Botox Not for Crow's Feet

In response to the dr. from the Texas Institute: Your information is incorrect. Before the botox I did not have puffy saggy skin under my eyes. Let me repeat: before botox I did NOT have puffy saggy skin under my eyes. Now I do and it looks terrible.

Botox can indeed make you puffy under the eyes if you have a poor snap reflex and if the injector , injected to far towards your nose.Before and after pictures should be taken and your snap test documented.It will wear off.Its a shame you had that bad experience.

Hello fi. Thank you for your insight and compassion. It does indeed sound like our injections were administered incorrectly. I just hope and pray the crow's feet area of my face returns to normal and that this Botox will completely wear off sooner than later. I welcome the return of my wrinkles!!!

Dear Penelope, If someone injected Botox on the lower lid skin (under the eyeball), the weakening of the obicularis muscle can give you the appearance of aging (the fat under the eye is partially held back by the muscle, and it will push forward creating "puffiness" of the lower eyelid skin when the resting tone of the muscle is weakened). The Botox effect will wear off in 4 months, and you should go back to how you looked before. As you continue to age, you will later notice this fat bulge, and may want it corrected by a lower blepharoplasty (fat removal alone can be done via the transconjunctival route). Because of the possibility of unmasking the presence of a weak orbital septum and lower lid fat bulge, I rarely inject Botox medial to the lateral canthus. (Basically, I reserve this only for cases of obicularis hyperactivity.) Generally, you should only use Botox lateral to the canthus to treat true crow's feet.

To Sheri M: I am so glad it worked for you - that must be a wonderful feeling! That is really great. You are lucky that you still smile normally. I so wish I could say the same. When did you get Botox?

I got it 6 mos ago and am ready to go again. It lasted a little over 3 mos. Did your Dr inject under your eyes? Mine specifically said under eye injections can cause puffiness. He did like a half-moon of 3 injections starting at about my temple curving along my cheekbone. I had 9 units each eye. Hope this helps!

To Sheri M: Thank you so much for sharing your information. I am glad to say yours lasted around 3 months - that means one down and only 2 to go for me! Initially my derm. did 2 injections for each crow's feet. After a week I noticed the skin under my eyes sagging and drooping so I made a follow up appt. At this time he injected a teenie tiny bit under each eye, hoping this would get rid of the new saggy wrinkles. It did not help. Maybe those injections made it worse? I am not sure. Again, I am so glad it worked for you. Is your dr. a derm. or a plastic surgeon? I bet this makes a huge difference in the results one can expect.

Hi Penelope, My doc is a derm.I have considered going to a place that has a p.a. do injections (less $) but after reading here I thought if it ain't broke don't fix it... Hopefully when yours goes away your eyes will return to normal! Most people I know only get 2 mos out of their botox the 1st time so maybe it'll be sooner for you. My doc did say that a tiny amount in undereye bags can help but too much will cause puffiness.My crows feet shots were nowhere near my undereyes, they were more down on my cheekbone and at my eye corner. Good luck and hang in there!

I too have the same problem as penelope, 5 weeks later and there is no change what so ever, I am so unhappy about it and feel like I am never going to be back to normal, it has ruined my smile, which used to be my best feature, now I look like a demented chipmunk while I smile, I am really glad it worked for you, but I would never get it done again as I just would not risk this happening to me again, I had to injections at the crows feet and one just under my eyelashes, it looked ok for about 5 days then it looked terrible, I only pray that i go back to how I used to look but as each week passes and there is no difference at all the more worried I get

From what I hear from other friends who got botox as well as my dr, it's probably the under eyelash one that did it. Everybody I knew told me DO NOT get botox in the under eye area. I feel so bad for you two, take heart it really does wear off eventually!! Do either of you know how many units you got under your eyes? Just curious.

Thank you so much, Sheri M. And I think you are absolutely right - if it ain't broke....!! Sounds like whoever did your first round of injections did a first rate job. I cannot tell you how elated I was when I read that most people only get 2 months out of their 1st treatment. This is such good news (for me, anyway)!!! Again, I am so glad your experience was a good one. And thank you a ton for your support.

Beth F., I completely feel your pain. I am in the same boat as you. I worry too that my face will never go back to normal. My smile was my best feature too. Let's hope and pray Sheri M. is right and that this stuff will wear off in 2 months. It is tough, and I know what you are going through. Hang in there.

Sheri M, I think I got maybe 2 ccs at the most under each eye? The derm said he was injecting only a tiny drop.

Sheri M I don't know how many units it was, it was a nurse that did mine, I had went to her twice before for botox for the wrinkles in between my eyebrows and was really pleased with the results, I had been nervous about getting my crows feet done, but thought it couldn't go that wrong, to be honest i didn't think she would have put any under my eyes and was really surprised when I felt the needle go in there but thought that must be the normal procedure, how wrong I was! I don't have crows feet at all now, but the effect under my eyes has been horrible. I like Penelope really hope that you are right and that it wears off in two months, that means I only have another 3 weeks left before I look normal again, as this is affecting my life so much, I don't like going out now and try not to smile as much as possible. Thanks for your kind words both of you, and Penelope lets hope we get our smiles back soon, will keep you posted x

It sounds like you are really struggling with this, Beth F. I am too. Our smile is who we are and right now we can't find that person. Do you feel any sensations yet in your crows feet area when you make facial expressions? My crows feet area feels thick and heavy but not as heavy as it used to, which is GREAT NEWS. We are getting there, Beth F.! And let me tell you, I love love love my crows feet. This experience has given me the opportunity to confront my fears and loathings about the aging process. I now love the aging process. So bring it on!

Hi Penelope, no I don't feel anything still in that area, I even hate not having crows feet! As it doesn't look right that when you smile there is no movement around the eyes, we are all so obsessed in this world now with trying to delay the aging process but our facial expresions make us who we are the crinkling round our eyes is a normal expression when we smile or laugh, when that is gone it makes us look weird....frozen. I keep running to look in the mirror each morning when I wake up to see if I am back to normal only to be disappointed when I see there is no change, I just want my old face back!! I too love my crows feet and can't wait until they return but each week seems like a lifetime. I hope we get there soon and it has really helped talking to you.

Thank you so much, Beth F. It has been so helpful talking with you too. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas about aging. I am right there with you!!! My friend sent me a clipping from an article by Eric Felten. He quotes the 19th c. critic, John Ruskin: "To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality." I have a new outlook, Beth F. Okay. Now I'm ready to have my face back. Please!

Beth, What is the time frame now for you? I had a little bit under my eye as well on March 2nd (near the lash line) and I see new wrinkles that weren't there before:( What are you doing for it other than sadly watching and hoping it goes away soon:)? Best, Amy

In the Uk its the person who does the most Botox in a week who are the most experienced. usually plastic surgeons do not do much Botox,as many Gp,s , Nurses and Dentists have cornered the market over here. Although Botox is administered directly into targeted muscles there is also a need for an 'Aesthetic ' eye for the injector to have , some simply don't possess it however qualified.

Amy, it has been 6 weeks since I had mine done, there had been no improvement at all, however over the last couple of days I have noticed that one side isn't as bad as the other now, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it means things will start to go back to normal soon, but I am still really worried that things won't go back to the way they were, I am positive that it was the injection under the lash line which caused the problem. I haven't realy being doing anything except massaging the area under my eyes and using eye masks, but really I don't think anything speeds up to process or gets rid of the botox any earlier i am afraid it is just a waiting game, I will let you know when I see any significant changes, best wishes

Hello Beth F. Sounds like things are indeed going back to normal. That is wonderful!!!!!!! I have noticed in the past 3-4 days that the skin under my eyes is nowhere near as baggy/saggy. Also, the crow's feet area feels less thick and sluggish.

Hey Beth, Are you seeing any improvements? I also think that under the lashes was a bad idea since that seems to be causing the most sagging under the eyes/ near the cheek when I smile. Do you also have bags under your eyes protruding that weren't there before? God, I hope this goes back to normal sooner rather than later! Best, Amy

Hey Sheri, Did your results slowly go back to normal over the 3 month period or did things look the same and then after the 3 months change more drastically? I want to know what I'll be seeing around the 2 1/2 month mark (for my wedding on 4/18 - I had the injections on 2/6.) I'm really hoping that I have a few crows feet back by then when I smile. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, did you have any bags or puffiness under the eyes after the Botox? I had 4 or 5 units in the crows feet area and a couple of units near the lashes of one eye. I'm not happy with the puffy/ saggy results...I'm actually devastated at what I see in the mirror these days. Can't wait to hear about what you saw during the 3 month healing process. Thanks in advance for your input! Best, Amy

Hi Amy, Yes I have the bags under my eyes that were not there before, this is what looks so awful when I smile, don't know what you think but it is as if all the fat and muscle which was under the eyes has dropped down and left bags just at the top part of the cheeks it is so horrible, as I said my left side is getting a little better and now if I try hard I can pull the inner corner of my eye up and the muscle seems to be moving a little under my eye and pulling the bags up slightly, I too like you hate what I see in the mirror as I feel like a freak, I still have no movement at the crows feet at all and I am praying that will change over the next few weeks it will be 7 weeks this friday since I had the botox, I am so scared that I will be left like this!! I know what you mean it is great to have support from others who are going through the same thing, I think Penelope kept me sane for the first few weeks x

Hi Penelope, how are things with you now? you know I can't wait until we all get to the stage where we are on here saying we are all back to normal, that will be such a wonderful day!!! Isn't it amazing how being able to share this experience with other people who you have never met, can make such a difference? x

Hello Beth F - great to hear from you and thank you for checking in. I am beginning to look more and more like my old self with each passing day. While the skin is still saggy and puffy, it is no where near as bad as it was a few weeks ago. The skin around my eyes is coming back to life. Like you, I can't wait until I have my old smile back. Thank you for sharing your journey with me. It means a lot.

Would you also agree that the person administering the injections needs to have a thorough understanding of how the facial muscles work together? Of course now, in retrospect, I see that I should have indeed done my research. Unfortunately I did not understand how my smile is created by both my eyes and my cheeks. Now that my eyes are stunned so to speak, my cheeks are doing all the work to create my smile, thus the saggy puffy under eyes. I got my injections 2/7 and they are beginning to wear off. My original smile is coming back and I can't wait to see my crow's feet again because then my eyes can smile again.

Hi Amy, it seemed to wear off gradually, it wasn't like all of a sudden one day it was gone.I guess I'm lucky I don't feel any numbness in the crows feet area. Between my brows feels funny at first, then I think I get used to it. That is the area that I noticed "thawing out"(felt funny) when the botox wore off last time. I think around 2 monthes I noticed changes and by 3 it was pretty much gone. I just had it done again, this time with no shots under the lashes! I didn't have problems before (except a bruise) but you guys scared me!If I can figure out how to post before/after pix here I will, I made sure to take good ones this time.

Thanks Sheri. I appreciate you sharing your experience with me. I think mine is wearing off (thank God!) and it has been about 6 weeks, so that makes sense. Did you see the same 'wearing off' in the crows feet area vs. under the eyes (from the injection near the lashes)? I'm curious. Best, Amy

Amaxy, the bags are more likely to be there because of the botex injections if you didn't have them beforehand. Myself and Penelope have both had that affect under our eyes after the botox, there is nothing we can do to speed up the process we just have to wait until it wears off which we have heard from a few people could be 2 months, if not it should wear off after 3 months, I totally feel for you as i understand what you are going through, good luck hope it has worn off for your wedding

Dear Amaxy, I am so sorry you had unsatisfactory results. The timing of this with your wedding on the horizon surely makes things even more troublesome for you. I totally totally totally feel for you and am extending some big time empathy towards you. You and I had our injections at almost the same exact time. I told Beth F. that the "crows feet area skin" used to feel super thick and sluggish. However, since Feb. 7 the skin feels less and less "numb" and "thick". I am using RetinA 0.25%, along with Revitalift by Loreal and Neutrogena anti-aging lotion. I am drinking all the water I can, taking my vitamins, and drinking stuff like pomegranate juice that has antioxidants. Basically, I am on an anti-oxidant "diet" if you will. And I am thinking positively and avoiding mirrors. I am right there with you and Beth F. I would absolutely NOT recommend any surgery or any other invasive procedures at this point, Amaxy. Our faces are delicate systems of carefully interrelated parts. If you knock out one part the whole delicate balance gets thrown off. My intention is to embrace the natural aging process. No longer will I buy into Hollywood's idea of "Beauty." Beauty comes from within. Together we will move through this, girls, and we will be wiser women for it.

Penelope, Thanks so much for your well wishes. What does the RetinA do? I just wish there was something we could do to help generate these nerve endings that have been deadened. I guess you're trying to help get the toxins out with these antioxidants, correct? Maybe we should look into an herbal/Chinese medicine cure?:) I think April 6th will be my 2 month mark, so hopefully much will have changed by then. What are you seeing in terms of progress? When did you have it done? Amaxy

Hello Amaxy - I had mine done on 2/7 so we, along with Beth F., are in this thing together. I told her things are beginning to return to normal for me, thank God. Read what I wrote to her when you get a chance. Let's all keep up the faith. Our smiles and gorgeous crow's feet are coming back, and I couldn't be happier. I do wish it could speed up.....!!!!