A woman has left the internet in stitches as she revealed the aftermath of a cosmetic procedure that she said left her looking like The Grinch.

In a viral TikTok video, Ricci Lee said that she loves getting botulinum toxin (aka Botox), injections, which temporarily prevent muscles from moving and cause a smoother appearance in the area. Many people, like Lee, tend to get their foreheads injected in a bid to lessen wrinkles and lines.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), revealed there were 4,401,536 Botox procedures carried out in 2020. But there are risks that come with the pursuit of youthful-looking skin.

On January 23, Lee turned to the internet to showcase the results from her most recent Botox injections. She said that the practitioner pointed out her forehead muscles appear strong so she may end up with something that sounded like an eyebrow lift to Ricci.

But 20 days later, she was shocked to find her eyebrows were raised higher than they'd ever been.

What Is 'Spocking' After Anti-Wrinkle Treatment?

Dr. Sophie Shotter, a United Kingdom-based aesthetic doctor, spoke to Newsweek about "Spocking," a term used to describe what happened to Lee in the clip.

"'Spocking' is a potential side effect of treatment with botulinum toxin. It tends to happen when the central forehead and frown areas are treated quite comprehensively, but not enough/no product is used at the sides of the forehead," Shotter said.

"This means that the outer part of the frontalis (forehead) muscle becomes overactive, causing the outer part of the eyebrow to pull upwards sometimes quite dramatically. Some people say it gives the appearance of Dr. Spock from Star Trek, and it's also sometimes called the Mephisto brow," she said, referring to the Marvel Comics character.

How to Fix 'Spock' Eyebrows

The good news is there's an easy fix for this, Shooter told Newsweek.

"We can rectify it relatively quickly by using small amounts of botulinum toxin to the outer portion of the forehead," she said.

'It Doesn't Necessarily Mean a Poor Job by the Practitioner'

Speaking to Newsweek, Lee said: "There is no hate directed at my injector. She did say it would happen and I did agree to it."

In the comments, of her viral clip that has 1.5 million views, another user said: "She needs to put more on the edges. It's not a big deal. I do it all the time to adjust it after 2 weeks."

Newsweek asked Shotter if the practitioner was at fault for Lee's dilemma and she doesn't think that's the case.

"It doesn't necessarily mean a poor job by the practitioner. We tend to be cautious to not drop the eyebrow by over-treating the forehead, and sometimes that can mean adjustments need to be made," she said.

It can however also be reflective of an inadequate assessment by the practitioner, and unfortunately, sometimes practitioners actually do this sort of technique on purpose to achieve brow elevation (perhaps believing the patient wants this look) which personally I believe doesn't look natural or attractive."

What Do the Comments Say?

In total, the video has over 49,000 likes and 2,549 comments.

One user said: "This has to be a filter," with another commenter admitting: "Omg this actually had me laughing soo hard hahaha, great attitude though."

Some TikTokers have pointed out that her eyebrows relax during the clip and appear to be "normal."

Lee responded and said: "Yes I am raising my eyebrows like I said when I talk I'm expressive and they lift, they shouldn't be doing that."

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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