Looking Younger May Raise Some Eyebrows

We sometimes say, when someone looks worried, that they have a “furrowed brow” or, if someone does something shocking or surprising, we say it “raised eyebrows.” While our brow and our eyebrows are two parts of the same facial area, eyebrows seem to get all the attention. They’re shaped and plucked and sometimes even shaved off. Here are some interesting facts about eyebrows, thanks to Women’s Health:

• They’re designed to help our vision by keeping water and sweat out of our eyes. Their arched shape diverts liquid to the side of the face and away from our eyes.
• Individual eyebrows have a lifespan of about four months, the time it takes for a single eyebrow hair to break the surface of the skin, grow to its maximum length, and fall out. 
• Eyebrows are an important component in face recognition. An MIT study found that people had a harder time identifying faces that were missing eyebrows. 
• Usually, they’re beyond our control. Eyebrows move up and down with the pitch of our voice as we speak; they also arch up when we’re surprised, and they do all that moving around without us telling them to. 
• Because our eyebrows are surrounded by bare skin, it makes them easier to see, which makes it easier for others to read our facial expressions. Other mammals’ eyebrows are surrounded by other facial hair and are much more difficult to see. 

As our eyebrows move up and down, they create wrinkles—or more accurately, furrows—in our brow or forehead. After decades of regularly being furrowed, the lines become permanent and get deeper as the years progress. These furrows and creases not only appear horizontally across the forehead, but also vertically between the eyebrows. One’s brow can also sag and overhang the upper eyelid. Someone with deep creases in their brow, or a brow that sags over the eyes, can look much older than they actually are. Brow LiftAll of the creasing and sagging our brows undergo can be eliminated with one procedure: the brow lift. The brow lift is a common cosmetic procedure. It’s popularity stems from the fact that the results can last up to 10 years. The procedure is relatively simple. The surgeon makes an incision along the hairline. The forehead skin is then lifted so that the eyebrows are no longer droopy. The excess skin is removed, and the brows are repositioned. The brow lift pulls the skin so that it no longer droops above the eyes. Pulling the skin also tightens it so that the furrows and creases in the brow disappear. Brow lifts can be completed in 1-2 hours. Recovery time is 10-14 days. In your pre-surgery consultation, your doctor may ask about your medical history, medications you’re currently taking, and allergies you may have. The doctor may also measure and photograph your brow. Be certain to ask any questions during the consultation. Your doctor will be happy to address any concerns you have. Non-Surgical SolutionsWhile the brow lift is the best way to pull the brow up and away from the eyes and to eliminate forehead wrinkles, there are some non-invasive techniques that work well but may be more temporary.

• Fraxel Repair/Phenol Peel

To generate new skin cells and collagen, the Fraxel Repair is a laser that removes damaged skin, allowing new skin cells and collagen to replace the old, damaged cells. The Fraxel laser can also repair sun damage, wrinkles and acne scarring. Phenol peels are deep chemical peels that improve relatively deep wrinkles and can improve the tone, texture and pigmentation of the skin. The results of a phenol peel may not be fully evident for several months, but the results can last decades. 

• Botox®/Dysport®/Jeuveau®

These muscle relaxers are excellent in decreasing wrinkles caused by muscle activity. Botox is effective for forehead wrinkles and between the brows; Dysport is also  effective between the brows, and Jeuveau is also effective in removing frown lines between the brows. 

• Fillers

Fillers such as Juvéderm® Vollure™ or Voluma® are used to soften forehead lines, if they are not too deep. The procedure is done in the office and requires minimal downtime. Lines filled are usually the horizontal lines on the forehead or the vertical lines between the eyebrows.

• Dermaplaning/Exfoliating

By removing dead skin, dermaplaning helps skin look younger by boosting collagen production, decreasing fine lines and wrinkles. The removal of dead cells also increases the skin’s absorption of skin care products. Exfoliating is also a resurfacing technique. Outer layers of skin are sloughed off, removing visible skin damage and revealing healthier and younger looking skin. If you’d like to smooth out your brow, or lift it, Dr. Mikel Lo and the staff at About Faces Cosmetic Surgery offer all of the procedures that are mentioned in this blog. If a furrowed or sagging brow is making you look older than you’d like, schedule a consultation with Dr. Mikel Lo and his talented, professional  staff—including 2 trained nurse injectors—at About Faces Cosmetic Surgery. Contact us today!