January 22, 2024

Botox for Hooded Eyes: Does It Work?

Written by Dr. Smita Ramanadham. Posted in Blog.

Many people have extra skin on the upper eyelids as they age. As you get older, the excess skin relaxes on the upper lids, sometimes giving the eyes a hooded appearance.

Friends and family may inquire if you’re tired or upset, which can be upsetting! They might be responding to your ‘hooded eyes’ when you feel well-rested and happy.

Patients with hooded eyes often ask about using Botox to improve the appearance of the upper eyelids. So let’s take a closer look below.

Why Do People Get Hooded Eyelids?

We all age differently. The skin gets thinner as the years pass as the body produces less collagen. Over time, skin and wrinkles will appear on the face leading to droopy eyelids. Years of sun exposure can accelerate these processes, too.

The eyelid skin can be more prone to sagging as skin becomes lax, which can cause the hooded eyelid appearance.

Some people are genetically predisposed to having more skin on the upper lid. If you are, the sagging skin and hooded appearance will be more pronounced as the brow lowers.

Those with sagging upper lids and drooping brows may look fatigued, and the problem can eventually affect one’s vision, in addition to creating the appearance of hooded eyes.

When Botox Can Make A Difference

Can botox help hooded eyes? This is a common question. Botox is a popular injectable that relaxes specific muscles in the face. Injecting small amounts of Botox around the eyes, for example, can smooth fine lines and wrinkles without upper eyelid surgery. This is often referred to as a botox brow lift. A botox brow lift can also effectively reduce lines around the mouth, in the brow, and between the eyebrows.

Benefits of Botox are:

Non-surgical: There’s virtually no recovery with Botox injections. With a botox brow lift you only need a few injections per side. Most patients can return to work that day.
Natural-looking results: Botox injections can slightly lift the eyelid skin and make the eyes look more alert as naturally as possible.
Quick results: It only takes a few days for Botox injections to kick in, so you’ll quickly see wider more alert eyes.

If you have hooded eyes because of a slight low eyebrow or minor brow drooping, a botox brow lift (as it is often called) is a potential short-term solution.

With a botox brow lift your surgeon may inject Botox into the outside of the eyebrow, which lifts the brow and upper lid slightly, this can help alleviate the appearance of hooded eyes. A botox brow lift paralyzes the muscle that makes the eyebrow droop, but it leaves the muscle that raises the brow alone.

If the plastic surgeon uses botox for hooded eyes to raise your brow only a few millimeters, the eyes will look more alert. However, you need a board-certified surgeon for this Botox procedure; overcorrection may make the previously hooded eyes look too open and alert.

Even if you can use botox for hooded eyes to fix this problem, it’s only for a short time. The neurotoxin wears off after about three months. After that, the eyebrow muscles will regain strength, and the brow will droop again. Next comes the return of your hooded eyes.

Remember, a botox brow lift is best for mild cases and younger people.

When Botox Cannot Help Hooded Eyelids

Sometimes Botox can help with hooded eyes, but not always. If you have significant sagging and drooping upper lid skin that affects the vision, you need something else. This is when a surgical brow lift is more appropriate.

The bottom line is no injectable will tighten drooping and sagging skin permanently. The only option for these kinds of drooping eyelids is eyelid surgery.

An upper eyelid lift removes extra skin and tightens the underlying muscles to give your eyes a wider, rested appearance. The procedure involves removing excess eyelid skin, moving fat, and strengthening tiny eye muscles to firm and flatten the upper lids.

The incisions are concealed in the natural folds of the upper lids, so the scars are virtually invisible after a few weeks.

You’ll enjoy long-term results with eyelid surgery, and those hooded eyes will be no more. The procedure is permanent. While your face will continue to age, you can expect your alert appearance to last for 10 years.

Other Procedures To Help Hooded Eyelids

An upper eyelid lift is the most dramatic and long-term procedure. Fortuneately, there are only non-surgical procedures that also can help the condition. Your surgeon will conduct a physical examination and determine how aggressive a procedure you need.

Eyebrow Thread Lift

An eyebrow thread lift may be an alternative to a brow lift and upper eyelid lift for certain patients.

A thread lift uses tiny surgical threads to create short-term sutures that lift the eyelid skin. There are no incisions because the threads are usually in the uppermost layer of skin.

The surgeon pulls the brows and lids up slightly to elevate the brow and support the upper lid.

Brow Filler

It also is possible for certain patients to have a brow lift with dermal fillers. A dermal filler is an injectable that uses a gel to reduce creases and wrinkles.

Dermal fillers can also slightly lift the outer brow edges to restore volume and tighten the skin. This procedure also reshapes the brow ridges, so they have more height.

The filler may support the upper lid, making the eyes more alert.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing is a non-surgical procedure that tightens the skin of the upper face. The surgeon will use a carbon dioxide or erbium laser to remove the outer skin layer. This process also stimulates new collagen production in the skin.

The treated skin becomes smoother and tighter as new collagen is made over time. The procedure can be used with an upper eyelid lift or forehead lift.

Talk to your surgeon today about Botox injections for hooded eyelids. If injections won’t do the trick, consider many other options to widen your hooded eyelids.

Questions and Answers

Can you fix hooded eyes with Botox?

Botox lifts sagging eyelids subtly, it is ideal for mild to moderate hooding, often in younger patients. Enhance results by consulting your dermatologist for combined treatments.

How can I tighten my hooded eyelids?

Strengthen your eyelid muscles by lifting your eyebrows, placing a finger underneath, and holding for seconds. Quick blinks and eye rolls provide effective resistance training.

How long does Botox last for hooded eyelids?

Botox offers temporary relief, lasting three to seven months. Droopy eyelids usually resolve in four to six weeks. Consider eyedrops like apraclonidine for eyelid concerns, not brow-related issues.

How much Botox is needed for hooded eyes?

Licensed professionals tailor Botox doses (4-8 units for outer eye, 20-30 units between eyebrows) based on facial anatomy. Precision is crucial to prevent Botox errors.

Request A Botox Consultation

Considering Botox in New Jersey? Have questions about botox brow lift cost? Dr. Smita. R. Ramanadham of SR Plastic Surgery Montclair can help you obtain the results you want. Dr. Ramanadham will go over your options and goals to determine if Botox is a fit for your personal and aesthetic goals.