As you age, your facial muscles stretch, and your skin starts to lose its elasticity. Along with creating facial wrinkles, the aging process can cause your eyebrows to droop downward. While it is impossible to reverse aging, many appearance-conscious people attempt to slow it by undergoing cosmetic procedures. One of the recent ones touted as the next big injectable trend is using Botox to lift brows.

What is a Botox brow lift?

The Botox brow lift is a cosmetic procedure that many people undergo to restore their youthful appearance. It involves the use of the protein known as botulinum toxin or Botox. It is becoming a preferred option to undergo invasive and expensive plastic surgery. Unlike surgical intervention, which has a long recovery time, you do not require significant downtime after using Botox to lift brows.

Generally, Botox is useful for reducing facial wrinkles, but it is also effective for lifting brows. The effect of the procedure is temporary, however, and you may need to get regular Botox injections every four months or so to maintain the desired appearance of your eyebrows.

What is the procedure to use Botox to lift brows?

If you decide to use Botox to lift brows, you should get the procedure done only by a trained and experienced doctor. He or she needs to be well-acquainted with facial anatomy and musculature. That will reduce the risk of injecting the Botox into the wrong muscle and causing eyelid droop.

During the procedure, a plastic surgeon will inject the Botox into the forehead to rebalance its muscles and create an effect of a brow lift. He or she will give one Botox injection in the central part between the eyes and another alongside the eyebrows. The injections will sting but are not otherwise painful. The Botox will impact the muscle that closes the eye, which can cause the brow to lift. Along with enabling a brow lift, the Botox will also smooth the forehead wrinkles and make the eyes look wider.

The effect will become apparent almost immediately and, aside from not exercising or otherwise exerting yourself for at least 24 hours, you will not need to take time off your usual routine. You need to visit the doctor after two weeks to ensure that the results have as you desired.

Should you get a Botox brow lift?

Getting a Botox brow lift is a personal decision that you should take on your own after careful consideration of its benefits and drawbacks. People generally decide to get Botox for the following reasons:

• It is less expensive and less invasive than brow upliftment surgery, can be undertaken with general anesthesia, and requires less recovery time.

• It gives the face a rounder appearance by lifting the brows and can make you look more youthful.

• It can reduce the age-related sinking in the central forehead and temple areas.

• It can smooth furrows, eye corner drooping, and crow’s feet.

The disadvantages of Botox are:

• It is a temporary measure and generally wears off after ten or 12 weeks.

• The eyebrows will fall back into their original position after the Botox wears off.

• You will have to invest in frequent Botex brow lift procedures and that can be expensive.

Is it safe to use botox to lift brows?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Botox in 2002 for treating facial wrinkles at the sides of the eyes, on the forehead, and between the eyebrows. However, it has become common to put it to many off-label uses, including lifting eyebrows. The procedure is generally safe if undertaken by an expert doctor.

Some people may experience side effects, though, such as swelling, bruising, and sensitivity at the injection site. Others may suffer from persistent headaches and eyelid drooping for a few months. In some cases, the brow lift ends up being too high, giving the individual a perpetually surprised look. These side effects can be annoying while they last but will generally wear off after a while.

However, if you are allergic to Botox, as some people are, it may not be the suitable beauty procedure for you, and you may want to consult your doctor and explore other non-invasive or surgical options.