Is a diagonal wrinkle from eyebrow to hairline normal after botox? (Photos)

Question

I am a 34 yrs old and had botox for the first time this week. I am at day 6. 31 unit total were injected in my forehead horizontal lines, glabelle and nose. Than at day 3 I woke up with this weird deformation in the forehead. On the right side there is this big vertical fold. I The doctor's assistant told me not to worry, it was just something that Can happen and that it Will quickly go away Is this supposed to happen? Will it go away? I feel awful I wanted to love Botox :-(

Michael A. Burnstine, MD · Answer

Have your injector place more Botox to the muscle under your hairline and to the diagonal wrinkle. Both are under treated frontalis muscle injections. God Luck!

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

It typically will take a full two weeks for botox to fully settle.  If after two weeks the pull is still there see your injector for a touch up.

Lisa Vuich, MD · Answer

I agree fully with what the other doctors have written but would add that you also have what we call (at least in my area) the "flag sign". That's a name for the rippled look near your hairline. We call it flag sign because it looks like "fingers up saluting the (US) flag" or as a military salute in general.If this does not settle down I suggest you also speak with your injector about doing some additional units, even just 5 or so, into the upper forehead to calm this down and give a more natural look. Best,Lisa Vuich, MD

Melvin Elson, MD · Answer

This is not that unusual. when the muscles causing the frown and the forehead lines are weakened other muscles try to take over. this is called recruitment like what happens after a stroke.  It is temporary and should straighten out in about a week but if it does not then the area next to the new line can be injected

Sheryl D. Clark, MD, FAAD · Answer

Dear Karen737800:You are experiencing recruitment due to overactive musculature trying to compensate for relaxation of the surrounding muscles. This may smooth over within a week, but if not, your injector can examine you and determine which muscles exactly are involved and inject a tiny amount of #Botox to relax them. This is more likely to happen with the first treatment and with your next treatment a pattern can be chosen to avoid this from happening again.All the best,  Dr. Clark

Is a diagonal wrinkle from eyebrow to hairline normal after botox? (Photos)

Answers (9)