Do you need a brow lift or eyelid surgery?

Blepharoplasty vs brow lift Charlotte

The visible signs of aging can affect all parts of the face, including the eyebrows and upper eyelids. There are two common surgical procedures that can help to refresh the upper face. One is a forehead lift, also known as a brow lift. The other is an upper blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery. Some people are well served by one of these procedures, while others may benefit from having both.

Brow lift

In younger people, the eyebrows sit above the bony ridge at the top of the eye socket. As people age and the skin of the forehead loses its elasticity, the brows may drop down to the ridge or even below it. The body will instinctually act to raise the eyebrows to keep them from falling into the visual field, which contributes to the formation of forehead lines and wrinkles. The drooping brows can also create a tired appearance.

Patients may benefit from a brow lift if their eyebrows are lower on their face than they should be. In many cases, the body is compensating by constantly contracting the forehead muscles, and so the eyebrows may not appear to be low until the muscle is fully relaxed.

Upper blepharoplasty

The skin of the upper eyelids also loses elasticity as we age. As the eyelids sag, the eyes tend to take on a tired appearance. In more severe cases, the excess eyelid skin may even droop into the visual field and interfere with vision. During an upper blepharoplasty, the surgeon removes excess skin from the upper eyelid. The tissue that is removed is the thin skin of the upper eyelid, just below the eyelid crease.

Patients with sagging skin of the upper eyelid may benefit from an upper blepharoplasty. However, it’s important to have a thorough examination in order to make sure that the issue is actually coming from the eyelid itself. In some cases, drooping brows can press down on the upper eyelid. This can create the appearance of a drooping eyelid, when the problem is really the brows. In this situation, performing a blepharoplasty alone would not help. A brow lift alone may be all that the patient needs to refresh their eyes. When the eyelid skin itself is drooping, then a blepharoplasty will help to address this.

It’s also possible to perform both procedures together. If both the brows and the eyelids are drooping, then the best results will come from addressing both issues.

Blepharoplasty vs brow lift Charlotte

Ultimately, an examination by a plastic surgeon with experience in these procedures will be necessary to make recommendations about whether one or both of these surgeries might help you meet your goals for your appearance. This will allow the surgeon to find the cause of the problems that you’re concerned about. A thorough consultation will permit the surgeon to evaluate your tissues and determine what would be most likely to help. 

If you’re here in the Charlotte area, we invite you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Miles. He will spend the time to evaluate you and then discuss your options with you, so that you feel informed and prepared to make the decisions that are right for you. To book your appointment, simply contact our office.