Will an eye lift cause my brows to drop down?

This is an interesting question. When undergoing an evaluation, the surgeon should basically examine the position of the eyebrows, the skin over the main part of the eyelid and the heaviness to the outside or lateral part of the eyelid (there are many other things to evaluate that we can't fully cover here). If there is a lot of extra skin laterally or the eyebrow position is too low, a browlift should be performed at the same time as upper lid surgery.One reason for this is the fact that the upper lid incision should not go far outside the eye as it will be visible, and if the lateral heavy skin is not dealt with, the patient is usually not happy. Also, if the brow is too low, the surgeon may remove too much skin, because if enough skin is removed to make the upper eyelid look good in the presence of a droopy brow, that patient may never be able to have a browlift in the future because there won't be enough skin left to support it. A properly performed upper eyelid lift should not physically "pull" the eyebrows down, but it can remove the impetus for a person to raise their eyebrows to see better, making them look lower. Also gravity will continue to exert its effect on the brows making them appear lower over time.It is ultimately very important to visit potential surgeons who have a lot experience working on the eyelids and eyebrows. Good luck.

Dear Chloesasha,It is indeed possible for the brows to descend after a blepharoplasty procedure.  The docs that told you that you need a brow lift as well, have more likely really fully assessed your situation and needs.  Good luck!

I do not know if that is an ignorant statement or just something that is being said to reassure you.  You did not provide photographs so lets talk hypothetically.  There is always resting tone between the brow elevators (frontalis muscle) and the brow depressors (orbicularis oculi, corrugator supercilli, procerus, and depressor supercilli muscles).  In the presence of brow ptosis where the upper eyelid fold rests on the eyelid platform or against the eyelashes, or then there is upper eyelid ptosis, a signal is sent to the brain to activate the frontalis muscle to elevate the forehead and the eyebrows.  This generally reduced the bulk resting on the upper eyelid.Performing upper blepharoplasty and or ptosis surgery, reduces the drive to elevate the eyebrows.  Inevitably to some degree, the eyebrows will relax to a lower position following these surgeries.  The effect of this is not always detrimental.  Relaxation of the frontalis muscle is associated with fewer forehead lines and less brow furrowing.  However, this must be individually assessed in designing a blepharoplasty for a given individual.  Sometimes the degree of relaxation is simply too much and not aesthetically beneficial.  The effect of an over aggressive upper blepharoplasty in a setting of a hyper mobile eyebrow can be a fall in the brow so low that it almost looks like the surgeon sewed the eyebrows to the eyelashes.  In these circumstances, it is prudent to offer a forehead lift with the upper blepharoplasty to stabilize the eyebrows so they do not collapse into the eyelid space after surgery.  Repositioning the brow will necessarily effect the amount of upper eyelid skin resection that is necessary.  Ultimately, there is no substitute for a consultation with a very experienced oculofacial surgeon who listens to your goals and concerns, performs a detailed examination, and discusses your options so you are empowered to make the right choice and not force you to settle for cookie cutter surgery.