What happens if a mild ptosis is left untreated?

If someone develops a ptosis, they often will start to compensate for it by using their forehead to raise their eyebrows.  Constantly using the forehead to raise the eyebrows will NOT make the ptosis worse, but it can make wrinkles in your forehead develop faster and deeper.  Over time, an eyelid ptosis will usually get worse, except for if you were born with it.  It's best to get a full evaluation by an oculoplastic surgeon.

This is a great question! There are many different underlying causes of ptosis, and depending on the reason behind it, the answer to "will it progress if left untreated" will change. In general though, most causes off ptosis will slowly progress over time. Forehead compensation with ptosis is referred to as pseudoptosis, and again this compensation for one sided ptosis will vary depending on the amount of asymmetry present. This pseudoptosis "correction" may or may not fully compensate for the ptosis. This compensation works by causing contraction of the forehead muscle (frontalis) which raises the brows and to some extent the eyelids. This is the same muscle that causes the horizontal forehead wrinkles to worsen and deepen, which is one of the main reason patients receive facial botox - to fix these wrinkles. Bottom line is, the ptosis will most likely slowly progress and may one day require correction if it starts causing an upper visual field defect. I recommend you consult with a board eligible or board certified plastic surgeon for a full evaluation and to discuss the specifics of your case and the options moving forward. Best of luck!

Your ptosis should not worsen as a result of using your forehead muscles. It may however independently worsen with time.  There are different causes of ptosis and you can have these best evaluated and treated by a certified oculoplastic surgeon.  

Thank you for your question! While constantly using your forehead to raise your eyebrows will not worsen the ptosis, it could deepen the wrinkles on your forehead. And the natural aging process will make the ptosis worse, irrespective of exertion on your forehead. The reasons for that caused the ptosis will determine the rate at which it progresses. I recommend that you get your condition evaluated and treat it in order to avoid any complications later on. 

Hello, thank you for the excellent question! If left untreated, in most cases ptosis will get worse on its own over time, unrelated to using one's forehead to compensate or lift up the eyelid margin, which is called pseudoptosis. What pseudoptosis will likely cause however is worsening and deepening of forehead wrinkles over time, which is why it is not a good practice to let it go untreated. I recommend scheduling an in person consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to hear directly from an expert on the options for surgical treatment. Good luck!

If you have ptosis and using your forehead to lift your eyelid, the ptosis does not get worse but your natural age process will relax the forehead skin so you will need more lift action to raise your eyelid.  Ptosis surgery is a very simple surgery and can correct your issue.  I suggest to see an oculoplastic surgeon for the evaluation and treatment.

Aging causes laxity of the soft tissue, particularly the skin, so ptosis is an inevitable result.  Nonetheless, there are ways to correct and postpone this key element of aging: Botox and forehead lift are good options. Good luck and best wishes.