Is It Possible to Get a "Brow Lift" That Just Snips the Forehead Muscles but Doesn't Lift the Skin?

Question

I understand that brow lifts pretty much consists of 1) snipping certain muscles in forehead to prevent continued forehead wrinkles and 2) lifting the skin back to tighten. Is it possible (or even advisable) to simply go in and snip the muscles to prevent the forehead from wrinkling without actually lifting the forehead skin? I was just thinking about someone who wanted a permanent solution (as an alternative to botox) to forehead wrinkling, but didn't need the skin lifted.

A.J. Amadi, MD · Answer

The only effective way to raise the eyebrows is to elevate skin [in some fashion], redrape, and often remove skin. The muscle that is "snipped" is the muscle that is between the eyebrows to prevent the furrows in the brow. Snipping or removing this muscle [corrugators], does NOT elevate the eyebrows appreciably. You can weaken these muscles quite effectively with botox. Botox can also be used to weaken the muscles around the eye which also subtly bring the eyebrow downwards. These can also be weakened to subtly raise the eyelid.

Thomas Buonassisi, MD · Answer

Yes this is possible but the truth is the results would no be permanent. Eventually those muscles will begin to work again and you would be back to the same problem. I would recomend using Botox to correct the problem. Much easier for the patient and less risk.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Yes, the muscles can be cut with a forehead lift with out lifting the brows. Or you ccan have Botox as well.

Norman Bakshandeh Day, MD, FACS · Answer

Division of the frontalis muscle weakens the muscle. Years ago surgeons would remove strips of this muscle. The muscle returns with limited function even with all of this!! Any way you dont want a completely immobile forehead

Joseph A. Eviatar, MD, FACS · Answer

There are different types of brow lifts. You can have a brow lift with surgery that will lift all the tissue, skin, and muscle. Also, you can use Ultherapy to tighten the area and/or Botox can lift the brows. It really depends upon how much correction is necessary. When you just relax the muscles of the face, like you do with Botox, you will get some elevation.  But it is not advised once you do surgery, to only snip those muscles. You need to release the tissue and lift the brow to get a lift that lasts. You must understand that nothing is permanent though, as we all continue to age and our face continues to change shape as we get older. Five years after any procedure, you may still need some kind of correction.

Is It Possible to Get a "Brow Lift" That Just Snips the Forehead Muscles but Doesn't Lift the Skin?

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Is It Possible to Get a "Brow Lift" That Just Snips the Forehead Muscles but Doesn't Lift the Skin?

Answers (9)

Answer: Brow lift

Answer: Brow lift

Answer: Brow lift alternative

Answer: Brow lift alternative

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Brow Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.