Can I inject Botox just to frontalis?

Question

I know people saying about muscle anatomy when talking about Botox injections. But, my glabella area is not moving, doesn't have wrinkles, so do I need to inject it while I am treating my frontlis? ( and I don't want to have heavy eyebrows)

Alan Gonzalez, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello @Gushin thank you for your question. Without a proper assessment an expert opinion is not possible. The best course of action is to consult one or several board certified plastic surgeon for more information and options tailored specifically to your needs. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD FACS

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. Muscle anatomy is very complex. When only the frontalis (which is responsible for raising eyebrows) is injected, it may cause a heavier brow. This is why the treatment is often counterbalanced by also treating the glabellar area (between the brows) to prevent brows from dropping. This is why I highly recommend only receiving treatments from reputable experienced injectors. Such experts can personalize your treatment to help you achieve your desired aesthetic goals. They will know how much product to use and where to precisely inject it to achieve the most natural-looking results. During your consultation, you should express your concerns and goals, and your provider can assess your facial profile, determine the best approach, and ensure the best possible outcome.

Oakley Smith, MD, FRCSC · Answer

You can inject botox just on the frontalis muscle, which is the muscle on your forehead responsible for elevating the eyebrows. However, this may contribute to heavy eyebrows if the other muscles in your glabellar region, responsible for depressing the eyebrows, are left to function unopposed.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

Yes, it is possible to just treat the frontalis muscle with Botox and not treat the glabellar area.  This is not an uncommon practice.

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question. In a word, yes, you can choose to only treat your forehead and not your glabella.

Sergio Gaitan, MD, FAAD · Answer

Frontalis is the one area I never treat alone. Frontalis is the only muscle that directly lifts your eyebrows. When treated you must counteract it with glabellar injections to raise that part of the brow that your frontalis injections will drop. If you don't have any wrinkles in the glabella, that area should require a minimal dose. You can take a look at my Botox results page to see some before and afters of what kind of results to expect. If you are ever in Miami, Fl we would love to help.

Begin Anew Med Spa · Answer

Hello! Great question- for best outcomes, I would suggest injecting both the glabella and frontalis. When injecting just the frontalis, the eyebrows can become heavy. The glabella also needs to be injected to help balance this out.

Joseph Batac, MD · Answer

Good day and thank you for your question. It is possible to inject botox to your forehead (frontalis muscle) without injecting into the glabellar area. I would just be cognizant of your brow position as the botox might uniformly lower your brow position depending on how low the botox is injected. Good luck with the rest of your journey!
Cheers,Dr. Joseph BatacDouble Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Sana Ali, MD · Answer

No, you do not need to treat the glabellar area if it does not have the typical '11 lines' or is not bothersome to you; you can just treat the frontalis muscle of the forehead, making sure not to inject too closely above brow in order to avoid brow ptosis (drooping brows).

Anshul Gambhir, MD · Answer

Hello Gushin! Thank you for question. Due to the complexity of muscle anatomy there is a high probability of encountering eye brow heaviness if the frontalis muscle is the only area injected. The frontalis muscle is responsible for raising the eyebrows. When the frontalis muscle is relaxed it can drop your brows and make them feel heavy. This needs to be counter balanced by treating the glabellar area (in between the brows) because when that area is treated with botox it will relax your brows upwards. You can treat in between your brows without treating your forehead, but it is highly not recommended to treat your forehead without treating in between the brows even if you are not concerned with that area. I highly recommend consulting with a board certified physician with experience so they can evaluate your anatomy, muscle strength, and movement in person. Have a wonderful day.