Botox is a popular injectable treatment used by millions of people worldwide to soften or eliminate undesirable lines that are caused by normal facial animation.
Botox and the other neuromodulators work by causing temporary paralysis of the muscle into which they are injected for approximately 3-4 months. If the muscle cannot contract, then it cannot cause wrinkles that bother the patient.
It is important to realize that neuromodulators do NOT improve lines that are present at rest; they only helplines that are caused by facial movements. (For lines that are present at rest, then fillers are frequently the best option.)
The “Botox brow lift” is a quick, minimally invasive, and inexpensive technique to raise the outer portion of the brow for several months. Like any procedure, there are pros and cons.
Pros and Cons of the Botox Brow Lift
To understand the so-called Botox brow lift it is important to understand one other important thing about Botox. As mentioned, neuromodulators paralyze the muscle they are injected into. However, if Botox is injected into PART OF a muscle, the non-injected portion of the muscle becomes the opposite of paralyzed – it becomes HYPERACTIVE.
There is only one muscle on each side of the forehead (called the frontalis muscle) and when that muscle contracts it wrinkles the forehead and raises the brow. That’s what it is supposed to do. If the entire muscle is paralyzed, the forehead wrinkles will be totally eliminated but because that muscle is paralyzed, the brow position may come down slightly. Younger people in their 20s-40s can have their entire forehead injected and the brow will not fall. In older people, however, especially people in the 60s-70s, injecting the entire forehead will often cause the brow to drop.
So how do you raise the brow by using a medicine that paralyzes muscle? Good question. It is a bit of a paradox. The answer is that the central part of the forehead is injected, leaving the outer part of the forehead NOT injected. The result is that the muscle in the outer part of the forehead becomes hyperactive and elevates the outer portion of the brow.
So the CONS of the Botox browlift, are threefold:
The PROs of lifting the lateral brow with neuromodulators:
Consult with an experienced plastic surgeon to determine whether you're a good candidate for a surgical brow lift or Botox brow lift. Dr. Charles Throne has over three decades of experience in plastic surgery, including all types of cosmetic procedures. He can answer your questions about what option can work best for you.
Book an online appointment with Dr. Throne to discuss your aesthetic goals and explore your treatment options.
Dr. Thorne is the Editor-in-Chief and the author of several chapters in Grabb and Smith's PLASTIC SURGERY, 7th Edition.