Lateral Brow Lift for Crow's Feet?

We always have patients who grab their face and ask "Why cant you pull it like this!?!"  The fact is that crows feet are not so much formed by laxity as they are by the action of the muscle.  Got crows feet?  Get Botox or Dysport.  Case closed.

Lateral brow lifts will NOT improve crow's feet.  The operation will just reposition the brows into a more youthful and attractive location. Best option for crow's feet is a combination of Botox (or dysport) and great skin care such as skinMedica's TNS Essential serum in combination with a retin-A cream.   

In most cases, the lateral brow lift is done to elevate the lateral part of the brow which may be hanging to low.  As crows feet are due to flexing and creasing of the skin of the area lateral to the eye( from the contraction of the muscle around the eye), Botox or Dysport is usually used to correct this problem.

The answer depends on the type of crows feet.  If they are dynamic lines, then it won't be effective (rather botox is effective).  If they are static, secondary to folds from lateral brow droopiness, then lateral brow lift is very effective.

Dr Taban

Crows feet are lines that radiate out from the corner of your eyes. They are often one of the first sign of aging for a number of reasons. The skin is very thin around the eyes. We smile, squint, laugh and perform all kinds of expressions with ours eyes all day. So as the skin ages, the crunching of the circular muscles around the eyes, called the orbicularis, creates folds in the skin. To treat these folds we use Botox to relax the muscles.

Another cause for crows feet is when the tail or the eyebrows droop. When there is overhanging or drooping skin next to the upper eyelids it can also create folds that are referred to as crow's feet. To treat this condition a browlift is the best treatment.

Skin care and creams can soften wrinkles but without treating the underlying cause they cannot be fully effective.

The state of the art treatment for Crow's Feet is Botox (or Dysport).  There is no effective surgical solution for this problem.

A lateral brow lift could help the crow’s feet among other options. Alternatively, you can actually resect muscle in the lateral crow feet area and this could reduce the ability to produce these crow’s feet. You can also reduce the crow’s feet through a face lift incision as well. Fat injections in this area can also be a great way of reducing crow’s feet which I have done many times.

Thanks for reading, Dr Young

Crow's feet result from activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle pulling on your skin over the years leading to corrugation (accordioning) of the skin. I think the best treatment for them is Botox or Dysport, although the FDA-approved indication for these muscle relaxants is basically for the area between the brows (glabella). Dynamic lines like Crow's feet are different from lines that result from fat loss or gravity, which are often treated with fillers and procedures that pull on things (lifts).

A lateral browlift with or without upper blepharoplasty will greatly improve the postion of the eyebrow and the excess skin on the upper eyelid but will have no effect on your crowsfeet.  Crowsfeet are "dynamic" lines and are cause by muscular activity around the eye when you smile and squint.  For these lines, Botox is the treatment of choice.

Lateral brow lifts can be great for sagging of the brow, especially since the lateral part of the eyebrow is often the most droopy part.

Brow lifts don't do much for crow's feet.  Thes wrinkles are usually dynamic, meaning that they are caused by the activity of the underlying muscles. 

The good news is that Botox is terrific for treating crow's feet.

Mark Lucarelli, MD, FACS

Madison, WI