After Botox injections, the upper eyelid drooped, reasons

Causes of drooping eyelids

Expression wrinkles are attached to the bone at one end, and the other holds the skin. When impulses are received from the brain through the nerve endings, tension occurs and, as a result, the skin tightens - this is how any emotions appear on the face. Botox injections block the transmission of impulses, relaxing the muscle, smoothing out wrinkles and folds.

Eyelid ptosis is diagnosed in 15% of patients who have undergone Botox injections. When performing a procedure to lift the eyelids and correct the shape of the eyebrows, an injection is given to the orbicularis muscle, which performs the function of raising the eyelid.

It is believed that the development of eyelid ptosis is 100% caused by the inexperience of the cosmetologist performing the procedure. How quickly facial expressions are restored depends on the specialist’s mistake; usually the process takes from 2 to 4 weeks with additional methods of correcting the defect. Drooping of the eyelid occurs due to the following:

the drug was administered too close to the brow ridges;
incorrect determination of the insertion depth and incorrect needle position;
incorrectly calculated dosage of the medicine;
incorrectly identified injection points;
entry of botulinum toxin into the muscle responsible for raising the eyelid.

The muscle under the influence of the neurotoxin becomes weak, losing its functional abilities, which leads to drooping of the eyelid, and the degree of closure of the eye varies: from barely noticeable to complete closure of the eye.

Also, often the cause of eyelid ptosis is the patient’s failure to comply with the doctor’s recommendations and advice. Visiting a solarium, bathhouse, taking hot baths, lifting weights, bending over in the first hours after injections contribute to the spread of botulinum toxin to neighboring areas.

It was also found that if there was slight drooping of the eyelids before the procedure, Botox contributed to the worsening of the defect.

How long should I wait for the natural return to rise?

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Of course, in such a situation, women are interested in whether their eyelids droop after Botox, when the trouble will go away. Botulinum toxin is eliminated from the body gradually, as soon as its concentration begins to decrease, the asymmetry disappears, therefore one of the best medicines is time. The recovery process will end in two weeks, and may last for several months. It depends on the:

degree of drooping eyelid - partial or complete;
individual features of facial structure;
muscle tone;
accuracy in following the doctor’s prescriptions and recommendations.

Indications for the use of botulinum toxin

Botox is injected using a thin needle into the orbicularis oculi muscle for the following conditions:

lack of aesthetics of facial expression caused by irregular or deformed shape and bend of the eyebrows;
folds in the area between the eyebrows;
acquired or congenital pathologies associated with drooping or spasms of the eyelids;
drooping of the eyebrow line associated with age-related changes.

When deciding to have eyebrow correction, a preliminary consultation is necessary, where after examination the cosmetologist will identify existing defects and prescribe the appropriate drug and dosage.

Traditional methods

If it so happens that your eyelids droop after Botox, you can try to treat it at home, resorting to special procedures, namely, making warm compresses and inhalations using medicinal herbs.

A positive result will be obtained by applying a boiled egg in the shell, a bag of heated cereal or salt to the forehead or between the eyebrows for 15-20 minutes. The procedure should be carried out every day. But it must be borne in mind that this thermal method can be used if there is no swelling.

You can do a little massage yourself at home. First, it is recommended to apply a cream that has a tightening effect to the area around the eyes and eyelids to create additional hydration and enhance the effect. Then you need to perform circular stroking, light pinching and patting in a clockwise direction. Thanks to massage movements, the drug begins to be removed from the cells faster.

Facial inhalations performed over herbal decoctions, such as:

sage;
calendula;
chamomile.

For this procedure, one of the listed herbs should be brewed with boiling water, poured into a pan, over which you need to bend and inhale the aroma for 5-10 minutes.

Paraffin eyelid masks can help in this difficult situation. To do this, you need to melt the paraffin and add 2 drops of lavender oil. Dip napkins in the resulting mixture, apply to the eyes, do not touch the eyelashes. After the composition has hardened, remove.

Contraindications to Botox

Botox injections have the following contraindications:

intolerance to the main and additional components of the drug;
menstrual bleeding;
breastfeeding period;
pregnancy;
inflammatory processes at the site of the procedure;
hemophilia;
myasthenia gravis;
taking medications that affect blood clotting;
epilepsy;
exacerbation of chronic diseases;
acute course of diseases.

Carrying out the procedure in the presence of contraindications threatens the patient with the development of side effects, including drooping eyelids, which can be eliminated naturally only after the Botox withdrawal period has expired, namely after 5-6 months.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

If your eyelids droop after Botox, then one of the treatment methods should be physiotherapeutic procedures. Their main task is to restore the lost vital activity of muscle fibers in the shortest possible time. The most effective include myostimulation and microcurrents. The procedures are quite expensive, but with their help it is possible to quickly get rid of swelling and cope with ptosis.

All types of massage bring good results, this also applies to kneading the problem area yourself with your fingers.

Why can eyelids droop after Botox?

After a Botox procedure, complications do not arise immediately; usually on the first day of injection, the patient’s face looks attractive. But over time, changes occur: discomfort appears in the area of the eyes and forehead, the eyelids droop over the eyes, swelling is observed, attempts to open the eyes are made with difficulty, and a feeling of heaviness appears in the area where the drug was administered.

This condition can be caused by various factors; most often, eyelid ptosis develops when the procedure is performed incorrectly and the dosage of the drug is exceeded by a specialist, which indicates his lack of qualifications. Why is this happening? Botulinum toxin, once injected, has a relaxing effect on a specific muscle, helping to smooth out fine and deeper wrinkles. To eliminate defects in different areas, precise selection of the Botox injection site is required; a slight displacement can lead to drooping eyelids. This condition of the patient without assistance lasts up to six months; when corrective methods are used, ptosis disappears in 2-4 weeks.

Forms of eyelid ptosis

There are three forms of eyelid ptosis:

full - the eye is completely closed by the eyelid;
incomplete - the eye is half closed by the eyelid;
partial - the eye is covered by the eyelid by a third.

In addition, prolapse can be noted on one or both sides. Botulinum toxin has a temporary effect, so it is recommended to repeat the procedure every six months, which suggests that eyelid ptosis is a temporary defect that gradually disappears after the toxin is removed.

Complications

Mild lagophthalmos and keratitis (dry eye) are probably the most common complications after surgery and are usually easy to treat. Treatment for this problem includes the use of artificial tear supplements during the day and ointment at bedtime for a short period after surgery.

In addition, oral doxycycline may be useful in correcting meibomian gland dysfunction, which may contribute to dry eyes after surgery.

In rare cases, corneal abrasion or ulceration may develop, requiring temporary closure of the eyelids using a tarsorrhaphy procedure.

What to do if your upper eyelid droops after Botox?

Patients affected by eyelid ptosis try not to go outside and avoid any contact with people due to the unsightly appearance. With severe drooping of the eyelids, the eyes are under severe tension, which can provoke a headache.

If the eyelids droop, you must wait 5-6 months - the time for Botox to be completely removed from the body, without taking any action. However, cosmetologists and ophthalmologists have in their arsenal non-medicinal and medicinal methods for correcting drooping eyelids after Botox injections. The specialist gives recommendations, which include self-massage of the eyebrow area and the use of steam facial treatments, which will remove the neurotoxin from the body. Some patients reported positive results after using tightening masks and microcurrent therapy. With such auxiliary therapy, it is possible to get rid of ptosis in 4-6 weeks.

Ptosis of the eyelids after Botox is also corrected with the help of medications, their action is aimed at stimulating muscle contraction in this area. For this purpose, eye drops are prescribed, which include phenylephrine, lopidine and alphagan, used until the condition improves. When using medications, the eyelids return to their original state within 2-3 weeks, taking into account the characteristics of the body.

If you have drooping eyelids after Botox, you should not self-medicate; it is important to find a qualified specialist to avoid the development of complications.

The recovery time when using various methods of correcting ptosis is different for everyone; for some, facial expressions are restored within a few weeks, for others it will take at least a month - it all depends on the form and severity of the complication and the characteristics of the body.

Symptoms

In order not to confuse ptosis after injections with other pathologies, you need to know about the symptoms. The eyelid may droop either on the third day or after a few weeks. This is very noticeable. Obvious asymmetry gives the face an unpleasant, tired expression and the gaze a heaviness. In this case, blinking is impaired, as a result the eyeball is almost deprived of hydration and cleansing, as well as:

your eyes begin to hurt;
blood circulation is impaired;
headaches, strabismus and lacrimation appear.

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By location, swelling is most often unilateral, but it can also be bilateral. Thus, a situation may arise when, for one reason or another, the eyelids droop after Botox. What to do? Photos and reviews of other patients, the opinions of doctors - all this is of interest, but the main thing is not to panic.

Summing up

According to reviews from most patients, with a correctly calculated dosage and precise administration of the drug, the eyelids will not fall. Therefore, you should not be too afraid of the procedure. Moreover, safe correction methods exist and allow you to solve the problem quite quickly.

Experts advise assessing the result by photos taken before and a couple of weeks after the procedure. During this time, the swelling has time to completely subside, the skin to partially smooth out and the slight asymmetry of the eyelids, which is often observed in the first days after injections, to disappear. If even mild ptosis remains, you should seek qualified help.

Author: Svetlana Abramova

Opinion of cosmetologists

Blepharoptosis is a fairly common complication of botulinum therapy, which responds well to combined treatment in a short time. You can avoid trouble by showing vigilance, responsibility and discipline in choosing a specialist and following all his recommendations.

How to prolong the effect of treatment?

If the patient carefully follows all the recommendations and prescriptions of the cosmetologist regarding the treatment of drooping upper eyelids, then eventually this complication gradually disappears. To consolidate the result, it is advisable to listen to simple advice. One of them concerns the need to continue to massage to keep the muscles toned. Doctors recommend starting to do gymnastics specifically designed for the face - face building. It helps train muscle fibers. It is necessary to apply a firming eye cream every morning and evening. A mask using gelatin can help a lot. You should mix 1 tbsp. l. gelatin and milk. After it dissolves, add a capsule of vitamin A and E and apply the mixture to your eyelids. Once it dries, wash using warm water.