Botox is often used to treat wrinkles and fine lines on the upper part of the face. While effective at reducing signs of aging, Botox can sometimes cause hooded eyes as a side effect. Hooded eyes occur when the eyelid droops over the eyes, making them appear smaller. This gives the appearance of tired, sad looking eyes. Luckily, there are solutions to fix hooded eyes after Botox.
What Causes Hooded Eyes After Botox?
Botox works by temporarily paralyzing muscles. When injected into the forehead and around the eyes, it can relax muscles that lift the eyebrows and open the eyes. This causes the eyebrow and eyelid to become heavier and droop down over the eyes, leading to a hooded eye appearance. Several factors can increase the risk of developing hooded eyes after Botox:
- Injecting too much Botox around the eyes
- Injecting Botox too close to the eyelid muscles
- Having naturally droopy or hooded eyes
- Weakness of the forehead and eyebrow lifting muscles
The effects of Botox generally last 3-4 months. For most people, the hooded eye effect is temporary and resolves once the Botox wears off. But in some cases, improper Botox technique or injection areas can cause long lasting hooded eye issues.
How to Fix Hooded Eyes After Botox
If you develop hooded eyes after Botox injections, don’t worry. There are solutions to rejuvenate your eye area and get rid of the droopy eyelid appearance. Here are the most effective ways to fix hooded eyes after Botox:
Wait it Out
For mild cases of hooded eyes after Botox, the simplest solution is to wait it out. Botox results are temporary, wearing off in 3-4 months. As the Botox paralysis fades, the muscles that lift the eyelids will regain strength and drooping should improve. Patience is key, as it can take the full duration of Botox results to resolve.
Use Eye Drops
Over the counter eye drops can provide a temporary lift to hooded eyelids after Botox. Look for eye drops containing ingredients like phenylephrine hydrochloride or tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride. These help constrict blood vessels in the eye, shrinking tissue and lifting the eyelid up slightly. Apply eye drops up to 4 times daily for a subtle opening effect.
Perform Eye Exercises
Performing exercises to strengthen the muscles around the eyes can help lift hooded eyelids after Botox. Try repetition exercises like gently raising your eyebrows as high as possible, holding for 5 seconds and relaxing. Also look upwards and downwards as far as you can, repeating up to 5 times. Place your index fingers on your eyebrows and push up and down to further strengthen the lifting muscles.
Massage Around the Eyes
Use your ring fingers to gently massage the area above and below your eyebrows. Massage in small circular motions around the eyebrow bone. Also massage along the brow bone in outward strokes toward your temples. This stimulation can improve blood circulation and drainage around the eyes, reducing fluid buildup that causes heaviness in the eyelids.
Use Warm Compresses
Applying something warm on the eyelids can encourage muscle movement and blood flow. Soak a clean washcloth in warm water and hold against your closed eyelids for 5-10 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times daily. You can also use a warm damp towel reheated in the microwave. The warmth should stimulate blood vessels and help lift the eyelids up.
Use Eye Tape
Special eye tape adhesives can provide a temporary lift to the eyelids and brows. These tapes are applied along the brow bone and on the droopy eyelid fold. As the tape sticks to the skin, it pulls the eyebrow and eyelid up subtly. Tapes are available in disposable strips or as a roll to customize length. This gives an instant eye opening effect that can last for hours.
Try Eyelid Glue
Similar to tape, medical-grade eyelid glue can lift and hold the skin of the eyelid up. A small drop of the adhesive glue is applied above the lashes on the hooded eyelid. As it dries, it acts like an invisible stitch to pull the eyelid skin upward. This provides a quick fix for droopy eyes that can last around 8 hours. Use oil-based makeup remover to dissolve the glue.
Get Botox Antidote Injections
If hooded eyes persist longer than expected after Botox, you may benefit from antidote injections. A drug called Xeomin can be injected into the same areas as the original Botox. Xeomin contains neurotoxins that neutralize Botox, reversing its effects on the muscles. This may help lift the eyelids back up to normal position. Discuss antidote injections with the provider who did your Botox.
Have More Botox Injected
In some cases, additional targeted Botox injections can actually improve hooded eyes caused by previous Botox. A skilled provider may inject small amounts of Botox directly into the orbicularis oculi muscles along the eyelid. This weakens the eyelid muscles that are pulling it down. Done correctly, this can allow the eyelids to regain proper position.
Medical Procedures to Fix Droopy Eyelids After Botox
If you have long term, severe hooded eyes that do not respond to initial treatments, there are medical procedures that can successfully rejuvenate the eyes. An oculoplastic surgeon can perform specialized techniques to lift the eyelids back up to a more alert, youthful position.
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty, can remove excess eyelid skin and improve drooping. Through tiny incisions along the eyelid creases, the surgeon will excise a tiny strip of excess skin. This allows the remaining skin to be sutured together, tightening and lifting it up. Fat deposits can also be reduced. Recovery takes around 2 weeks of healing.
Eyelid Lifting
Some patients may not have excess skin but still require eyelid lifting. Here, the surgeon makes incisions to access the levator muscles that raise the eyelids. These muscles are tightened and adjusted to lift droopy eyelids back into proper position. No skin is removed. Stitches are removed in 5-7 days.
Brow Lift Surgery
Forehead skin can also contribute to hooded eyes. A brow lift surgically lifts low or drooping brows that are weighing down the eyelids. Through small incisions at the hairline, underlying tissues are repositioned and tightened. The eyebrows and forehead are elevated to open up the eyes. Swelling subsides within weeks.
Plasma Blepharoplasty
Plasma blepharoplasty uses plasma energy to tighten eyelid skin non-surgically. A pen-like device transmits nitrogen plasma to the skin surface. This heats the skin, stimulating tightening and lifting. There is no cutting or downtime involved. Some swelling may occur but fades quickly. Results are more subtle than traditional blepharoplasty surgery.
Chemical Peels
Applying chemical peels can improve sagging skin around the eyes. Light chemical exfoliation peels remove the top damaged layer of skin cells. As new cells regenerate, collagen growth is activated. This can tighten thin eyelid skin for a subtle lift. Multiple peels spaced 3-4 weeks apart will maximize eyelid skin rejuvenation.
Preventing Hooded Eyes with Future Botox Treatments
If you have dealt with hooded eyes after Botox before, there are ways to prevent it from future injections:
- Avoid injecting Botox too close to the upper eyelids
- Have an experienced provider who understands proper injection points
- Request a more diluted concentration of Botox
- Skip injections along the lower forehead nearest the brows
- Opt for lighter treatments spaced farther apart
- Perform eyelid exercises to maintain muscle strength
Discuss the areas to avoid and how to adjust the treatment plan at your next appointments. Proper injection technique and dilution will minimize the risk of hooded eyes.
Conclusion
Hooded eyes are a common side effect after Botox for some patients. The drooping and heavy eyelids can make the eyes appear tired and sad looking. Thankfully, there are both temporary and permanent techniques to lift the eyelids back up. Simple solutions like eye drops, exercises and eyelid tape can provide temporary relief as the Botox wears off. For persistent hooded eyes, procedures like eyelid surgery, brow lift or plasma blepharoplasty can rejuvenate the area. With proper planning and care, hooded eyelids after Botox can be corrected.