Plastic Surgery May Reduce Headaches

Many people suffer from headaches that seem to emanate from their forehead. Several plastic surgeons, including me, have noted that patients that receive Botox injections often report a decrease in their headaches. Some even go so far to say they are completely eliminated. What could be causing this? Anatomically, the sensory nerves that supply the forehead region exit from the bone just above the orbital rim (the bone around the eyeball). They are surrounded by muscles that cause midline frown lines above the nose. When these muscles contract they put pressure on the nerves, irritating them and leading to sensations of pain. Botox eliminates wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing these muscles. When they can't compress the nerves, they can't cause headaches. Voila!
We have also noted that in patients that have brow lifts where the muscles are weakened or removed, their incidence of headaches decreases. A recent study published in Plastic and Reconstructtive Surgery, looked at the effect of weakening this muscle on 49 migraine sufferers and found that 80% reported a significant reduction in headaches while fully 50% reported a complete elimination of headaches.
If you are a migraine sufferer, botox may offer significant relief. If you are a migraine sufferer and could use a brow lift you very well may be able to completely eliminate your headaches. Either way you will look better.

All the best,

Dr. Jabs