What is a Botox brow lift?
On a daily basis, we get patients calling our office to schedule their “Botox Brow Lift”. I perform surgical brow lifts which I physically lift up the muscles and skin of the forehead to lift the sagging eyebrows and tighten the skin. The surgical brow lift is certainly a more permanent result and can more dramatically lift up the forehead and brows, but it is a more involved procedure that requires recovery and downtime. The surgical brow lift is great for someone with significant sagging, needing a more significant longer lasting result.
A “Botox Brow Lift” is a technique that we have refined to give a temporary lift to rejuvenate the brow and forehead by relaxing specific muscles. What is unique about our procedure is that by understanding the anatomy of the facial muscles and their effect on animation, we can selectively weaken the ‘pull down’ muscles around the eyes and brow, thus allowing the ‘pull up’ muscles to work with less opposition, thus giving a relaxed ‘uplift’ of the eyebrows. We perform the “Botox brow lift” with 3 different neurotoxins, Botox, Dysport and Jeuveau, all of which have similar properties.
Location, Location, Location. Which muscles are targeted?
When we first started performing Botox injections, patients would come in to relive tension in the “11’s” between the eyebrows. After injecting the early adopters of Botox, back in the late 1990’s, I noticed that not only did the 11’s improve, but the medial eyebrows appeared more relaxed and lifted! Understanding the anatomy of the face literally from the inside out from surgical procedures I perform to rejuvenate the face, such as eyelift and facelift, gave me the concepts of targeting the ‘pull down’ muscles to let the lifting muscles work unopposed. Studying the effects of injection of certain muscles allow us to truly customize our results to create a youthful, relaxed look that few will identify as someone who had Botox injections. Between the eyebrows, we relax the corregator and procerus muscles (‘pull down’) muscles, to allow the frontalis forehead muscle to lift the brows. I began injecting the outer part of the eyes, just below the brow ‘tail’ in the orbicularis oculi muscle, a circular muscle around the eye, which relaxed the muscles that pull down of the outer eyelid and brow which causes ‘crows feet’ lines radiating away from the corners of the eyes.
Why are Botox brow lifts so popular?
Besides the fact that everyone wants to look more youthful and relaxed, there are plenty of models and celebrities wanting to accentuate the outer brow arch with makeup and Botox. This brow fullness and arching has become very popular. The internet has created a yearning for the open eyes and raised eyebrows. When I first started doing injectables, over 25 years ago, most of my patients were generally older. They were looking to fill in valleys and reduce lines. Now, many of the younger patients are coming in to change the look or shape with fillers and Botox. We also get young patients that use the injections as “Pro-juvenation” treatments to prevent lines from developing. These procedures have become so popular, that we now have 3 different injectors, however, most of the injections are done by Michelle, our Physician Assistant, who has become expert at assessing and customizing treatment plans. She also is one of our lead instructors in our Aesthetic Learning Academy where we train other health professionals to perform these aesthetic procedures.
How long does Botox brow lift last?
When it comes to Botox, there is good news and bad news. The bad news it is not permanent, that is also the good news. When we perform Botox injections, we have specific goals in mind. If a patient is undergoing this for the first time, they may decide that it is not right for them. I recall, many years ago, I performed Botox on one of the local TV personalities. They wished for less frowning and softening of the 11’s. It turned out the person decided the expressions and animations were important for their career, so with subsequent injections, we reduced the treatment in some spots over others. With that being said, the overwhelming majority of patients love the injections so much that they set their calendar well in advance when they expect the Botox to be wearing off, so they can maintain the relaxed, youthful, less tired/angry look. Generally, the Botox injections last between 3-6 months, with the average around 4 and one half months. Longevity of the injections are both patient dependent as well as dose dependent. If we notice the injections are lasting less than 3 months, we will bump up the dosing on their next visit.
How much does a Botox brow lift cost?
Our office charges by the number of units we use for the injection. I feel this is the most fair way. Some patients with stronger muscles will need more, others less. Generally, for the Botox brow lift, we would use injections between the brows and under the outer part of the brow. The cost would range from $400 – $750. We participate with the rebate programs, and most patients get the rebate discounts obtained from prior treatments. Also, when seeking out a Botox provider, be sure they are using FDA approved neurotoxin, and beware of the low cost ‘Dilutox’. You may not be getting what you expect.
What else about Botox brow lift?
With the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing masks in public hides most of our face. The one area that is usually left exposed is the eyes and the forehead. Perhaps that is why the Botox brow lift is so popular now.
Stay safe, wear your mask, and consider rejuvenating your eyebrows with Botox.