Reducing forehead wrinkles in Amsterdam

Horizontal lines on your forehead can make you appear more worried or tired than you feel. At Cosmopolitan Clinic in Amsterdam, we soften forehead wrinkles with a wrinkle relaxer (botulinum toxin), so that your gaze looks open and calm again. Below, our cosmetic doctors explain how the treatment works, why the forehead is rarely treated separately from the frown lines, what you can expect, and what it costs.

Table of contents

  1. What are forehead wrinkles?
  2. Why the forehead is rarely treated alone
  3. How does a forehead wrinkle relaxer work?
  4. The treatment step by step
  5. Result and how long it lasts
  6. Recovery and aftercare
  7. Risks and side effects
  8. Who is a forehead treatment suitable for?
  9. Forehead wrinkles and headaches
  10. How much does a forehead treatment cost in Amsterdam?
  11. Frequently Asked Questions
  12. Personal advice in Amsterdam

What are forehead wrinkles?

The horizontal lines across your forehead come from the muscle that raises your eyebrows: the musculus frontalis. When looking surprised, expressing yourself strongly, or simply out of habit, that muscle contracts hundreds of times a day, and the skin above it folds along with it.


At first, you only see the lines during that movement. Over time, as the skin contains less collagen and elastin, they become deeper and remain visible even when your face is at rest. That is the moment when people are often told they look tired or worried, even though they feel fine.



There is another factor at play. Those who constantly raise their forehead sometimes do so unconsciously to compensate for drooping upper eyelids. The muscle is then under tension all day long, which can cause a tense feeling in the forehead.


Why the forehead is rarely treated alone

You don't hear this everywhere, and it explains why your doctor almost always suggests treating the forehead along with the frown.


The frontalis muscle is the only muscle that pulls your eyebrows up. Beneath it lie the muscles that do the opposite: the frown muscle between the eyebrows and the small muscles around the eye socket pull the eyebrow down. Normally, these two keep each other in balance.


If you relax only the frontalis, the upward pulling force disappears while the downward pullers continue to work. The result can be that the eyebrow sits somewhat lower and the gaze appears heavier, exactly the opposite of what you wanted. By treating the forehead and the frown in a balanced way, that equilibrium is preserved.


For you, this means primarily one thing: do not be tempted into a standalone forehead treatment based solely on price. A doctor who first assesses your facial expressions and then decides which areas to target will yield a more natural result.


How does a forehead wrinkle relaxer work?

A wrinkle relaxer contains botulinum toxin. This substance temporarily interrupts the signal from the nerve to the muscle, causing the muscle to contract less forcefully. The skin above gets a rest and the lines become softer.


It is emphatically not a filler. The line is not injected; instead, the movement causing it becomes calmer. That is why a wrinkle relaxer works excellently on lines visible when raising your eyebrows, and less well on a deep groove that remains visible even at rest. If that groove is permanent, the doctor will discuss with you whether anything additional can be done to improve skin quality.



The dosage on the forehead is deliberately restrained. The goal is a calmer forehead where you can still raise your eyebrows normally, not a stark, expressionless expanse.

The treatment step by step

A forehead treatment is quick and requires no preparation or recovery time.


  1. We begin with a consultation during which the doctor assesses your forehead in motion and at rest, and discusses what you want to achieve.
  2. You raise your eyebrows a few times so the doctor sees where the muscle works hardest and how high the lines run.
  3. The doctor determines the injection points, deliberately keeping a distance from the eyebrow so as not to affect the position of the eyebrow.
  4. The punctures are administered with a very thin needle. The number of points and units depends on your facial expression and the height of your forehead.
  5. The treatment takes about ten to fifteen minutes. Anesthesia is usually not necessary.



After that, you can immediately continue with your day.


Result and how long it lasts

The effect typically begins 24 to 48 hours after the treatment. The maximum effect is usually visible after three to ten days: a smoother forehead while your face continues to move naturally.



On average, the result lasts three to five months. After that, movement gradually returns, and you can repeat the treatment. Those who have the treatment performed several times in a row often notice that the effect lasts longer, because the muscle gets used to contracting less.

Recovery and aftercare

You can go home or return to work immediately after the treatment. For the best results, we provide a few simple tips:


  • Stay upright for the first four hours and do not lie flat.
  • Do not rub or massage the injection sites, so that the product stays in place.
  • Avoid intensive sports, saunas, and tanning beds that day.



A small bruise or some redness at the injection sites usually disappears on its own within a few days.


Risks and side effects

A forehead treatment with a wrinkle relaxer is considered safe when performed by an experienced, BIG-registered physician. Most side effects are mild and temporary: bruising, slight redness or swelling at the injection sites, or a short-lived headache.


The side effect specific to this area is the temporary drooping of the eyebrow. This is called brow ptosis and occurs more frequently in people whose skin is already somewhat sagging and in men, who typically have heavier eyebrows and a firmer forehead muscle. It recovers on its own as soon as the medication wears off. Serious side effects are rare.


Our doctors discuss this with you in advance and assess whether your eyebrow position allows for a forehead treatment. If there is no such room, we will tell you and see if an eyebrow lift is a better fit for what you want to achieve.

Who is a forehead treatment suitable for?

A forehead treatment is suitable for adults who want to soften their horizontal forehead lines and seek a fresher appearance. This is possible even with the first lines, as well as when the lines have become more clearly visible.



The treatment is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, nor for neurodegenerative disorders or muscle diseases such as myasthenia gravis, ALS, and Lambert-Eaton syndrome. An active infection at the injection site or hypersensitivity to botulinum toxin also excludes the treatment. If you are unsure whether it is suitable for you, our doctors will review this with you during the consultation.

Forehead wrinkles and headaches

Many people who raise their forehead all day recognize a tense or压迫 sensation above the eyes. In our practice, we regularly hear that this feeling subsides as soon as the muscle relaxes.


We want to be honest about this. A cosmetic forehead treatment is not a headache treatment, and we cannot promise that effect. Botulinum toxin is registered for chronic migraine, but that concerns a different, medical treatment with its own injection schedule, intended for people with at least fifteen headache days per month, of which eight or more are migraines. Its efficacy for tension headaches has not been established.



If your primary complaint is headaches and not so much a cosmetic wish, please discuss this during the consultation. We will then assess together whether our migraine treatment is relevant for you, or whether you would be better off consulting your GP or neurologist.

How much does a forehead treatment cost in Amsterdam?

A forehead treatment at Cosmopolitan Clinic in Amsterdam starts from €160. Because the forehead and frown lines work together, they are often treated in a single appointment. If you wish to address multiple areas, a package including forehead, frown lines, and crow's feet is more economical, starting from €385.


During the consultation, you will receive a price tailored to your facial expressions and the areas involved. You are under no obligation until you know what to expect.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a forehead treatment take?

The treatment itself takes about ten to fifteen minutes, including the short consultation beforehand. You can come by during your lunch break.

How quickly will I see results on my forehead?

The effect typically begins within 24 to 48 hours. The full effect is usually visible after three to ten days.

How long does the result last?

On average three to five months. After that, the movement gradually returns and you can repeat the treatment.

Why does the doctor want to treat my frown as well?

Because the forehead muscle is the only one that raises your eyebrows, while the frown muscle pulls them down. If you treat only the forehead, the eyebrow may end up sitting somewhat lower. Treating both maintains the balance.

Can my eyebrow droop after a forehead treatment?

This can occur temporarily, especially with skin that is already somewhat sagging and in men. It recovers on its own as soon as the medication wears off. The doctor will assess beforehand whether your eyebrow position allows for the treatment.

Will my face look natural?

Yes. We apply it deliberately sparingly, so that you can still raise your eyebrows normally. Only the constant contraction is reduced.

Does the wrinkle get deeper when the product wears off?

No. The muscle returns to its previous state; the line does not become deeper. In fact, with regular treatment, the lines often remain soft for longer.

Personal advice in Amsterdam

Would you like to know if a forehead treatment is right for you? Our cosmetic physicians, including Drs. Leanne Wong (Cosmetic Physician KNMG) and Drs. Melissa Gomez (BIG-registered, affiliated with the NVCG), assess your forehead in motion and at rest and create a plan that looks natural. View all our wrinkle relaxers or schedule a consultation at Cosmopolitan Clinic in Amsterdam.

Source

Claim Source
The frontalis muscle raises the eyebrows NVDV, Guideline on botulinum toxin therapy for cosmetic indications (professional guideline)
Effect begins 24 to 48 hours after treatment, maximum effect after 3 to 10 days. NVDV, Guideline for botulinum toxin therapy for cosmetic indications
Duration of action of 3 to 5 months, longer with repeated treatment NVDV, Guideline for botulinum toxin therapy for cosmetic indications
Eyebrow ptosis as a side effect, especially with existing elastosis and in men NVDV, Guideline for botulinum toxin therapy for cosmetic indications
Contraindications: pregnancy, breastfeeding, and neurodegenerative disorders NVDV, Guideline for botulinum toxin therapy for cosmetic indications
Contraindications myasthenia gravis, ALS, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, and active infection at the injection site Pharmacotherapeutic Compass, botulinum toxin A (drug register)
Registration for chronic migraine with at least 15 headache days per month of which 8 are migraine; efficacy for chronic tension headache not established. Pharmacotherapeutic compass, botulinum toxins A

Make an appointment

Would you like to know if the Radiesse treatment is suitable for your skin and wishes? During a personal consultation, you will receive honest and medically sound advice.


You are welcome for a no-obligation appointment at Cosmopolitan Clinic.

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