Can Botox lower the eyebrows like so? (photos)

Thanks for the question. While Botox is most frequently used to smooth away lines on the upper face, it can also be an effective method of adjusting the brow line. I often use the medication to raise the brow for patients that want to refresh their look. However, it can also be used to lower the brow line if the right muscles are targeted. This is a treatment that requires the utmost precision to produce a natural and balanced look, so make sure you work with a board-certified physician who is an expert in Botox injections.

Botox works by stopping muscle movement.  If you treat the frontalis muscle of the forehead which serves to raise the eyebrows, you may be able to achieve a lowering of the brow.  Botox injection, however, is somewhat of an art and you need an injector who has experience with the anatomy of the area.  You should make an appointment with a doctor who has experience in this area to determine the best treatment for your goals. 

Botox and Jeuveau can be used between the eyebrows (glabellar area) to smooth the vertical frown lines and also to raise the eyebrows.  Using the products above that area however, in the forehead will relax the frontalis muscle which holds up the eyebrows, and therefore can lower the eyebrows.  It depends on the dose, where it is placed and the anatomy of the patient.  

Thank you for submitting your pictures and concerns.Based on the photographs you provided you would be a good candidate for Botox. It would not change the placement of your eyebrows. For the best results I would recommend you consult with a Board-certified plastic surgeon for the best results. Best of luck. 

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.Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin be used to improve:Worry lines in your forehead Lines between the eyebrows Smile lines Laugh lines from nose to mouth Crow’s feet
The furrows are caused by a different muscle group that would generally lower the brow position. If injections are done in the forehead, that muscle raises so if injected it would lower it or prevent it from pulling up. Consult with a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon to discuss your options or goals. Hope this helps.

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photographs ForwardGrown. 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 without a formal exam in the office where I can view the skin in multiple angles and observe wrinkles formed with facial expression. However, I hope the information provided here is useful.The appearance of frown lines is variable from person to person. Usually they are in a vertical orientation but sometimes they can be oblique and sometimes a horizontal line is seen across the upper portion of the nasal bridge. The most common variation is to have two parallel lines, hence the common term "11's" to describe them. But some people have one, three, or more lines. Some people also will see a bulge in the area when contracting the muscle. This bulge is smoothened out after a Botox treatment.
The pivotal studies used 20 units of Botox in the glabella area between the brow to address the frown lines. 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. 
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.
In addition to addressing various wrinkles, Botox can also be used to adjust the position and shape of the eyebrows. It works the same way as it does when addressing wrinkles, namely by relaxing muscles. In the upper forehead, there are muscles that move the eyebrows up and other muscles that move the eyebrows down. The muscle that moves the eyebrows up is on the upper forehead; this is called the frontalis muscle. It is responsible for the horizontal lines seen on the upper forehead when one raises the eyebrows. The muscles that pull down on the eyebrows are located between the eyebrows and at the corners of the eyebrows. The muscle group between the eyebrows is called the glabellar complex. There is another muscle that goes around the entire eye called the orbicularis oculi muscle. The portion of this muscle under the tail of the eyebrow is responsible for pulling down on the tail of the eyebrow. When any of these muscles is relaxes with Botox the position of the eyebrow can be adjusted. When treating the horizontal lines on the upper forehead seen when one raises the eyebrows, if the dose is too high or if the placement of the product is too low it can lead to the feeling of a heavy eyebrow, difficulty raising the eyebrow, or downward movement of the eyebrow. This can also lead to downward movement of the eyelids, making a person appear tired. It also can make it difficult to apply eye makeup. To correct this Botox is placed in the antagonistic muscles, those in the glabella and orbicularis oculi which pull down on the eyebrows. This will raise the position of the eyebrows. These two areas can be treated with Botox to provide a brow lift. To do so 4-20 units of Botox are used in the glabella between the eyebrows and 2-12 units of Botox per side are used at the tail of the brow and/or the entire crow’s feet region.
Botox can also be used to lower the position of the eyebrows. This is usually an undesired side effect which occurs. If I had a patient with the concern here I would recommend the following. Placing some Botox in the central forehead will relax the frontalis muscle that pulls up the brow. If product is not place in the outer (lateral) portion of the forehead, that part of the muscle will be able to raise the tail of the brow. This will give the desired appearance. One should note that the frown lines may appear more prominent after this.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!

Dear ForwardGrown, Thanks for sharing your photos. They  do not provide a full appreciation for resulting forehead, and peri-ocular dynamic motion. What I do see is vertical furrows and medial eyebrow downward pulling when "scowling". Botox / Dyport injections are art and science. These drugs relax the muscle fibers injected or possibly diffused into. It appears the Glabella muscle group is well relaxed, allowing the orbicularis oculi muscle to recruit and pull the brow inward and down. The art is in selecting a experienced injector who understands the dynamics, position, depth of these muscle fibers and muscle groups,  how much and where to inject. The face muscles cross over each other and run from the bone to the skin creating folds and creases which other body muscles do not. Re-evaluation 2 weeks following injection by your injector or 2nd opinion Board Certified Plastic Surgeon will assess how to correct this concern. I wish you the best. 

Yes, Botox and Dysport can be used to raise and lower in the eyebrows. That being said, most patients want their brows raise, the frown lines reduced and their eyes more open. 

In the hands of a plastic surgeon who knows the anatomy of the face extremely well, you should be able to do just about anything with the position of your eyebrows and the use of Botox. Good luck from New York City

Although we cannot place Botox to cause a furrow, we can place the Botox lower on the forehead in order to depress the brows slightly.  This basically flattens them out and creates a "heavier" brow.  This is usually what we try to avoid in women to avoid flattening their arch.  However, on men, this is not so much of an issue, and in your case, requested.  Placing Botox near/above the eyebrows will actually raise them slightly, since the corrugates and procerus muscles normally act to depress the brows.