Sagging skin can transform your entire facial appearance, and this is especially true in the brow area. As skin loses integrity, your expression may seem anxious or sad. Lines and wrinkles begin to form on the forehead and around the eyes. Brow lift surgery is an effective way to target these signs of aging, restoring a youthful appearance by smoothing out frown lines, creases, and wrinkles.
While brow lift permanently tightens and lifts skin, many patients seek the same effect via Botox, a temporary solution with a long record of success. Here, experienced Sacramento plastic surgeon Dr. Donald Hause compares the two popular options.
Lift Away the Years
Brow lift permanently raises the brow and smooths wrinkles by surgically tightening and lifting forehead tissues. The surgery has typically been performed with either the conventional incision method or using an endoscope, which requires smaller incisions, leads to less scarring and bruising, and is associated with faster recovery. A brow lift is often done in conjunction with hair transplants, facial fat transfers, eyelid surgery, or facelifts.
In performing brow lifts, Dr. Hause takes a comprehensive approach; not simply stretching the skin, but also paying attention to the muscles and ligaments under the skin, and how each surgical change affects overall balance and proportion.
Injectable Options
Botox, by contrast, is a controlled toxin that is injected into facial tissue to relax muscles that are forming or sustaining wrinkles. It is quick, convenient, and avoids the potential complications of a surgical procedure; however, it must be repeated on a regular basis to keep facial muscles relaxed and prevent lines and furrows from returning.
When Botox is used as an alternative to brow lift, it is injected by the surgeon into the muscles that are pulling down on the brow area. As these muscles relax, they no longer have the strength to continue their tug of war with forehead muscles; this allows the brow to return to a more youthful, natural-looking position for the next three to six months.
Botox is one of several injectables that are classified as neuromodulators. Newer varieties include Jeuveau, Dysport, and Xeomin. Each works to smooth deep facial folds and wrinkles by soothing muscle tension below the surface.
To learn more about brow lift or Botox, call Sacramento Aesthetic Surgery at (916) 646-6869 or send us an email to schedule a consultation.
