Heavy eyebrows after Botox?

Heavy eyebrows after Botox are one reason people avoid getting Botox injections. Injecting neurotoxins such as Botox and Xeomin only takes a couple of minutes, and it seems pretty straightforward. But giving patients the best result possible means tailoring results to their goals and anatomy. This room for artistry makes which makes Botox one of my favorite treatments to administer.

How does Botox work?

Neurotoxins paralyze the facial muscles which cause wrinkles. So if you get a little frown line between the eyebrows, paralyzing the muscle that frowns will stop that little line from forming. Although everybody has the same facial muscles, we’re all built a little differently. And that is where the artistry comes into play: I love analyzing each individual patient to see how I can give him or her the best results. One of the complaints I occasionally hear after treating a patient is that her eyebrows feel heavy. This phone call usually comes about a week after treatment, because both Botox and Xeomin take 5-7 days to take effect.

What causes heavy eyebrows after Botox?

The frontalis muscle runs from the brow line to the hair line. (The vertically oriented muscle over the forehead in the diagram to the left). Movement of this muscle is what causes wrinkles over the forehead. Botox paralyzes the frontalis, preventing it from moving, and thus preventing those horizontal wrinkles. But the frontalis muscle is responsible for raising the eyebrows.  So it makes sense that paralyzing this muscles gives you heavy brows. For this reason, I prefer to use a bit less Botox over the forehead, so that patients can still raise their eyebrows a little bit.

How long does eyebrow heaviness last?

Rest assured, heavy eyebrows after Botox are temporary. The heavy sensation will completely go away once your Botox wears off in 3 months. But it usually becomes less noticeable after a week or two. If this has happened to you, be sure to let your doctor know this happened next time you get Botox, so he or she can adjust your treatment to prevent this problem in the future.

Dr. Greer is a Plastic Surgeon who practices in Cleveland, OH. Her passion is helping moms regain self-confidence by getting rid of sagginess, wrinkles, and stubborn fat. Read more about her at www.greerplastics.org.