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