A drooping brow can dramatically alter the friendly and youthful appearance of the face, and yet this is a problem that gets far less attention than concerns like undereye bags and nasolabial folds. Because the eyes are an area that cannot be hidden at all times, no matter how stylish your sunglasses, there are good reasons to consider how one of the two popular brow lift techniques may help reinstate your freshest face. Here, we discuss what can be achieved with a Botox brow lift and what is possible with a surgical brow lift.
Botox for your Brows
Botox is the injectable drug that is widely known for its ability to erase frown lines and worry lines on the forehead. Botox is also used to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, to upturn the corners of the mouth, and also to decrease visible neck bands. The magic of Botox is its ability to relax muscles that have become tight. The consistency with which most people make facial expressions eventually causes certain muscles to become toned. This is something we like when it happens to our thighs or our stomach, but not so much on the face.
When we inject Botox into the muscles between the eyebrows, the downward, inward pull is released. Botox can also be injected at the outer brow to restore proper height and curvature. What patients tend to appreciate about this approach is that it is:
- Minimally invasive. A Botox brow lift takes a few injections only. No downtime.
- To lift the brows with Botox, we need less than 15 minutes in most cases.
- While there is a need to repeat treatment periodically, patients find the low cost of each Botox session appealing.
The Surgical Brow Lift
A surgical brow lift may be better described as a forehead lift because the procedure addresses tissue from the eyebrows on up to the hairline, including the temple area if necessary. Brow lift surgery used to involve an ear-to-ear incision hidden in the hairline. More frequently, the procedure is now performed endoscopically. An endoscopic brow lift requires a few short incisions made behind the hairline in strategical locations that allow the best access to lift tissue according to facial contours. Brow lift surgery accomplishes more dramatic results than what is possible with Botox and those results last several years.
Improvements achieved with a surgical brow lift include:
- Reduction or elimination or worry lines, horizontal lines on the forehead.
- Reduction or elimination of frown lines between the brows.
- Smoother, tighter appearance of the upper eyelids.
- Open, younger looking eyes due to a reduction in upper eyelid hooding.
- Rejuvenated eyes make the face appear friendlier in general.
Learn more about the best brow lift for you. Call our Cincinnati office at 513.985.0850.
