The brow and the upper eyelid affect one another, so they need to be considered together. Even if you just need one of these procedures, you need to be aware that each of these procedures affects both of these areas afterward, sometimes in surprising ways. Men and women need to be considered separately since the aesthetic is completely different.
Women
A brow lift procedure often softens a woman’s appearance and makes her appear more approachable. The brow can be raised somewhat higher in women than in men, although this is not invariable and should also be performed conservatively. An over elevation of the brows should be avoided. The choice of level and shape of the brows is one that needs to be determined individually and does not necessarily follow any arbitrary rules.
If the skin of the upper eyelids is loose and hangs down, the patient may unconsciously hold her brows permanently elevated to keep the loose skin off her upper lids. In this case, correction of the excess upper eyelid skin can eliminate the need for forehead elevation, relax the forehead and reduce the forehead creases without the need for a brow lift.
Men
The aesthetic in men is that the brow should be low and relatively straight, and the upper lids should not be overly defined. An overly lifted brow or hollow upper need to be avoided. Changes should be conservative.
The brow should be at or slightly above the ridge of bone above the eye. If the brow has fallen lower than the level of the ridge, then a brow lift may be considered. Brow lifting has been a challenge in men since the ability to hide any brow lift incisions behind the hairline is compromised by the fact that the hairline is generally going to rise with age. There is a new solution to this problem with a small fixation device that can lift the brows conservatively and can be placed through an inconspicuous upper eyelid incision.
The links below provide authoritative sources for additional information on brow lift surgery. There is a lot of information here, and it is reliable. Please contact our office for any further information and assistance. You can email Dr. Friedenthal at drfriedenthal.com or phone him at 1-415-752-2066 for further information and assistance.
American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) – With Animation Videos
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
Canadian Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (CSAPS)