Contact & assessment

If the change is new, or on one side only

Do not book a cosmetic consultation first. A crease that has appeared over weeks, a one-sided change in a face that was symmetrical, a brow or an eyelid that has begun to droop, weakness or numbness on one side of the face, or difficulty closing the eye needs medical assessment. If there is double vision, any change in vision, or a headache with a change in vision, that assessment is urgent rather than routine, and emergency care is the right route.

Arranging an ordinary assessment

Where the lines have been present for years and both sides are broadly the same, appointments are made through the hospital outpatient line or through the appointment service described on the appointments page. Say that you are asking about the lines between the brows so that the right clinic time is booked. If you are travelling from outside Chongqing, say so when you book, because the assessment can sometimes be arranged alongside any tests in fewer visits.

What to bring

Bring a list of your current medicines and allergies, the names of any conditions you are being treated for, and any previous treatment records for the area, including relaxing injections and when they were last given, because the timing changes how the muscles are assessed. Bring your spectacles or your prescription if you have one. Old photographs of your face are more useful than you would expect, because they show whether a difference between the two sides is new or has always been there.

What happens at the consultation

Expect an examination rather than a presentation. The face is looked at completely at rest and then under a held frown, the height of the medial brow and the position of the lid edge are recorded, the two sides are compared, and the history covers sun exposure, smoking, spectacles, screen hours and previous treatment. You should leave knowing how much of the line is movement and how much is etched, whether anything should be done about it, and what the options and their limits are.

Questions without booking

Questions about the content of this site, including any correction you believe should be made to it, are welcome through the hospital administration line. Clinical questions about your own case are best answered in person, and we will say so rather than guess.