What to do if your eyelids droop after Botox and why this might happen

Due to the property of botulinum toxin to eliminate muscle spasms, this drug is used both in medical practice and in cosmetology. The injections contain a natural purified toxin in small doses and help correct minor skin changes. The protein acts on muscle tissue, blocking the transmission of nerve impulses, as a result, facial wrinkles relax. But sometimes problems arise. Most often it happens that after Botox the eyelids droop, and the doctor should tell you what to do.

According to statistics, after a Botox procedure, 16-18% of patients experience ptosis, or drooping eyelid. No one is immune from this side effect, since in many cases it develops for reasons beyond the control of the cosmetologist. And then the first question will be, if after Botox your eyelids droop - what to do?

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.

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.

Ptosis: symptoms and classification

It is quite difficult not to notice the development of ptosis after Botox: the upper eyelid noticeably droops, causing the palpebral fissure to become much smaller. The speed at which the defect develops varies: usually ptosis appears already on the 2nd day after the injection, but in some cases this can happen a week or two later.

There are several types of ptosis of the upper eyelid after Botox:

By location they are distinguished:

• unilateral - develops only in one eye and occurs most often;
• bilateral - appears on the eyelids of both eyes.

By severity:

• partial - the eyeball is covered by the eyelid up to the upper third of the pupil;
• incomplete - half of the pupil is closed with the eyelid;
• full - the pupil is completely closed by the eyelid.

Regardless of the type, drooping of the upper eyelid significantly impairs the quality of life and appearance, so it is important to know what to do to treat it and restore the functionality of the muscles affected by Botox injections.

Primary causes

Before carrying out a cosmetic procedure aimed at eliminating wrinkles in the eye area, the risks of side effects must be taken into account.

If your eyelids droop after Botox, this can happen for two reasons. Physiological, which are considered primary, are determined by the mechanisms of interaction of botulinum toxin with muscle fibers. One of them is complete or partial denervation of the muscle that raises the upper eyelid. In other words, its connections with the nervous system are interrupted and it is unable to contract. If this happens to only part of the muscle, then the remaining active one is not able to hold the eyelid completely, so it droops a little. If everything is denervated, then the eye closes completely.

The second reason is a decrease in the activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle and the one that drains lymph during contraction. As a result, tissue fluid and blood accumulate in them, swelling appears, which spreads to the eyelid. It becomes heavier and sinks.

The most common causes of drooping eyelids

Most often, blepharoptosis after botulinum therapy develops due to various medical errors leading to excessive action of the drug on the tissue. In particular, these include:

• Too high dosages of the drug. As a rule, they are allowed by inexperienced doctors who, when diagnosing wrinkles, cannot independently select the optimal amount of the product. In this matter, they often rely on the instructions they receive at courses or seminars from product manufacturers. On the latter, sellers and agents interested in selling more of the drug in most cases indicate inflated dosages. For example, injecting 10 units of Botox or Xeomin into the corners of the eyes or the forehead area to completely eliminate wrinkles is usually enough. At seminars and presentations of drugs, representatives of the manufacturer indicate 20-25 units for introduction into these areas, so that in the future cosmetologists will focus on these standards, use increased quantities of the drug and purchase it in large quantities. And when the doctor introduces such quantities, the muscle that lifts the eyelid is deactivated - due to high dosages, the drug distributes in the tissues more widely than the cosmetologist expects, and acts on those muscles that were not intended to be inactivated;

The amount of Botox in the corners of the eyes should usually not exceed 15 units.

• Errors in diluting the product when an insufficient amount of water or saline is used to prepare the injection solution and the strength per unit volume of the product turns out to be higher than that provided by the manufacturer. As a result, by injecting the same amounts of solution, the doctor injects large doses of botulinum toxin, which leads to an excessive effect and deactivation of non-target muscles;
• Inaccuracies in choosing drug injection sites. In this case, the doctor may accidentally hit the eyelid lift muscle with a needle instead of another muscle, or the drug may be injected not into the center of the target fiber, but into the edge, and part of it will “spread” along nearby fibers that were not initially planned to be treated.

In the latter case, by the way, the error can be caused both by insufficient knowledge of the anatomy of the facial muscles, and by anomalies in their structure and location in a particular patient. However, responsibility for the consequences here lies with the doctor: it is he who must, before the procedure, sufficiently study the features of the facial anatomy of a particular patient and the specifics of the location and contraction of his muscles.

On a note

Inexperienced cosmetologists in most cases work “point by point”, that is, they make injections into standard places, the location of which is prescribed in various manuals and textbooks. In this case, they do not take into account the individual characteristics of the location and anatomy of the patient’s facial muscles and that is why they sometimes allow the toxin to be introduced into non-target tissues. The consequence of such patterned work can be not only ptosis: situations are known when the cheeks, corners of the lips, edges of the eyes and even the muscles of the forehead sag.

A professional, knowing well the location of facial muscles, will always take into account the individual anatomical features of the patient’s face.

However, ptosis often occurs for reasons beyond the control of the doctor. The main one is the patient’s increased sensitivity to botulinum toxin. In this case, the dosages that are correct for most people are too high and lead to excessive muscle blockade, including leading to blepharoptosis. It is impossible to predict such sensitivity during the first procedure, and during subsequent procedures only the patient can report it to the doctor.

It is also useful to read: Which is better – Botox or Xeomin and how these drugs differ from each other

Another case is when the patient violates the conditions of the rehabilitation period after injections. If in the first hours after therapy a person takes, for example, a hot bath, works out in the gym, or uses unwanted pharmaceutical drugs, botulinum toxin can spread in his tissues more actively than the doctor expects, and will also affect the muscle that lifts the eyelid.

In a real situation, it is not always possible to find out the cause of ptosis. Moreover, this side effect often develops due to several reasons. In any case, understanding why blepharoptosis developed is only information for the future, when the patient chooses which office to inject Botox next time. When ptosis has already developed, it is more important to understand how complex the situation is in a particular case, whether it will go away on its own and what ways are available to eliminate it.

Secondary causes

The answer to the question of why eyelids droop after Botox torments everyone who has encountered this problem. Secondary reasons are due to the specifics of the procedure itself and rehabilitation after it. Although the principle of action of the drug is the same for all patients, in some the intervention proceeds well, while in others undesirable effects occur.

Drooping eyelids after botulinum toxin injections can result from:

Also, too high a dosage can lead to this result. In this case, this is a consequence of inaccurate injections or improper dilution of the solution. Overdose often occurs among doctors who, following a new trend, inject botulinum toxin in large doses. Although 10 units of the drug are usually enough for a pronounced effect, they administer from 35 to 50. High dosages, in addition to making the rejuvenation procedure more expensive, also increase the risk of various kinds of complications. This approach is absolutely not justified, because if the effect of 10-15 units seems too small, the missing amount can always be added a little later.

If at the very beginning there are signs of ptosis on the face, then, first of all, it is necessary to cure it, and then carry out the procedure, because initially the muscle tone is not normal.

What to do if the upper eyelid droops after Botox?

For all its popularity and effectiveness, cosmetic procedures sometimes lead to rather unpleasant consequences. Patients should know as much as possible about possible risks and how to avoid them.

Drooping (ptosis) of the upper eyelid after Botox is a fairly common side effect of anti-aging injections. You won’t be able to completely insure yourself against it, but it’s quite possible to significantly reduce your chances of encountering this problem.

Why does this happen? Should you always blame your doctor? Will it be possible to fix everything quickly and what should the treatment be? Is it true that sometimes you have to walk with half-closed eyelids for up to six months? Find out all the details on TecRussia.ru and be fully armed:

↑ Why does botulinum toxin lead to drooping eyelids?

Physiologically, the causes of ptosis after Botox injections can be:

• Excessive decrease in muscle tone. At the same time, the eyebrow may also go down, which will visually enhance the asymmetry of the face and further aggravate the situation.
• Severe swelling of the tissues of the forehead and eyelids. Muscle fibers paralyzed by botulinum toxin cannot ensure adequate outflow of venous blood and lymph. As a result, the soft tissues, heavy due to excess fluid, will pull the eyelids down, narrowing the palpebral fissure (for more details, see the article “Swelling after Botox”).

Outwardly, these conditions are very similar, but the treatment for them is fundamentally different. Therefore, it is extremely important to accurately diagnose the causes of drooping eyelids. And only a doctor can do this during an in-person examination. Independent use of remedies recommended by friends or unfamiliar Internet users without taking into account the mechanism of formation of the defect, as a rule, does more harm than good.

↑ And who is to blame for this?

The main factors that can lead to the development of the conditions described above and, as a result, drooping of the eyelid after botulinum toxin injections are the following:

• Individual reaction to the administered drug. It is no secret that the more injections are performed, the higher the likelihood of developing ptosis and other adverse consequences - complications often arise after the third, fourth and subsequent procedures, even though everything was fine before that. It is believed that “critical mass” can be achieved in 8-10 sessions performed over 3-4 years, if there was no period of complete restoration of muscle mobility between them. If at some point the eyelids, eyebrows or forehead “fell”, then most cosmetologists prefer to further limit the amount of the injected drug, as well as narrow the area of ​​Botox injection.
• Dosage too high. Ptosis in this case may result from improper dilution or careless injections of the resulting solution. It is also logical that overdose occurs more often among those doctors who follow the new trend of working with large doses of botulinum toxin. This peculiar “fashion” is instilled in cosmetologists at seminars organized by drug sellers (who, of course, are interested in selling as much as possible). So, for example, at such training events, from 35 to 50 units of Botox can be injected into the forehead area - despite the fact that only 10 units are usually sufficient for a pronounced effect. And as a result, patients who acted as models are looking for advice on specialized forums on how to raise their eyelids, eyebrows and forehead after experiments performed on them. Naturally, various schemes and methods of administering drugs to the upper third of the face have a right to exist, but high dosages not only increase the risk of various kinds of complications, but also make the rejuvenation procedure more expensive. This approach is not justified in any way: if the effect of the standard 10-15 units seems insufficient, the missing amount can always be added a little later.

• Administration of the drug “point by point”. Another distinctive feature of inexperienced cosmetologists is that they often work according to one universal marking that is used for all patients. One of these points is located approximately 1 cm from the inner edge of the eyebrow. At the same time, a person’s eyebrows themselves are not fixed: sometimes they are at the level of the bony edge of the orbit and even lower. As a result, when injections are carried out without taking into account these anatomical features, the frontalis muscle or various parts of the orbicularis oculi muscle can be “turned off”. And the result will be completely different, sometimes diametrically opposite to what was planned.
• Features of the distribution of botulinum toxin in tissues. After injection, its molecules spread to some distance from the injection points. The greater the diffusion, the higher the likelihood that not only the target muscles will be paralyzed, but also neighboring ones that were not planned to be “turned off.” This distance is different for different drugs. Botox has the smallest, Dysport has a little more, and, for example, Xeomin is officially intended only for the treatment of hyperhidrosis, since its degree of diffusion in tissues is very high.

↑ Symptoms and consequences of drooping upper eyelid after Botox injections

It is difficult not to notice this problem: visually the eyelid changes its position and moves downwards, which is accompanied by a narrowing of the palpebral fissure of varying degrees of severity. Ptosis can develop at different rates. Most often, it becomes obvious already on the second or third day after the injections, but sometimes everything happens a little slower, over 1-2 weeks. By location it is:

• unilateral, when only one eyelid is affected, the right or left eyelid - occurs in most cases;
• bilateral.

By severity:

• partial - the edge of the eyelid covers the eyeball to the level of the upper third of the pupil;
• incomplete – when approximately half of the pupil is closed;
• full – the eyelid completely covers the pupil.

This process is accompanied by a number of unpleasant secondary manifestations:

• First of all, there is a clear asymmetry of the face due to the different sizes of the palpebral fissures. Sometimes it is complemented by drooping of one of the eyebrows.
• The eyeball with ptosis is poorly cleaned and moisturized, since the blinking function is impaired (as doctors call blinking). In particularly difficult cases, this leads to the development of chronic eye irritation.
• Due to lack of control over one or both of the muscles that raise and lower the eyelids, the patient may have difficulty closing the eyes completely, and a feeling of fatigue and heaviness in the forehead and eyelids may quickly occur. A person adapts to constantly throwing back his head in an attempt to see at least something, but as a result, increased tension in the muscles of the forehead and neck leads to poor circulation, which often causes severe headaches.
• Paralysis of certain areas of the orbicularis oculi muscle causes disruption of the outflow of tear fluid through the nasolacrimal duct. This leads to constant watery eyes. If, in addition to the muscles that lift the eyelid, the oculomotor muscles are also affected during injections, then strabismus and vision problems may develop.

Of course, cases when one patient experiences all the described problems at once are extremely rare. But even each of them separately already causes noticeable discomfort.

• Bumps after botulinum toxin injection: complication or normal?
• Botox analogues: what other anti-wrinkle drugs do cosmetologists offer us?

↑ How to eliminate ptosis after Botox?

The good news is that this change is completely reversible. In most cases, a drooping upper eyelid returns to its original state within 2-3 weeks. But there is also a bad thing - this time is very individual, and it happens that the defect goes away only after 5-6 months, when the effect of the injected botulinum toxin has completely ended. Unfortunately, there is no “magic pill” to quickly and reliably correct the situation.

At the same time, doctors have several treatment methods at their disposal that can improve the appearance of the face and speed up the overall recovery of the activity of paralyzed muscles:

• Injection of another dose of botulinum toxin into the fibers that lower the “problematic” upper eyelid. In this way, the strength of the antagonist muscles can be balanced, after which the eye will begin to open normally. Another option is that for mild ptosis, you can “prick” the muscles that raise the eyebrow on the opposite side. As a result, it will also drop slightly, the size of the palpebral fissures will level out and the asymmetry will become almost invisible. True, the face in this case will look tired, but from an aesthetic point of view it is still better than obvious disproportions.
• Administration of medications that accelerate the restoration of mobility of problem muscles and/or strengthen the fibers adjacent to them. Most often for this purpose they use: Neuromidin or Proserin (injections), Neromultivit - a vitamin complex for oral administration, Apraclonidine in the form of eye drops, as well as mesotherapy cocktails with DMAE and other active substances that accelerate the restoration of mobility and muscle tone. They will have an effect when used as a course, but a miracle will not happen. For example, the use of Apraclonidine allows you to raise the edge of the eyelid by an average of 1-2 mm. For mild to moderate ptosis, this may be sufficient, but for severe ptosis, this method is only suitable as part of complex therapy.
• Physiotherapeutic procedures . Their main task is to restore lost muscle tone as quickly as possible. The most effective: microcurrents and myostimulation. The methods are quite expensive in financial terms, but they can relatively quickly cope with both ptosis and edema. All types of massage, and even kneading the problem area yourself with your fingers, give good results. Thermal procedures will also help: hot compresses, visiting a bathhouse and sauna, various warm-ups. However, it should be borne in mind that high temperatures can cause the appearance or intensification of swelling on the face.
• Surgical methods for correcting ptosis after Botox injections are not used. If hardware techniques and medications do not give the expected effect, then the patient can only wait. Usually it is possible to get rid of the symptom 3-4 weeks after the injections. In severe cases, eyelid mobility is restored only several months after the development of the complication.

↑ What to do to prevent drooping eyelids?

Unfortunately, no one is immune from this complication. But a few simple steps will help reduce its likelihood to a minimum:

• For anti-aging injections, contact only professional doctors with extensive experience working with botulinum toxin. An experienced specialist who has sufficient knowledge and values ​​his reputation, firstly, will not make technical errors and will not “mess up” with the dosage, and secondly, if any unpleasant consequences do occur, he will always help eliminate them with the most effective and in a safe way.
• If there are minor neurological symptoms: slight asymmetry of the face after a hard day, a significant decrease in facial tone due to fatigue (haggard or “aged” face), etc., it is better to postpone the procedure, since otherwise overstrained muscle fibers may react to the injections completely unpredictably.
• It is necessary to strictly follow post-procedure recommendations: some of them are aimed specifically at preventing ptosis. So, for the first day after injections, the face should not be rubbed or massaged so that the drug does not spread beyond the target muscle fibers. In addition, baths, saunas, sports and any other activities that increase body temperature are prohibited - this leads to increased swelling, which can also cause temporary drooping of the eyelid.
• If ptosis does occur, this does not mean that you will have to give up Botox completely. Contact your cosmetologist for help, and if the next session will take place with another doctor, be sure to warn him about what happened so that he uses a lower dosage.

↑ Experts' opinions:

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

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:

Does ptosis go away on its own?

Blepharoptosis, caused precisely by the action of botulinum toxin, in almost all cases goes away on its own when the effect of the drug ends. The mechanism here is the same as when restoring wrinkles eliminated by the drug: a nerve cell, the synapses of which on a specific muscle fiber were inactivated, forms new processes and new places of contact with the muscle, gradually restoring control over muscle contraction.

This is interesting

The formation of new nerve cell processes begins already on the 2-3rd day after botulinum toxin enters the nerve synapses and their inactivation. The duration of restoration of muscle activity is explained by the low growth rate of the nerve fiber - this is one of the slowest growing tissues in the body.

Consequently, at the same time that wrinkles are restored, ptosis is also eliminated, since the normal activity of the muscles injected with botulinum toxin is resumed.

After muscle activity is restored, ptosis goes away on its own, but this process takes several months.

Ways to eliminate ptosis after Botox

After Botox injections, the eyelids drooped, those who have such a complication want to know what to do. The first thing you need to do is contact a cosmetologist. After the inspection, he will establish a sequence of actions to correct the problem. Ptosis is a reversible process, but the duration of therapy is difficult to determine. Doctors have several treatment methods at their disposal, the use of which can speed up the overall restoration of energy in paralyzed muscles and improve the appearance of the face.

What is drooping eyelids after Botox (ptosis)

Drooping of the eyelid (ptosis) develops when the muscles that support the shape of the eye are disrupted. The upper eyelid droops, impairing eye opening, and drooping lower eyelid leads to dry eye. It looks ugly and causes discomfort.

What does ptosis look like, photo

The most common form of ptosis is drooping of the outer edge of the upper eyelid. The shape of the eye changes, the eyelid blocks part of the view, which leads to vision impairment. At best, the consequences of such ptosis are deterioration of appearance and inconvenience, but at worst, distortion of vision is possible - double vision, lacrimation, blurred vision.

Other forms are also possible - drooping of the lower eyelid, in which the mucous membrane of the eyelid is exposed, lacrimation, dry eyes occur, and vision deteriorates.

Administration of another dose of botulinum toxin

If after Botox the upper eyelids droop, then the cosmetologist may decide to inject another dose of the drug into the fibers that lower the upper problematic eyelid. This method will help balance the strength of the muscles, after which the eye will open normally.

There is another option that can be used for mild ptosis. The cosmetologist finishes off the muscles that raise the eyebrow on the opposite side. After this procedure, it will lower slightly, the size of the eyes will become almost the same and the asymmetry will be barely noticeable.

Ways to compensate or disguise asymmetry

There is also an original method of “masking” minor blepharoptosis, which consists of injecting botulinum toxin into the muscle that lifts the eyelid in the second eye. In this case, the eyelid will also droop slightly, which will hide the asymmetry, and as a result, the ptosis will not be noticeable.

This method also requires high professionalism from the cosmetologist and is not suitable in all cases. At a minimum, the doctor must carefully select the dosage and inject Botox so that the eyelid drops exactly to the same height as on the other eye. But the main disadvantage of this method is that with both eyelids drooping, the patient’s face will look somewhat “tired.”

For eyelid symmetry, botulinum toxin is sometimes injected into the other eye.

As a result, such compensation is only suitable for patients with a corresponding face – tall, open, with large eyes and characteristically raised eyelids. In them, a slight drooping of both eyelids will not be noticeable, and sometimes it will even brighten up the face. For people with a wide face, massive eyebrows and noticeable cheekbones, such camouflage is contraindicated - their drooping eyelids will make their face very heavy.

Drug treatment

Modern methods of correcting the situation when eyelids droop after Botox include the use of medications that will help speed up the restoration of mobility of problem muscles and strengthen nearby fibers.

For these purposes the following are often prescribed:

Course use of Apraclonidine allows you to raise the edge of the eyelid by approximately 1-2 mm. This is sufficient for mild to moderate ptosis, but for severe ptosis this method is only suitable as part of complex therapy.

Causes

Wrong rehabilitation

Swelling may occur if the patient does not comply with the doctor’s instructions:

1. For a couple of hours after the procedure, you need to maintain a horizontal position, do not lower your head, bend over or lie down. It is not recommended to sleep in a position facing the pillow. It is better to sleep on several pillows, with your head elevated.
2. Already two days before the procedure and at least two weeks after, it is necessary to completely eliminate alcohol. A minimal dose of alcohol can cause swelling.
3. At first, it is advisable to reduce water consumption, especially in the evening and at night.
4. After the procedure, for two weeks, it is important to carefully monitor your diet. Avoid spicy, salty and fatty foods. Such foods retain water in the muscles, which leads to swelling.
5. Avoid mechanical impact on facial skin.
   Under no circumstances should you touch the area where the drug was injected with your hands, or rub or massage your face.
6. It is not recommended to take antibiotics without consulting a doctor. You will learn how antibiotics affect the results of the procedure in this article.

7. 
   For some time after the procedure, you need to avoid physical activity and active sports, as they contribute to an increase in body temperature, which leads to vasodilation and, accordingly, increases swelling. Learn about sports and Botox here.

For two weeks, it is necessary to exclude temperature changes and thermal effects on the skin of the face. You should refrain from visiting baths, saunas, and do not actively sunbathe or visit solariums. The use of warming masks and steaming of the facial skin is unacceptable . You can read why visiting bathhouses and saunas is prohibited here.

Read more about what you can and cannot do after Botox in this article.

Doctor's mistakes

A doctor’s mistake during the procedure, as a result of his low qualifications, can also lead to the appearance of edema:

1. Incorrectly chosen injection site, incorrect calculation of the dosage of the drug.
2. The injection point is incorrectly determined. As a result, improper distribution of the drug in tissues occurs, which leads to complications. When performing an injection in the lower eyelid area, it is important to remember that the drug must be administered only subcutaneously; injecting Botox intramuscularly will cause complications. And the dosage of the drug in this case will be minimal.
3. A competent specialist begins the injection with a small amount of botulinum toxin.
   And only when a satisfactory result is obtained, he will add a few additional units of the drug. In case of overdose, side effects will be inevitable. And they will appear for several months until the effect of the drug wears off and the face returns to its previous state.

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.

When will this pass

Good news for those who have experienced drooping eyelids: the complication is reversible. Sometimes it goes away without specific treatment. On average, this occurs 2-3 weeks after the side effect appears, but the period varies from person to person. Rehabilitation may take a couple of months. Sometimes the eyelid returns to its correct position only after the drug has stopped working - 5-6 months after the procedure.

There are no methods that could speed up the process. The body will have to cope with the consequences of beauty injections on its own. Using folk recipes, you can only alleviate the symptoms and calm the shaken nervous system.

If you need to quickly get rid of the complication, you will have to contact a cosmetologist.

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:

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.

What to do

Removing swelling under the eyes after Botox is more difficult than usual, since they are enhanced by the effect of the drug itself. However, there are several ways to get rid of them quite effectively. But you need to wait at least 5-7 days. Otherwise, intense exposure to the periorbital zone may contribute to the spread of the drug to neighboring areas and worsen the situation.

Here are some of the most reliable methods for eliminating unwanted swelling:

Most of the procedures listed above can be done independently at home. But if the swelling does not go away within a week, consultation with a specialist is simply necessary.

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.

Why does the upper eyelid droop after Botox?

There are two reasons why ptosis of the upper eyelid appears after Botox:

In this article

• Why does the upper eyelid droop after Botox?
• Who is to blame for the occurrence of ptosis after Botox?
• Ptosis: symptoms and classification
• What are the consequences of ptosis of the upper eyelid?
• Treatment of eyelid ptosis after Botox
• How to prevent upper eyelid ptosis

• Decreased or loss of muscle tone: this can cause drooping of not only the eyelid, but also the eyebrows, so the asymmetry of the face will be much greater.
• Severe swelling of the tissues of the eyelids and forehead: muscle fibers are paralyzed due to botulinum toxin, as a result of which the outflow of lymph and venous blood becomes worse. Therefore, fluid accumulates in the tissues and pulls the eyelids down.

Treatment of ptosis of the upper eyelid after Botox (or Dysport) should be based precisely on the cause of its occurrence. It will not be possible to solve the problem without a qualified specialist. You should not try to get rid of the defect using self-selected treatment products. This will only make the situation worse.

How long does Botox last?

Botox is an anti-aging drug made from a toxic substance – botulinum toxin. Using the product in small quantities, due to temporary paralysis of muscle fibers, helps improve the overall condition of the skin and smooth out wrinkles, eliminate squint and drooping eyelids.

If negative consequences occur after an anti-aging procedure, you need to know whether Botox is completely eliminated from the body, and whether this process can be accelerated. The drug is excreted by the kidneys already 3-4 weeks after injections, but the effect can be observed from six months to 12 months.

The following factors influence how quickly Botox is eliminated from the body:

• body mass;
• metabolic rate;
• dose of the administered drug;
• patient's gender;
• immunity;
• Botox injection area.

In addition to the above factors, the person’s age should be taken into account - the younger the patient, the faster the drug will be eliminated. How often the rejuvenating procedure is performed also plays a significant role. If a person is injected with Botox more than 2 times a year, then gradually the body will become accustomed to the components of the drug, and muscle function will be restored after 3-4 months.

When is swelling natural and when is it not?

Fluid accumulation and swelling may be a normal, natural response of the body to damage and injury caused by needle insertion. It is necessary to observe the condition of the swelling for 1-2 days . The swelling caused by the action of the needle will gradually decrease and disappear after 3 days without a trace.

How many days does it take for pathology to appear?

Pathological swelling after Botox may not appear immediately, but after 7–10 days. It is at this time that the toxin begins to act on the muscles and causes them to relax. There is a disruption in the circulation of blood and lymph in the tissues, stagnation of excess fluid occurs, and swelling around the eyes occurs.

We invite you to watch a video about the occurrence of swelling after the Botox procedure:

What is the fastest way to remove the drug from the face?

These procedures bring the greatest effect 2-3 weeks after the administration of Botox (read about when it starts to work here).
In the first time after injections, on the contrary, they promote intensive distribution of the drug throughout the tissues. Microcurrent therapy is a neurostimulating method that uses pulsed electric current in the microampere range.

Microcurrents normalize muscle tone if it is insufficient or excessive . Microcurrent therapy performed after the procedure reduces the effects of the toxin by accelerating the restoration of nerve impulse transmission, activating energy metabolism and the functioning of calcium channels.

Microcurrent lymphatic drainage is considered the most effective. Using a special device, microcurrents are applied to a nozzle or gloves, with which the doctor carefully treats all areas of the face where Botox needs to be removed. In this way, metabolic processes in facial tissues are stimulated. The session usually lasts about half an hour. After 5-10 sessions, you can notice that facial expressions are restored.

Infrared laser therapy is aimed at regenerating nervous tissue and reducing the effect of muscle relaxation after Botox injections. This is one of the gentlest ways to remove botulinum toxin from the body.

Magnetic therapy stimulates metabolism and local blood flow , promotes nerve restoration and is especially effective in the treatment of diplopia, one of the most serious consequences of unsuccessful Botox injection, as it can effectively affect deep tissues.

Electromyostimulation involves the use of low-frequency pulsed electrical current, which causes contraction of muscles - smooth and skeletal, and helps restore the transmission of nerve impulses.

Ultrasound therapy is also aimed at increasing the speed of impulse transmission along the nerve , it improves blood circulation and microcirculation in tissues, improving their regeneration and oxygen supply. It is also very effective in reducing the effect of botulinum therapy.

Physiotherapy procedures that help speed up the removal of Botox from the body include hardware massage. Depending on the area requiring treatment and the patient’s health characteristics, one of its types is prescribed:

• vacuum lymphatic drainage , which uses negative pressure to stimulate lymph outflow;
• galvanization , which activates metabolic processes;
• electroiontophoresis , with the help of which substances are introduced into the dermal layer that displace botulinum toxin.

If it is not possible to visit a specialist, you can massage yourself, lightly pressing your fingers along the massage lines of the face from the center to the temples, the outer corners of the jaws and ears.

We invite you to watch a video on how to remove Botox faster:

How to withdraw quickly

But what to do if the patient is dissatisfied with the result? How to weaken the effect of Botox and return your face to its original state? Or will I have to wait several months until it completely recovers on its own? These questions concern many clients. And here are the methods the professionals suggested to us.

Massages and treatments

The easiest way to quickly remove Botox and restore muscle activity is through additional stimulation. Elementary massage helps a lot with this. It should be delicate, but regular and quite intense, affecting the muscles, and not just the upper layer of the epidermis. Oriental techniques showed themselves well: lymphatic drainage and shiatsu.

Physiotherapeutic procedures involve stimulation of muscle activity with weak pulses of electrical current: alternating or direct. This could be darsonval, microcurrents, myostimulation, etc.

During the sessions, a double effect is achieved - muscle activity is stimulated and subcutaneous blood circulation is enhanced, accelerating the removal of toxins.

Physical exercise

Properly chosen physical activity accelerates metabolism, and with it the detoxification of the body. Aerobic training gives the best effect: swimming, aqua or regular aerobics, running, ball games, exercise on exercise bikes and orbitreks, roller skating and skating, skiing. That is why it is not recommended to actively engage in sports in the first days after the procedure.

Removing Botox from the face will go even faster if you do simple gymnastics every day - facelifting. Here, the physical impact will be exerted directly on the areas where Botox was injected: forehead, chin, areas around the lips and eyes. The combination of facial gymnastics and aerobic exercises allows you to get rid of the consequences of an unsuccessfully administered drug in just a few weeks.

Taking medications

It is strictly not recommended to use this method to neutralize botulinum toxin on your own. But doctors know that there are drugs that are antagonists of neurotoxin type A. They are taken to treat botulism or as provocateurs of seizures to cause increased muscle contractions.

The safest method to get rid of Botox quickly is to take tetracycline antibiotics, which perfectly break down the toxin. But there are a number of contraindications to them, and they negatively affect the liver and kidneys.

Also for these purposes can be used: antidepressants, hormonal and antiviral agents.

Alcohol

Almost everyone knows that Botox and alcohol are incompatible. You should not drink it for at least a day before the administration of the drug and at least a week after it. But this ban is imposed in order to prevent an unpredictable reaction of the nervous system. Few people know that drinking alcohol at a later date significantly reduces the effectiveness of beauty injections.

This is due to the fact that alcohol dilates capillaries and activates blood flow. Accordingly, cells and tissues receive more oxygen, which speeds up metabolic processes. The effect of botulinum toxin can be reduced with regular use by up to 1-2 months. But is it worth trying to get rid of unsuccessful rejuvenation with a product that provokes accelerated aging of the skin and kills the liver? Everyone decides for themselves.

Side effects of anti-aging injections

Side effects from Botox can occur for a variety of reasons. In most cases, their manifestation is caused by the patient’s failure to comply with the rules of the rehabilitation period or intolerance to the active substance. However, the consequences of unsuccessful Botox, which require correction, can be the result of such medical errors as an incorrectly established puncture zone, exceeding the dose of the drug or its poor quality.

The most common side effects include:

• Asymmetry of individual parts of the face - excessive raising of the eyebrows, drooping of the corners of the mouth or cheeks;
• Diffusion of a drug is the movement of the active substance into the blood, neighboring tissues or muscles;
• Excessive tearing or excessive dryness of the eye mucosa, vision problems;
• Ptosis - excessive drooping of the eyelids, inability to open the eyes;
• Excessive drooling, numbness of the mouth and problems with speech.

It is important to accurately determine the cause of side effects in order to know how to neutralize the effects of Botox. For more serious consequences, such as anaphylactic shock, hypoxia and diseases of internal organs, prompt medical attention is required.

We invite you to watch a video from a cosmetologist about what complications may arise after Botox:

The essence of the procedure

The botulinum toxin drug is injected under the skin with a special thin needle. Botox is based on a poison that does not cause harm in minimal concentrations, but in case of an overdose can lead to serious complications.

The rejuvenation effect is associated with blocking impulses from nerve endings to facial muscles. As a result, muscle mobility decreases: although a person’s face still expresses vivid emotions, they are not accompanied by the formation of age-related folds, which we all dislike so much.

The effect lasts for 6 months or more, during which time the risk of new creases appearing is reduced, no matter how active a person’s facial expressions are.

What affects the duration of Botox removal?

Many patients remain dissatisfied that the specialist cannot answer the question of how long the results will last after the procedure. Seriously, it is impossible to predict how long it will take for Botox to be removed from the body, since this process is influenced by a combination of various factors:

1. Immunity. In any case, our body perceives Botox as a toxic substance. Therefore, immediately after its administration, the immune system begins to work intensively to neutralize the ingested poison. In patients with a good immune system, the effect of Botox will last 3-4 months. In case of weak immunity, the procedure is generally contraindicated, since even a small dosage of botulinum toxin causes severe intoxication of the body.
2. Age category. Everyone knows that after 30-35 years the speed of metabolic processes decreases. Consequently, all injected drugs will be eliminated from the body much more slowly. After 50 years, 1 procedure per year is enough to maintain a positive effect.
3. Patient's gender. Women's activity is generally lower than that of men. Consequently, after Botox is administered, it takes a little longer for a woman to completely remove it from her body than for a man.
4. The speed of metabolic processes. The faster the metabolic processes occur, the sooner the active substance is absorbed naturally. And if we take into account that most women take medications for weight loss, which speed up metabolic processes, then, accordingly, expression lines will return faster.
5. Introduction zone. The result is most quickly leveled off in the eye area, since the eyelids are constantly in motion, even during sleep. Therefore, muscle activity resumes quite quickly within 2-3 months. The result will last a little longer in the frontal area and near the bridge of the nose, if you constantly monitor your facial expressions and do not wrinkle the areas. In the area of ​​nasolabial folds, the effect will last up to six months.

The dosage of the product also plays a role in the speed of Botox removal. The less substance was administered, the sooner the result will disappear. This is where medical experience is needed. Only a competent specialist can calculate the golden mean. Therefore, it is impossible to say unambiguously how long it will take for expression lines to return.