A brow lift is a procedure that lifts the skin of the forehead and upper eyelids. It can be performed on its own or in conjunction with an eye lift, which is a surgical procedure to remove excess skin from around the eyes.
While both procedures target areas of the face that age more quickly than others, there are some key differences between them. The most notable difference is that a brow lift removes excess skin from areas of the face that are often affected by gravity—the forehead and eyelids—while an eye lift removes excess skin from around the eyes. Each procedure has its own benefits: a brow lift will help shape your face and prevent drooping of your upper eyelid while an eye lift will smooth out crow’s feet around your eyes and help prevent wrinkles.
Read on to learn more about What Is The Difference Between A Brow Lift And An Eye Lift, Forehead Lift Without Surgery and Temporal Brow Lift vs Other Brow Lifts
What Is The Difference Between A Brow Lift And An Eye Lift
Worried about skin around your eyes getting saggy, baggy or wrinkled?
If so, you may have already done your research that shows an eyelid lift or brow lift can be a quick, easy fix for these problems.
That may be true, but bear in mind before deciding on any surgery it’s important to consider all the facts.
Ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon Julian Perry, MD, answers common questions about the difference between brow lifts and eyelid lifts, and if you should have these procedures done.
1. Should I get eyelid lift or brow lift surgery?
Most people consider an eyelid or brow lift for cosmetic reasons, as there are many benefits.
Eyelid and brow lifts can brighten your eyes and help you look more youthful and alert.
And for those also wondering if a brow lift or eyelid lift helps hooded eyes? “Yes, these procedures can help take care of this problem as well,” Dr. Perry says.
But he also adds that drooping skin in the eye area can be more than just a cosmetic concern.
“It can happen at any age, but you may start to notice heavy skin and tissue on your upper eyelids. Sometimes you can even see or feel it resting on your eyelashes,” Dr. Perry says. “This can cause eye fatigue and many cases it can also interfere with your vision.”
If you’ve been having vision problems and you think your eyelids may be the problem, use your finger to hold your eyelid and eyebrow up. Look around in all directions. If lifting the skin seems to improve your vision, then drooping skin is likely the culprit and eyelid and brow surgeries will help correct it.
Some insurance companies may even help with the cost in cases where vision is impaired. Just remember to consult first with your insurance company and your doctor to understand specifics of your coverage terms before you choose any surgery.
2. What are the best options to lift the skin around my eyes?
For an eyelid lift you can consider eyelid surgery — or what medical professionals refer to as blepharoplasty. There are two types.
- Upper lid blepharoplasty is surgery to remove skin and sometimes the fat of the upper eyelid. “This is a very straightforward procedure,” says Dr. Perry. “It involves light sedation and takes about 25 minutes.” Recovery typically involves about a week of swelling and bruising, but little pain. Stitches in the eyelids come out after a week.
- Lower lid blepharoplasty addresses bags and wrinkles underneath the eye. The surgeon will remove or reposition fat using a small incision, and tighten excess skin, if necessary. Recovery is similar to that of upper lid blepharoplasty. The surgery is often performed without any visible scars.
A brow lift is a slightly different procedure. When performing a brow lift, the surgeon makes incisions just above the brow to lift and tighten the skin above your eyes. This procedure leaves small but visible scars. Typically, incisions made in the hairline can make the scars less visible.
3. Are eyelid and brow lift surgeries safe?
“In my career I’ve performed over 20,000 eyelid and eyebrow procedures,” Dr. Perry says. “Yes, they are extremely safe.”
As for any risks from eyelid lift or brow lift surgery, they’re primarily cosmetic. For example, some procedures may result in asymmetrical results, excess tissue that’s left behind or results that may not go far enough in correcting the problem.
Brow lifts can also leave visible scars or skin discoloration — “but we’ve developed new techniques to minimize these scars,” Dr. Perry says.
Major risks such as blurred vision or loss of eyesight, bleeding, infection, nerve damage or other problems are rare.
As with any surgery, you want to consider the general risks associated with surgery in general, including reaction to anesthesia and blood clotting.
4. Do the results from eyelid or brow lifts last long?
“I always tell patients that the results of these surgeries last a lifetime, but the aging process will always continue,” Dr. Perry says. “In other words, your face — just like the rest of you — will keep getting older and aging will likely begin to show at some point.”
But Dr. Perry says, “Many patients enjoy good results from eye lifts and brow lifts for decades.”
He also adds that additional surgery down the road can always be an option, too.
5. Why shouldn’t I undergo eye lift or brow lift surgery?
Dr. Perry says that most people are good candidates for eyelid and brow lifts, with just a couple of exceptions:
If you’ve already had upper blepharoplasty but have started feeling droopy again, you may not have any upper eyelid skin left to remove. In this case, a brow lift may be a better option.
Also, if you’re on blood thinners and aren’t able to stop taking them before surgery, the surgical plan might need to be modified.
If surgical solutions aren’t for you, there are non-surgical ways to brighten your eye area:
- Use moisturizer and sunscreen regularly.
- Don’t smoke.
- Use chemical peels for fine wrinkles around the eyes.
- Cosmetic injectables are another option.
“If you’re thinking it’s time to take action against bags and wrinkles around your eyes, you can consult with a plastic surgeon and weigh all of the options,” Dr. Perry adds.
Forehead Lift Without Surgery
Help! My Eyebrows are Drooping
Have you ever pulled your brows up slightly toward your hairline and thought, “Wow, I look so much better!” Everything goes south as we age, including our brows. If you’re noticing you look a little more tired than usual when you look in the mirror, you’re not alone. At a certain age, usually in our 40’s and 50’s, you’ll see a difference in where your brows used to be positioned and where they are now. It’s called the ‘Droopy Brow’.
In addition to your brows drooping or sagging, you’re probably noticing a few more lines across your forehead and some laxity on your upper eyelids and brow line. You see, our brows, forehead, and upper eyelids are all connected, and as they begin to droop, you begin to look tired or look older than you feel. Another sign of a droopy brow is when your brows start to look flat instead of the raised arch you once had. Technically, your brow line should be positioned just above your orbital or eyebrow bone.
What are my options?
There are several ways to combat facial aging of the upper face, including injections, minimally invasive procedures, surgical and non-surgical. The first is through plastic surgery. The surgery is known as an eyebrow lift or a forehead lift, and it’s been popular for decades. But now, there are also non-surgical and less invasive ways of treating your aging issues. We’ll go over all your options to make an informed decision on what’s right for you.
1. SURGICAL Brow Lift
If you want to restore the bright, wide-eyed look of your younger days, reduce forehead wrinkles, and reduce the 11’s between your eyes, a surgical eyebrow lift may be good to achieve it. There are several techniques for the procedure. Your plastic surgeon might use different size incisions and different incision placements based on how you’ve aged and your facial anatomy.
While thousands of brow lifts are performed successfully every year, surgery isn’t for everyone, and many people feel like they don’t have the time to spend in recovery mode. If you do decide on surgical options, you need to be aware of the potential risks. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgery, some of the possible health complications with brow lift surgery include:
- Anesthesia risks
- Bleeding
- Loss of hair around the incisions
- Elevated hairline
- Facial asymmetry
- Facial nerve injury with weakness or paralysis
- Infection
- Poor wound healing
- Possibility of revision surgery
- Unfavorable scarring
Recovery time for a brow lift is between 1-2 weeks. Depending on your type of work, you may return as early as 1 week. Strenuous physical activity should be avoided for 2 weeks after the surgery.
2. NON-SURGICAL Brow Lift
Another option for restoring your brow placement and reducing wrinkles is with a non surgical brow lift procedure using the latest technology in ultrasound. In the past, ultrasound procedures have been painful and provided minimal results. But with the newest, FDA cleared ultrasound technology, Sofwave can revitalize the skin without surgery and dermal fillers.
Sofwave is performed in a physician’s office, using topical numbing creme, and it takes only about 30 to 45 minutes to complete.Patients can immediately go home, go out to dinner, put on makeup, basically do whatever they need to do without any worries. In clinical studies, 88% of patient’s appearance was marked as “improved” or “significantly improved” 12 weeks later after just one treatment.
Here’s how the process works… The Sofwave device heats the mid-dermal tissue at the right depth and temperature to rejuvenate collagen fibers and improve aging skin’s overall appearance. This collagen stimulation is a non surgical brow lift. In addition to upper face rejuvenation, it is also used on the lower face and neck. And best of all, it’s safe for all skin types and colors.
One of the world’s experts in non-invasive rejuvenation is Dr. Jason Pozner, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Boca Raton, Florida. He says patients today are looking for results from a single treatment, and that’s what Sofwave can offer.
Dr. Jason Pozner
Pozner says, “Sofwave’s technology is different from the earlier versions of ultrasound treatments where many patients complained of the pain involved, and some patients, around 20 percent, said they didn’t see any significant difference in their skin.”
Sofwave is faster, gentler and you can typically see desired results after only a couple of treatments.
3. MINIMALLY INVASIVE Thread Lift
An eyebrow thread lift is considered a minimally invasive procedure, and it can tighten your eyebrows sagging skin and wrinkle and lift them, to achieve a more youthful look. Just as the name implies, physicians insert a small needle and dissolvable thread under the skin, thread it up and attach it in an inconspicuous location such as the hairline. Some threads have tiny barbs that hook into the tissue allowing the thread to ‘pull up’ your underlying tissues form.
As the threads dissolve after about six months, they create new collagen in the area. The procedure is relatively quick and not too painful. However, this procedure is only temporary, and you will most likely need additional treatments. Threads can cause some soreness, bruising, swelling, and puckering of the skin, but most people can go back to their natural activities within a week.
Which treatment is right for you?
When asked, most people will say they would prefer to go the non surgical brow lift route if possible. They’re busy, they don’t want to spend time recovering, and they want to get back to their everyday life sooner than later.
Contact your doctor for the initial consultation to help you determine which non surgical brow lift procedure is best for your droopy brows!
Temporal brow lift
Developing wrinkles and fine lines are not the only signs of facial aging. Aging can affect your brow and forehead regions as well. You will see that with age, your brow will droop down, causing you to look much older and tired as time goes on.
If you’re not happy with the look of your brow, you can undergo a surgical procedure known as a brow lift. There are different types of brow lift techniques depending on one’s own specific needs, but the temporal brow lift has the least risks and minimal recovery time.
What is a Temporal Brow Lift?
A temporal brow lift, also known as the lateral brow lift, includes the process of making changes in the forehead area while lifting the eyebrows at the same time. It is used to correct the outer one-third position of your eyebrow while giving the eye a very attractive look.
The Different Types of Brow Lift Surgeries
The different types of brow lift surgeries include a coronal lift, endoscopic lift, trichophytic lift, transblepharoplasty brow lift, non-surgical brow lift using neurotoxin (Botox, Dysport), and the temporal brow lift.
There are two other brow lift techniques that are not very popular due to the huge scars left behind by the incisions used. These techniques are now limited to patients suffering from severe eyebrow asymmetries caused due to trauma or facial nerve paralysis.
Temporal Brow Lift – Procedure
A temporal brow lift is mostly performed along with eyelid surgery but can be performed on its own as well. The procedure involves the surgeon making approximately one-inch incisions behind the hairline, just above the forehead.
The underlying tissue of the brow area is then lifted and repositioned for the desired results. The procedure will require only local anesthesia.
The Benefits of the Temporal Brow Lift Surgery
A temporal brow lift has a number of great benefits that include: has innumerable benefits unlike other brow lift surgeries as it involves the least risk with good results. The benefits include:
• A refreshed, vibrant, and aesthetically appealing look.
• Minimal Downtime and less risks.
• Hidden post-surgical marks since the incisions are made behind the hairline.
• The end-result can last for years.
Temporal Brow Lift – Recovery
After the surgery is completed, there is no need to spend even a night at the hospital. In fact, you can carry on with your normal daily activities within a week. The heavily sagging eyebrows will be gone after you heal completely. You will instead have perfectly positioned eyebrows.
Other brow lifts like trichophytic and endoscopic brow lifts, on the other hand, leave behind bruises that last for approximately ten days.
Temporal Brow Lift vs Other Brow Lifts
Your surgeon is the best person to talk to to determine the correct brow lifts for you. This will depend on your preferred look and type of brows, which includes your hairline. Temporal lift is best for those whose medial brow is in a good position and the lateral brow is flat or downsloping. It helps in improving the aesthetics of the eye.
However, there is no doubt that the lateral or temporal brow lift is the safest among all brow lifts as it involves less risk and shorter healing time.