Raising An Eyebrow: Everything You Need To Know About The Non-Surgical Brow Lift

What is a non-surgical brow lift?

The non-surgical brow lift, sometimes called the "Botox brow lift" is a lift of the brows by treating either the frown area (the glabella complex), around the lateral eye muscles, just under the brow or all three of those areas with botulinum toxin [people often call this Botox - but Botox is just one of many brands of botulinum toxin].

Commonly treated muscles include the procerus, medial and lateral corrugators, and the orbicularis oculi muscles, which are all depressor muscles, meaning they draw downwards. So, by injecting wrinkle relaxers, we block the muscle receptors in those areas and cause the muscles to relax and open up the eye and frown areas. This gives a great lifting effect.

This is NOT the same as the "Spock" eyebrows you see on some people. This is where the practitioner has limited knowledge of anatomy and treats only the muscle that raises the brow.

Another possible complication with this treatment, if not performed properly, is brow ptosis - a droopy brow.

What are the benefits of a non-surgical eyebrow lift?

One of the great things about this treatment is that it’s minimal but quick and easy. I have had great results, but it is a very minimal lift which can open up the whole eye area or just the lateral or medial parts. It won’t treat skin laxity, as wrinkle relaxing injections treat the muscle contraction not skin directly. It will also have minimal effect on hooded eyes and no effect on herniated muscles around the eye area.

What does the non-surgical brow lift involve?

The brow lift involves small and superficial injections which are very quick. There's minimal discomfort, and the amount of injections depends on the desired brow shape discussed during the consultation.

Is there any downtime?

Downtime is minimal - same as regular upper face wrinkle relaxing treatments. After the treatment, don’t use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen or aspirin - just paracetamol if required. Also, don’t exercise or use hot saunas, steam rooms, showers, baths or alcohol for the next 24 hours either. You’ll likely have small red raised areas for 20 minutes post treatment, which is completely normal, so don’t worry.

Are there any reasons why you shouldn’t get a non-surgical brow lift?

You’ll need to have a full and thorough consultation with your aesthetic practitioner (make sure you choose one that’s medically qualified) before you get a non-surgical eyebrow lift, to make sure you’re medically suitable for the treatment.

During this consultation, the practitioner will also run through any side effects and risks. If the medicine is not injected correctly into the area, it gives a very high risk of brow ptosis, so this is something to consider when choosing your injector. Ask how many of these treatments they have performed and whether you can see their before and after images.

Injectable brow lift or Fox Eye Lift?

The main difference between a non-surgical brow lift and a fox eye lift is that a fox eye lift is created with PDO threads (so is more invasive) but lasts longer. However, it gives only the lateral brow lift. There’s a higher risk of infection with thread lifts, not forgetting more risk of nerve, vascular and lymphatic systems. Longevity is greater but then so are the risks.

You can discover important information about wrinkle relaxing treatments in our Glowday anti-wrinkle treatment guide, which covers side effects, treatment time, cost and more!

If you'd like a consultation with a verified practitioner check out the Glowday booking tool.