead? (Photos)

Thank you for your question and pictures. It is most likely that 20 units of Botox is just too much for your forehead and caused excessive weakening leading to a brow droop which in turn has caused eyelid hooding. Another reason may be that your injection sites were too low on the forehead. I see this happen routinely when nurses and injectors use a "one-size fits all" approach to Botox injections. We are all different, our forehead muscle anatomy is different and our muscle strength is different. I have rarely had to use more than 10-15 units for a woman's forehead when strategically placed. Weakening the depressors may provide some improvement, but it may be wisest to just let the Botox wear off and start over with a more experienced injector. Best wishes.

It is difficult to tell without consistent photographs, but it usually takes about 10-14 days for the full results of Botox injections to become visible. I recommend you schedule a consultation with a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist who is an expert in facial injections if you have any concerns about the efficacy or results of your injections. With proper placement, Botox is a highly safe and effective treatment. The good news is that if you are experiencing hooding due to your injections, it is not permanent and will only last for 3-4 months. You should have all of your facial injections managed by an expert. In my practice we have over 45 lasers that we use in combination with neurotoxins, dermal fillers, microneedling, and other treatment modalities to customize treatment plans for the unique needs and goals for all of our patients.

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs and I am sorry to hear of your eyelid hooding after Botox.  Whether the injection pattern, or the amount of Botox, this most recent treatment caused your forehead muscle to weaken to where your eyebrows sagged and upper eyelid skin hooded.  This will be restored once your Botox wears off, but it may take several months.  Talk to your injector so that they can adjust your future treatments accordingly.  Hang in there!

Unfortunately you will have to wait a few months before things go back to normal. The hood thing is that it’s only temporary.

From your description your concerns are likely a combination of too much Botox and the location of the injections.  The "heavy" feeling often improves after a few weeks.  Botox is in full effect 2 weeks after treatment and gradually wears off over three to four months.

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photographs rachelstaggs8585. I understand your concern. Botox is a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with facial expression. When injected into the skin Botox will relax the muscles and smoothen out the overlying wrinkles. The most common areas of treatment are in the upper face. These include the horizontal lines seen on the upper forehead when one raises the brows, the vertical lines seen between the brows when one frowns (frown lines), and the crow's feet seen around the eyes when one smiles.
It is difficult to make an assessment in the absence of consistent photographs before and after in the same lighting and angles for comparison and without knowing the dose used and the exact placement of the product. However, I hope the information provided here is useful.The pivotal studies used 20 units of Botox in the forehead area above the brows to address the horizontal lines seen when one raises the brows. These studies demonstrated that the peak results are seen 14 days after the treatment and most people enjoy their results for 3-4 months. At that point, a maintenance treatment is recommended. While some people start to see results as early as the next day, it can take two weeks for full results so patience is important. We have our patients return two weeks after their treatment to assess their results via photographs. At that time additional units may be added if necessary. 
The pivotal studies for the horizontal lines on the upper forehead were published many years after doctors had been using Botox. In these studies, 20 units of Botox were used to treat this area. However, in my experience I find that anywhere from 10 to 20 units works well in this area. For patients with narrow foreheads a lower dose may be used and those with a broad forehead generally require higher doses. I have also found that the full results in this area are seen by two weeks. Therefore, we have our patients return two weeks after their treatment to assess the results via photographs. At that point additional units may be used if further enhancement is desired.
When patients present with concerns about specific wrinkles in the upper face such as the frown lines, I always assess and usually treat the other wrinkles in the upper face including the horizontal forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet. The reason is to maintain a harmonious and natural balance to the appearance of the upper face. The muscles in the glabella which are responsible for the formation of the frown lines serve to pull down on the inner brows when a person frowns. Similarly, the muscles around the eyes which are responsible for the formation of the crow’s feet seen when smiling (orbicularis oculi) are also responsible for pulling down on the brows, but in this case the outer brows. On the other hand, the muscle in the upper forehead which is responsible for the formation of the horizontal forehead wrinkles when a person raises the brows (frontalis) serves to pull the brows upward. If one of these muscles is relaxed with Botox and the others are not, the other muscles will still be active. This will lead to an unbalanced and unnatural appearance of the upper face where the brow can be elevated, depressed, or uneven in shape or position. Therefore, I recommend that my patients take a global approach to the upper face when receiving Botox treatments and treat all three of these areas. Sometimes bunny lines on the bridge of the nose are also treated.
When Botox is used in the upper forehead, if the dose is too high or the placement is too low it can result in the feeling of heaviness in the eyebrow or even lower the position of the brow. In order to reduce the risk of this possibility, I use a conservative dose in the area and place the product high on the forehead, sometimes near the hair line. Additionally, I recommend that my patients simultaneously receive a small amount Botox between the brows and at the corners of the brows. This will relax the muscles that pull down on the brows to counteract this effect and provide a harmonious balance to the position of the brow. The results are assessed two weeks after the treatment. If there is any asymmetry a small amount of Botox can be placed in the upper face for correction.
If I had a patient with the concern described here I would first want to know the dose and placement of the product. I suspect that it was only place in the upper forehead. In such a case I would recommend treating the glabella and crow's feet. This should help correct the heavy brows.With any injection, there are risks such as pain, bleeding, bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, and infection. We take special precautions to minimize these risks such as using a painless technique. We also treat bruises with a laser as early as the next day. Bruises usually resolve within two weeks if untreated. After a laser treatment bruises usually resolve in 1-3 days, but may still take two weeks for full resolution. In addition to these risks, with Botox there is also a risk that the product spreads or diffuses to nearby structures. Spread to nearby muscles can lead to side effects such as the temporary appearance of droopy eyelids or a temporary asymmetric smile.

After a Botox treatment, I recommend that my patients avoid heat exposure, alcohol consumption, and strenuous exercise for 24 hours and not lie down flat for four hours. This is because all of these activities may possibly lead to the movement of the product and consequent side effects such as droopy eyelids. Although there have been no definitive studies shown that these actually occur and some physicians do not provide such aftercare instructions, in the absence of data I err on the side of caution and recommend that my patients avoid such activities.

Please consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

Thank you for your inquiry.  The reason this happens is because the muscles that lift the brows have been relaxed.  This usually is a result of the placement and/or the dosing of the botox.  This is not permanent and will gradually wear off.  There are eye drops that can improve this but not totally correct the issue.  You should discuss this with your provider to avoid this from happening again.

Everyone has unique expressions. We move our facial muscles in a repetitive way and over time those repetitive movements cause wrinkles and fine lines. When you start to experience the signs of aging, Botox are available to diminish unwanted wrinkles and creases in your face.Botox lock the release of a chemical called acetylcholine, which triggers the muscle contractions that create wrinkles. Botox essentially paralyze the muscles and stops them from contracting. Results from these treatments are visible within 3-7 days with results that can last anywhere from 3-4 months. Follow up with your injector at 2 weeks to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have. 

Thank you for your message. Unfortunately, sometimes when too much Botox is placed in the forehead or too close to the brow it can cause some heaviness and weight down the brow area, leading to an appearance of hooded eyelids. Sometimes injecting a small amount of Botox in the lateral brow helps to lift the area and alleviate heaviness. The effects will wear off over time as the Botox metabolizes.