Sometimes after undergoing Botox injections, patients notice that their forehead looks shiny. However, this does not happen for every patient. What causes this shininess? Is it considered a complication? What should I do about it? The experts at Northwest Face & Body in Bellevue, WA answer.
Causes Of Post-Botox Shininess
Botox is an anti-wrinkle treatment that helps relax dynamic wrinkles to prevent static wrinkles in the future and help patients look younger. This often creates a smoothing effect, especially when treating the forehead and glabella areas. Thus, occasionally, it makes the area so even and smooth that light bounces off of it differently and causes a shininess effect.
Due to the anatomy of the most common Botox treatment areas, this usually only happens on the forehead and glabella because there is not much facial fat in these areas. Other treatment areas such as the corners of the eyes (crow’s feet) or the nose (bunny lines) are less likely to see this occur.
What Forehead Shininess After Botox Means
Forehead shininess is usually nothing to worry about. It can sometimes indicate that too much Botox was used. However, even if this is the case, it will slowly dissipate and patients should see the shininess resolve within a few weeks. If a patient find the shininess undesirable, they may consider talking with their injector about lowering their Botox dosage.
Patients may see forehead shininess even when treated adequately and correctly. Other than the potential for a patient to dislike the effect, there is nothing wrong with the shininess from the standpoint of potential complications.
Counteracting Forehead Shininess After Botox
Luckily, there is an easy way to disguise forehead shininess. Applying makeup can usually bring back balance and can alter the way light hits the forehead. Therefore, most of the time for patients who regularly wear makeup, the shininess is easily counteracted with their daily routine.
Otherwise, patients can wait for the Botox to settle and begin to slowly wear off. Since Botox results last an average of three months, patients generally see the shininess wear off fairly quickly.
If a shiny forehead is a major aesthetic concern, patients should relay this to their injector at their consultation. They can help patients craft a plan to prevent it. This can lead to undertreating though, so patients should plan to stay in good contact with their provider and come back after about two weeks to gauge the patient’s results. If dynamic wrinkles have not been fully treated and shininess did not occur, an injector may touch-up the area precisely to ensure full treatment and results.
Conclusion
Northwest Face & Body is the Eastside’s leader in surgical and non-surgical cosmetic enhancements. Our Botox injectors have years of experience in aesthetic injections and have performed a wide variety of Botox treatments including traditional ones like forehead and glabella Botox, and less common ones such as face slimming Botox and chronic migraine treatment.
To learn more and schedule a consultation with an injector at Northwest Face & Body, call us at 425-576-1700. Patients can also reach out online via chat, contact form, Price Simulator, and online booking.
