Mini-brow Lift Vs. Botox: Trying to Save Money

MissMe,
Do not expect a mini brow lift to have the same effects as Botox. Botox is very effective at paralyzing the muscles between the eyebrows (corrugators and procerus), the forehead muscle (frontalis) and crow's feet (orbicularis). A mini brow lift will not address all of these areas as effectively as Botox. My guess is that you would still end up needing some Botox to achieve the results that you were expecting. A mini brow lift does have some benefits, but is not without risk. You have an incision in your hairline and the surgeon must dissect around the nerves that control the muscles in your forehead. If you are in the right hands, you will likely have a nice result, but the result will most likely be different than what you are achieving with Botox.
I hope this is helpful.
David Shafer, MD

The definition of a mini brow lift is going to vary from one surgeon to another, but I would be skeptical of any brow lifting procedure that promises patients will never need Botox again. Most patients will still have some wrinkling of the glabella region (between the eyebrows) and/or wrinkling of the forehead (horizontal lines) even after brow lifting. This tends to be the case even if the forehead muscles are weakened during the procedure. Additionally, attempts at removing too much muscle in the forehead can actually cause an unnatural appearance and scarring of the soft tissue under the skin.Brow lifting can be highly effective to help support the brows and lessen the need for Botox, or even allow Botox to be used more effectively without dropping the brows.All the best,

Most facial plastic surgeons are able to offer this surgery. It is all about patient expectations and goals.
Start by defining exactly what goals you want to achieve. If Botox is able to get you where you want, then maybe staying with that is a good option. Surgery is more permanent, but it does work in a different respect. With surgery we are weakening the muscle and removing skin to elevate and position the brows. With Botox we are selectively paralyzing certain muscles to position the brow. 
Surgery is certainly a more expensive option than Botox, but you'll need to weight the different between downtime, recovery, and cost (along with your physician's recommendation) to determine the best option for you.
Hope this helps.
Best of luck,
DrC

Thank you for your question. Shaping the brows is one my favorite parts of using Botox. It requires a very detailed understanding of the underlying anatomy as well as assessing each individual while they are animating their brows. By carefully placing Botox in the muscles that depress the brow, you can cause the brow to rest and relax in a lifted position. There are limits to how much you can lift, and for some surgery is better option. Incorrect assessment or placement can also lead to the reverse effect, so overall technique is critical. You can also shape the brow different. For example, you can raise the tail of the brow vs creating a raised arched brow vs creating a raised horizontal brow. It depends on the individual's desired brow aesthetic goals. I would consider this a very advanced technique so I would query your injector on their experience in this area.
As far as how many units may be needed, this also depends on which part of the brow you want to correct. For the inner brows, you may consider ~20 units (same as the frown line treatment). For the middle or outer brow, I generally use up to 5 units on each side.
You may also want to consider adding fillers to shape and raise the brow. Combining the two products can work synergistically together.A physical exam/assessment would be needed to explain what you might be able to achieve with surgery vs non-surgical options such as Botox.  I would visit with an experienced plastic surgeon who does both surgical and non-surgical approaches to brow lifting. 

If you are concerned about the risks related to surgery then you should try Botox first. This will allow you to see if you like your results, then consider surgery. The type of lift you need requires a physical assessment by a PS, so it would be difficult to say if a "mini" brow lift would be suitable for you.

Hi there,I think that the only way to really answer this question for someone is to see them in consultation.  In general I think that Botox is great for providing a brighter, more wide open eye in younger patients.  I think that as the amount of brow droop becomes more significant it no longer works as well.  When you cross the line from Botox to surgery depends on how you feel about surgery: the risks, the costs, the recovery, and the benefits versus those of Botox.  I would speak to your surgeon where you get Botox and ask them.  You should be able to discuss this with your surgeon and come to an answer that pleases you.  The perfect procedure is the one the fixes your problems perfectly.   Be careful with terms such as "mini brow lift" as it may just be used for marketing. Dr Rodger ShorttOakville Plastic Surgeon

There are two basic muscle groups of the forehead. The elevators and the depressors.These muscles may be targeted for botox. The point of mini brow lift is to preserve nerves so this proposed technique does not make sense and is probably sales approach.

Aging of the brow occurs for a
variety of reasons.  During the
aging process gravity effectively drops the brow into a lower position.   This is accompanied by increased
activity of the frontalis, procerus and glabeller muscles which results in
transverse forehead wrinkles and vertical frown lines.

Although, it’s difficult to define
the term “Mini browlift” most browlifts mechanically lift the brow into a more
normal position.  During the
procedure the glabeller muscles are divided to remove the vertical frown lines
between the eyes.  In contrast,
Botox selectively targets the depresser muscles to elevate the brow into a
normal position.  It also creates a
partial paralysis of the muscles that are responsible for the vertical frown
lines.

Each of these procedures has
advantages and disadvantages.  The
variants of the browlift are more effective at elevating the brow into a normal
position then botox. Not only do these procedures raise the brow more, but the
results last for longer periods of time. 
The procedure is also effective at removing vertical frown lines, but
over the course of time the muscles sometimes reattach and botox is still needed.

Botox treatments need to be
repeated at 3 to 4 month intervals and for this reason can be expensive.  In the long term, one of the variants
of browlift might prove to be the most cost-effective alternatives.  Unfortunately, some patients may still
need botox to treat recurrent vertical frown lines following muscle
reattachment.

If you’re considering browlift
surgery it’s important to consult a board certified plastic surgeon.  This surgeon should
be able to formulate a treatment plan that’s appropriate.

It depends on your concerns. If you're concerned about your "11" lines then I'd recommend Botox. If your brows are depressed and causing pseudo-ptosis of your upper eyelids, then an endoscopic brow lift is a good option.Best,

Brows that are too low -heredity or from gravity/aging- can create unwanted problems such as a heavy lid feeling, an appearance of scowling (!) and even visual restriction.  What is the best way to manage?   Well, Botox or Dysport or Xeomin can provide a quick no-downtime 2-3 mm lift of the brows...and it lasts about 3 months. So this is a good option for the busy person who wants a "tweak" from time to time without surgery.  At some point, it may be wise to at least consider a forehead  or limited brow lift surgery. There is more initial cost, some downtime and recovery and increased risk, but the results can be more long lasting. As always, there are pros and cons of each route.  The best first step is to consult with a couple of board-certified surgeons, well trained and experienced in both non-surgical and surgical procedures. Ponder, weigh each option then go with the one you feel more comfortable with.  Remember: the goal is a natural refreshed appearance....not a goosed look! 

This depends on what exactly is meant by "mini brow lift," which is not an officially defined term. To say that a "mini" procedure is so long lasting that you will never need it again is an extraordinary claim as the aging process continues.

Most of the short scar or mini brow lifts refer to the lifting of the lateral 2/3's of the brow, rather than the "11's" lines between your brow. To address that requires usually either an endoscopic approach by reducing (partial removal) the muscles that cause these glabellar creases.  FYI: the technical name of these muscles are the corrugator supercilii  and procerus muscle. Direct removal can also be done at the same time as an upper blepharoplasty through the same incision.

There are a few types of brow lifts which plastic surgeons have done for years, such as the temporal or endoscopic brow lift. Both of these will have much longer-lasting results than Botox if you are talking about the lateral brow which is the part that sags first and concerns most patients.