Is Brow Lift or Botox a Better Choice for a Smooth Forehead?

June 12 2022

One of the first places you may notice signs of aging is the forehead. The horizontal lines that form across the brow and vertical “frown” lines between the eyebrows gradually become deeper as the skin gets laxer due to aging and declining collagen production.

If you have started contemplating cosmetic procedures to address these deepening lines and loose skin, you have a couple great options: brow lift and Botox. Here, the team of experts at Atlanta Plastic & Reconstructive Specialists reviews both the surgical and non-surgical options to help you make an informed decision.

Brow Lift

Brow lift surgery has two primary goals. The first is to remove your excess, drooping skin. Having tauter skin minimizes the lines and wrinkles that appear on the brow. Tightening the underlying muscles helps to further smooth the skin without creating an unnatural “pulled” look. The second goal is to lift the positioning of your eyebrows. Sagging skin causes the eyebrows to drop over time, making them look angrier and older. By elevating your brows and restoring an arch shape, brow lift improves the appearance of your forehead.

Botox

Botox is an injectable treatment that uses botulinum toxin to improve lines on your forehead. Essentially, Botox “freezes” the forehead muscles temporarily so that they do not move when you change your facial expressions. While the muscles are relaxed, the lines slowly fill back in, thus smoothing out the skin on the forehead. Strategic injections can also help to raise the eyebrows to a youthful position. Botox treatments generally last a few months; periodic injections are necessary to maintain the results.

Choosing a Forehead Procedure

Although both treatments can improve the same types of forehead flaws, the comparisons stop there. While brow lift can achieve more dramatic changes, Botox is preferable for making slighter, more subtle improvements.

The timeline for each procedure is also much different. Botox results last about three to four months in this area, whereas brow lift changes are generally visible for a decade. By the same token, brow lift patients need one to two weeks of recovery time following surgery, while Botox patients can resume their normal activities immediately.

If you are considering forehead rejuvenation, the most important factors to weigh are how extensive the signs of aging are, the cost and how long the respective results last. Ultimately, the right decision for you may not be the same as it is for another patient.

Make an Appointment

For over 30 years, the board-certified plastic surgeons at Atlanta Plastic & Reconstructive Specialists have been recognized as some of the top doctors in their field. They understand how to refresh the forehead and can recommend the appropriate course of treatment to achieve the results you seek. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please fill out our online form.

Categories: Blog, Brow Lift, Injectables