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Botox Brow Lift: Everything You Need to Know

by Anna Kate Read June 16, 2021

Botox is known for its amazing, wrinkle-minimizing effects, helping to take years off your appearance in just a few minutes.

But there are other benefits to Botox that aren’t quite as well known, like using the procedure to perform a Botox brow lift.

Instead of going under the knife, having a Botox brow lift performed by one of Skin Pharm’s advanced practice providers can open up the eye area and give you a more awake, younger-looking appearance.

Botox Brow Lift Basics

Don’t let the word “lift” fool you – Botox brow lifts don’t involve surgery the way that more traditional brow lifts do.

While surgical brow lifts physically remove the skin to lift up the underlying muscle and subcutaneous tissue, Botox brow lifts can give you similar effects without having to go under anesthesia.

By using Botox injections in targeted areas, the eyebrows and brow area are temporarily lifted by relaxing the facial muscles that are responsible for dragging them down in the first place.

This also allows the muscle on the forehead (that naturally pulls the brow area up) to work unopposed, treating dynamic wrinkles and elevating the appearance of the height of the eyebrows and overall brow area.

If you’re unfamiliar with exactly what Botox is, it’s essentially a neurotoxin that was designed to help stop the movement of the muscles that create and worsen fine lines and wrinkles on the face. It was created using one of the components of botulism that is known for its ability to stop the nerves from sending signals to the muscles.

Without those frequent signals, the muscles will stay relaxed, which reduces the appearance of wrinkles. However, one common misconception is that Botox does not actually remove wrinkles.

Let’s Talk Details

Want to know a little more about how exactly a Botox brow lift works? It starts with the muscles that cause those recognizable lines between the eyebrows, which are known as the “11s” in the cosmetic dermatology community.

This muscle is technically known as the corrugator muscle – or, more specifically, the corrugator supercilii muscle. It starts mid-brow, on the bone just under the eyebrow and extends along the eye socket until reaching the inner corner of the eye.

This small muscle is also responsible for so many of the cosmetological issues we deal with, like frown lines. The rest of the eyebrow area is the responsibility of the orbicularis oculi muscle, which actually circles the entire eye area. It is also the one that controls the closing of the eyelids and, perhaps most importantly for this conversation, is also the main cause of “crow’s feet” wrinkles.

If this muscle can be relaxed, it allows the arch and outer corner of your brows to naturally raise back up and open up the appearance of the entire area.

When you go for a Botox brow lift, the goal is to specifically inject the muscles that cause the “drop” without touching the muscles in the forehead that naturally lift the brow – the frontalis muscle, specifically.

If the frontalis muscle is injected, it negates the effects of relaxing the corrugator and orbicularis oculi muscles, creating a “frozen” look on the face instead of actually raising the brow area. (And at Skin Pharm, we promise you'll leave looking refreshed, never frozen!)

Who’s the Optimal Botox Brow Lift Patient?

If you’re asking this question, the answer is probably... you!

Anyone can benefit from a Botox brow lift, especially if you’re noticing a change in your face. The good part about Botox not being permanent is that you can try it without having to worry about being stuck with it forever.

On the other hand, if you absolutely love it, you should only need to get follow-up injections 3–4 times a year to maintain your results.

But truly, Botox is great for anyone.

It can also be used on the jaw, around the lips (called a lip flip, which helps to create a fuller-looking lip without fillers), on the chin, neck and even on the gums. Some doctors even use Botox to help treat other conditions, like migraines and excessive sweating.

What to Expect During Your Botox Brow Lift

If you’re ready to make your appointment, we’re excited to see you!

Scheduling your first Botox appointment – whether it’s a brow lift, a lip flip or just reducing the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles that bother you – can be nerve-racking, but it doesn’t have to be.

Here’s a little bit about what you can expect for your first appointment, both during and afterward.

First of all, the needles that our providers use to inject Botox are incredibly small. Take a look at your hair and put 3 strands together. That’s how thin the needles are – probably nothing like you’re imagining.

We use those needles to inject low doses of Botox into the muscles just under the skin, so we’re not going very deep – only as deep as we need to go to be effective.

Our goal is to give you the results you want in a natural way, so that you leave looking like the best version of yourself!

Most people describe the actual injections as no more than a pinprick, so don’t be afraid that it’ll be extremely painful. We want you to be as comfortable as possible.

The actual procedure itself only takes a few minutes to perform.

What to Expect After Your Botox Brow Lift

Once your treatment is done and you’re heading home, what should you expect?

You may notice some redness or sensitivity around the areas that were injected, which is perfectly normal. However, any swelling, redness or discomfort that you notice should resolve within 24 hours.

If you need to use over-the-counter painkillers to manage any discomfort, Tylenol is your best option. However, always check with your provider first.

To keep the Botox in the brow area where it belongs, make sure that you avoid touching your face for at least 4 hours after your appointment. We also recommend that you don’t lay down for that same amount of time and skip the gym or any physical workouts that you have planned for the day.

In some cases, Botox can spread out from the areas it was injected into and end up in places that you don’t want it. This reduces its effectiveness and can relax the muscles in unintended places.

It’s especially important for new Botox patients to understand that you won’t see the results of your Botox brow lift right away. It generally takes a few days to start to notice a difference, with optimal results anywhere from 1–4 weeks.

Those results then begin to wear off around 3–4 months after your initial injections, which is when you should schedule your next appointment. Over time, you’ll learn your body’s specific response to Botox, so you can better anticipate your results and plan accordingly.

To Summarize

If you’ve noticed that your eye area seems to be drooping, a Botox brow lift may be just the thing you need.

Instead of going under the knife, Botox is a far less painless and inexpensive option that allows you to achieve a brighter, more open eye area without all of the potential surgical side effects.

Ready to give Botox a go? Book your appointment at Skin Pharm today! We’re happy to help everyone look (and feel) their best, whether it's your first time or you’re a returning patient.