Brow Lift or Eyelid Surgery: Which Is Right for You?

To some, wrinkles and creases are a sign of increased wisdom that comes with age. To most, though, fine lines, wrinkles, and drooping and sagging skin are a reminder that you’re not as young as you once were. Fortunately, that’s where procedures like brow lifts and blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) can make a difference.

At Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi, oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Michael Nichols and his staff know how gravity can pull your features down over time, which is why they have two anti-gravity treatments up their sleeves: brow lifts and blepharoplasty. Not sure which one is right for you? Keep reading to find out.

The importance of collagen, elastin, and fat

When you’re young, your body produces ample amounts of collagen and elastin, two fibrous proteins responsible for your skin’s tone and resilience. However, when you reach your mid-20s, production of both begins to decline slowly but persistently. Without new protein cells to replenish old tissue, your skin loses its tautness, forming fine lines, wrinkles, and creases.

In addition, the constant downward pull of gravity tugs on the loose tissue, making your facial skin lax and droopy and causing your eyelids to droop over your lashes. This can lead to a perpetually tired appearance and may even affect your vision if the lids droop far enough.

Collagen and elastin aren’t the only things you lose as you age; you also lose the fat that plumps up your skin, gives your cheeks fullness, and cushions your eyeball from the bones around it. The result is hollows in your lips and cheeks, and the remaining fat in your eyes moving forward and downward into the lids, causing them to puff up.

What is blepharoplasty?

Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that treats droopy eyelids. It may be performed on the upper or lower lid, or both. In 2018, according to the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons, 206,000 people opted for a blepharoplasty to correct the cosmetic effects of aging on their eyelids. That makes it one of the top five cosmetic surgeries.

During the procedure, Dr. Nichols removes extra skin and muscle, and he may reposition fat that’s led to puffy lids to restore an aesthetically balanced, younger-looking appearance.

What is a brow lift?

A brow lift addresses the area above the eyes — the forehead and eyebrows — “lifting” the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, creases, and droops. Brow lifts can either be done with a classic technique or an endoscopic one.

The classic lift involves a single cut from one ear to the other around your hairline to hide the scar. The endoscopic lift involves a few smaller cuts in your scalp through which Dr. Nichols feeds a small camera to allow him to see the area and tools to remove excess tissue and reposition muscle and fat

So, which procedure is right for you? It depends on where your problems lie. If it’s just a matter of your eyes, blepharoplasty should be sufficient. If your forehead and eyebrows have wrinkled and sunk, a brow lift can help them. The beautiful thing is, though, that while brow lifts can be performed as a stand-alone procedure, you can also combine them with other procedures, like a blepharoplasty, a rhinoplasty (nose job), or a face-lift.

The best thing to do is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nichols and get his expert opinion on how to achieve your aesthetic goals. Give our office a call at 601-420-3223.