Botox or Brow Lift?

July 14, 2012 - By Dr. Jules Feledy

Botox is a great way to bring back some youthful vitality to a patient’s facial features but it’s not the only way. A brow lift, for example, can solve many of the same imperfections that Botox can. So which one is best for you?

The big difference between the two procedures is the degree of permanence the patient will experience. Botox works by temporarily weakening select facial muscles in order to ease the tension they apply to the skin, which in turn causes wrinkles and furrowed brows. The medication will eventually wear off, however, and more treatments will be needed to maintain the results.

What Are the Pros and Cons for Each Procedure?

A brow lift is a surgical procedure, and is much more permanent. Through incisions, the surgeon pulls back the forehead and removes excess skin. The benefit of a brow lift is that once it’s done, the results are long lasting. But that permanence doesn’t appeal to everyone.

One of the reasons Botox is so popular is precisely because it is impermanent. Patients who are seeking more subtle results may balk at the idea of having major surgery. Botox offers these patients an option to improve their looks practically risk-free. If they don’t like the results, the effects will eventually wear off. Things get a little more tricky when someone is displeased with the result of their brow lift.

Another factor is cost. Brow lifts are a major surgery, and they are usually elective. You’ll have to cover surgeon’s fees, hospital costs, medication prescriptions, and more. It can run you back a bit, whereas Botox is relatively inexpensive, running only a few hundred dollars a pop.

Brow lifts aren’t for everybody, but neither is Botox. Factors such as desired permanence, subtlety of results, and cost should be weighed before you decide on one procedure or another. Luckily, qualified professionals are there to help you make that decision.