Should I Get Blepharoplasty or Brow Lift? Eye Rejuvenation Comparison
As we age, our skin begins to lose elasticity. When the skin becomes saggy on the face, it can impact the eyelids and forehead.
As a board-certified plastic surgeon in La Jolla, I offer many facial plastic surgery procedures, including blepharoplasty and brow lifts. These surgeries address cosmetic issues and help improve your vision.
Let's explore the differences between brow lift and blepharoplasty, and learn which procedure may benefit you the most at Prime Plastic Surgery. If you're ready to speak with a leading plastic surgeon in San Diego County about a surgical consultation, please contact my office today.
What Is Blepharoplasty?
A blepharoplasty is an eyelid surgery that can correct sagging skin, excess skin, and excess fat on the upper eyelids, lower eyelids, or both. This plastic surgery can even help with vision problems that are caused by eyelids sagging into your field of vision.
What Is a Brow Lift?
A brow lift addresses sagging and wrinkles on the forehead. While this surgical procedure may lift the eyelids in the process, the forehead is the main focus. This procedure does not remove skin on the eyelid area. However, if you suffer from excessive skin or wrinkles on the brow line or forehead that droop into your field of vision, a brow lift can also clear your line of sight to improve your vision.
What Is the Difference Between a Blepharoplasty and a Brow Lift?
The main difference between a brow lift and blepharoplasty is not only the results but how the surgery is performed.
- During a brow lift, we remove, lift, or move skin and tissue from the forehead area or lift the brow. This can also give the eyes a more lifted appearance, though it does not remove any of the skin on the upper or lower eyelids.
- During a blepharoplasty, skin is removed or lifted from the upper or lower eyelids or both. The brow and forehead are not touched.
Combining Surgeries for Optimal Outcomes
In some cases, patients combine these two procedures into one surgery to give the eyes and forehead a smoother, lifted appearance. This can address wrinkles and drooping eyelids and give you a more youthful appearance. If you'd like to discuss these surgeries in more detail, please set up an appointment at my office.
That Sounds Like a Facelift: Do These Procedures Crossover?
It is all about surgical site location.
A brow lift focuses on the upper portion of the face, while a facelift addresses concerns on the lower portion of the face below the nose. A facelift can remove excess fat and skin from the jowls, neck, and cheek areas. A facelift can also be performed in combination with a brow lift, blepharoplasty, or both, depending on your needs.
Will Insurance Cover a Brow Lift or Blepharoplasty?
Because brow lifts and blepharoplasty are cosmetic procedures, most insurance plans do not cover them unless they are deemed medically necessary. If excessive eyelid skin is affecting your vision, this may be a medical reason to undergo a blepharoplasty, and your insurance may cover the procedure.
Once we devise your treatment plan, our skilled team will verify coverage to help you accurately plan and budget for your cosmetic surgery. We also offer financing options to help those without insurance or to cover what insurance does not.
Will I Have Scars After Undergoing Brow Lift or Blepharoplasty?
Incision placement is everything.
When laparoscopic surgery isn't possible, I strategically make incisions along the hairline or in natural folds to hide or minimize scarring as much as possible. The goal is to provide natural results so people do not even know you had plastic surgery performed. However, there may still be tiny scars along the incision, so it is important to have realistic expectations before going into surgery.
During your consultation, I will show you where the incisions will be made so you are completely informed beforehand. Please contact my La Jolla plastic surgery office to learn more.
What About Non-Surgical Options for Eye and Brow Rejuvenation?
If you have only a few wrinkles or fine lines, non-surgical options such as dermal fillers like Restylane® or BOTOX® Cosmetic injections may be a good option.
Many people swear by retinol and creams, but these are most beneficial in prevention and helping the skin maintain elasticity. Minor loss of elasticity may also benefit from injections. However, excessive, drooping skin cannot be addressed with dermal fillers or BOTOX.
Unfortunately, once the skin loses significant elasticity, it cannot be fixed with injections or creams. Removing this skin through plastic surgery is the only way to correct it.
Protecting Your Vision: How Brow Lift and Blepharoplasty Can Help
While some people are confident in their bodies and have accepted and even love their skin and wrinkles, when that skin impairs their line of sight, it can cause issues and impact their quality of life. While it may only impact a portion of your vision, it typically gets worse with age, and it can even damage the nerves and muscles that control the eyelids.
Depending on where that sag in the skin is located, both brow lift surgery and blepharoplasty of the upper eyelid can give you a clear line of sight to protect your vision. When you visit my La Jolla plastic surgery office, I can assess your needs and provide a recommendation.
Which Facial Rejuvenation Procedure Is Right for Me?
This will vary depending on your areas of concern and your desired results.
If the skin on your eyelids is sagging into your field of vision, a blepharoplasty is most likely the best treatment option for you. However, if you wish to address a drooping brow or forehead, a brow lift is probably better for you.
During your initial consultation at my office serving San Diego County, I will discuss your goals and concerns and walk you through how each procedure may benefit you so you can make an informed decision about your surgical goals. Each cosmetic surgery is specifically tailored to you, your cosmetic issues, and your aesthetic goals.
Want a More Youthful Appearance?
Contact My Plastic Surgery Center
Sagging skin, wrinkles, and lines can make you look older than you are. When the skin on the eyelids or brow sags into your field of vision, it can also impact your sight. These beneficial cosmetic procedures can help you achieve a more youthful appearance and even improve your vision.
Find out which procedure is right for you. Contact our office in La Jolla to request a consultation. We are dedicated to helping patients in the San Diego area and beyond look and feel their best.
About Robert Singer, MD
Dr. Robert Singer is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has helped patients since 1976. A former president of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons, the San Diego Plastic Surgery Society, and the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation, Dr. Singer remains an internationally recognized authority in the field.