Substitute for a Browlift
Posted: 10:54 a.m. Saturday, January 26, 2014
By Anita Mandal, M.D.
Question: I have heaviness of my eyelids. A plastic surgeon said that I have excess skin and upper eyelid fat and sagging eyebrows. He advised an upper eyelid lift and a browlift. I’m interested in the eyelid surgery but the brow lift seems too invasive. Is there another option to rejuvenate my brow?
Answer: While a surgical browlift can raise droopy brows, sometimes it can give an unnatural appearance to the face. Botox or Dysport, in combination with an Ultherapy non-surgical browlift can naturally raise the brows with less downtime and risk compared to surgery. Ultherapy for brow lifting can be performed at the same time as an upper eyelid lift. Botox, however, is often performed one month before or one month after an eyelid lift to minimize scar formation after eyelid surgery.
In patients who have hollow temples or loss of volume in the forehead, the brow may appear bony with the eyes closer together and more aged looking. Injectable fillers can rejuvenate the upper face by restoring volume to the hollow areas and also elevating the brows. Fillers can be used in combination with Botox and Ultherapy to enhance results.
If your eyes look heavy, tired, aged or sad, this may be due to hollowing around the brows, sagging of the eyebrows and/or excess soft tissue of the upper or lower eyelids. Careful consultation with your Facial Plastic Surgeon is the first step in determining the most suitable treatment plan.