What are droopy eyelids? What causes droopy eyelids after Botox?This article discusses the tips to avoid droopy eyelids from Botox, including keeping off from vigorous exercises, massages, and frequently touching the injected area.
Botulinum toxin injection is the most sought cosmetic procedure after fillers. A patient can have a natural look after the treatment, which has long-lasting results. Patients seek botulinum toxin injections mostly for cosmetic purposes, but the toxin has some health benefits. Skin ageing is the main reason patients want the toxin procedure. Facial creases like a frown, bunny, surprise lines, and crow’s feet are the main signs of skin ageing. During the toxin procedure, some complications may occur, like droopy eyelids. This article will explain droopy eyelids and what the patient can do to prevent the condition after botulinum toxin.
What is Botox?
Botulinum toxin injection is a wrinkle muscle relaxer commonly known as Botox in cosmetics. Bacterium Clostridium botulinum is produced by the same toxin that produces botulism, a deadly food poisoning. In small units, the toxin is beneficial to health and cosmetics. The skin develops creases on areas where it has continually contracted due to facial expressions like smiling. Injecting the toxin into specific facial skin muscles can relax the muscles and limit movements. The toxin is a treatment and a preventative measure for facial contours. Facial contours can give patients an old, tired, or angrier appearance than they are, but after the toxin procedure, the patient will have a rejuvenated look.
Botulinum toxin does not have immediate results, but the patient can notice minor changes after three to five days, visible results after 10 – 15 days, and full results after a month. The toxin results can last for three to five months, depending on the botulinum toxin type and how often the patient does the toxin touch-up.
Droopy Eyelid
A droopy eyelid is a condition where the upper eyelid sags. A patient can notice a droopy eyelid by abnormalities on the upper eyelid, like excess saggy skin and the edge of the upper eyelid appearing lower than normal. Muscle weakness, nerve damage and looseness of the upper eyelid skin cause droopy eyelids. Ogun (2016) explained that droopy eyelids can be inborn, a normal ageing condition or due to injury or disease.
Droopy Eyelid after Botox
Droopy eyelids after botulinum toxin result from the toxin spreading beyond treatment points. Forehead and frown line treatment are the main causes of droopy eyelids. The toxin may spread to the eyebrow muscles, which control the upper eyelid causing the eyelid to drop.
How to Avoid Droopy Eyelids After Botox
Work with an Experienced Cosmetic Doctor
This will ensure the proper placement of the toxin. Injecting the wrong facial muscle can lead to paralysing the wrong muscles.
Avoid Sleeping, Touching, or Massaging the Injected Facial Muscles
Doing this can increase the risk of the toxin spreading beyond the injected areas. If massaging is required immediately after the procedure, let the cosmetic doctor do it.
The patient should inform the cosmetic doctor if they have a history of muscle weakness in the treatment area. The cosmetic doctor will plan on the injection method to use. Also, avoid sunbathing, saunas, and massage post-treatment as this will increase the risk of spreading toxins.
Droopy eyelids can occur a few weeks after the toxin procedure. If a patient notices eyelid weakness, exercising the eyelids can reduce the effect of the toxin. Gentle massaging and warmup can also help.
How to Treat Droopy Eyelids after Botox
King (2016) explained that droopy eyelids after botulinum toxin can be treated by muscle stimulation application of eyedrops.
The droopy eyelids are temporal and improve after a few months depending on the number of toxins encountered by the eyelid muscles. Avoiding touch-ups will help the condition improve earlier.
Droopy eyelids can also be treated using a botulinum toxin brow lift. The eyebrows move down in a normal ageing process. Getting botulinum toxin for forehead or frown lines can lead to droopy eyelids. Lifting the brows will also lift the eyelids.
Other Side Effects of Botox
Botulinum toxin is safe with minor side effects that result from the injection. Swelling, pain, and bruising are common at the injection site, but these effects wear off after a short period. Further effects at the injection site can be avoided by avoiding alcohol and blood thinners a week before the botulinum toxin procedure. Other minor side effects are headache, nausea, skin tightness, and swollen eyes.
Serious side effects include difficulty swallowing, vision, heart, and nerve or muscle problems. These problems occur if the toxin spreads beyond the treated area, especially when the treatment is not done correctly. The patient should immediately contact the cosmetic doctor if they start experiencing any side effects.
Frequently Asked Questions about Botox
What are the Common Side Effects of Botox?
The common side effects of botulinum toxin are minimal swelling, pain, and bruising. They occur at the injection point. Other rare effects are nausea, headache, and swollen eyes.
Is the Botox Procedure Painful?
The botulinum toxin procedure is not painful, but the patient can initially experience discomfort. The doctor may use a numbing cream and prescribe pain killers.
How Long Do Botox Side Effects Last?
The side effect of botulinum toxin affects patients differently, but the side effects wear off after a few weeks for minor side effects. Serious side effects like drooping eyelids can take longer, even months, but they occur in rare circumstances when the procedure is not done correctly.
What Is the Cost of Botox for the Face?
The average cost of botulinum toxin is £ 500, depending on the cosmetic doctor, the botulinum toxin brand, the number of injections and the depth of creases. Highly experienced cosmetic doctors charge more for their services than the less experienced.
Conclusion
Droopy eyelids can be inborn, an effect of normal ageing, or due to nerve damage. After the botulinum toxin droops, eyelids result from the toxin spreading beyond the treatment areas. Forehead and frown line treatments are the common sources of the toxin that causes droopy eyelids. The patient can avoid droopy eyelids by taking proper care of the treated areas and doing the botulinum toxin in a hospital or clinic with qualified cosmetic personnel. The patient should also inform the cosmetic doctor if they have a medical history of muscle weakness in the treatment areas. Droopy eyelids with botulinum toxin are temporal, but muscle stimulation and eyedrop medications can speed up recovery.
References
King M. (2016). Management of Ptosis. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 9(12), E1–E4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5300727/
Ogun O. (2016). Red flags in neuro-ophthalmology. Community eye health, 29(96), 64–65
MS, Lund University, Sweden
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