How to open up your eyes with Botox?

Eye contour anatomy

The eyebrows are made up of several muscle fibres, including the elevator and depressor muscles of the brow.

The frontalis is the elevator muscle responsible for the horizontal wrinkles of the forehead. The orbicularis, on the other hand, is a depressor muscle that pulls the tail of the eyebrow downwards, which leads to the appearance of crow’s feet.

How does Botox work to rejuvenate the eyes?

Botox acts on the muscles around the eye, weakening them and making them far less active. An injection of Botox into the forehead muscle, for example, makes the eyebrows drop rather than rise.

Contrary to what many people believe, doctors included, an injection of Botox into the elevator muscle does not open up the eyes: quite the opposite. For a harmonious opening of the eyes, Dr Hayot recommends injecting botulinum toxin into the depressor muscle, directly into the tail of the eyebrow and the crow’s feet.

Opening up your eyes with Botox

To rejuvenate the eyes, the traditional method is to inject botulinum toxin into the forehead and the crow’s feet, seeking to balance the elevator and depressor muscles. In Dr Hayot’s experience, however, the lifting effect of Botox injections on the tail of the eyebrow is short-lived: since Botox takes about 6 months to wear off, its lifting effect lasts only 3 months, that being the period during which the concentration of Botox is at its peak. After that, the lifting effect gradually disappears.

Hyaluronic acid, a long-lasting alternative to botulinum toxin

To open up the eyes lastingly, Dr Hayot increasingly prefers hyaluronic acid injections placed deep in the temporal fossa. The product injected must be dense enough to raise the tail of the eyebrows. Patients regain a more radiant gaze, with a longer duration of action than Botox injections, since hyaluronic acid injected into the temples can last up to 18 months.

An initial medical consultation with Dr Hayot, who carries out an overall analysis of your face, will help to define the best technique for opening up your eyes.