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Which Is Better—Brow Lift Or Blepharoplasty?

Sep 12th 2022 Dr. Inzhili Kitto

As we age, areas of our face sag and droop, causing wrinkles, fine lines, under-eye bags, and more. A common area of concern for individuals is their eyes. However, there are many ways to address these concerns of appearing tired, sad, and angry. An upper blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) or an eyebrow lift surgery can help make your eyes appear more youthful and awake. At Kitto Plastic Surgery, we offer both blepharoplasty and eyebrow lift surgeries, but each has its specific uses, and the one that is best for you will vary. Read more to determine which is right for you.

What is an Eye Brow Lift Surgery?

An eyebrow lift surgery is performed to remove excess fat and skin below the eyebrow. As we age, our brows tend to droop—creating a crease on the upper eyelid and, in some cases, obstructing our view. This drooping can cause you to appear tired, angry, or sad and force you to raise your eyebrows more frequently. When you lift your eyebrows regularly, your forehead and the area between your eyebrows can wrinkle and crease—creating an older appearance. 

The goal of an eyebrow lift is to remove the excess skin and fat under eyebrow regions, reducing heaviness and restoring a younger, more awake look. To do this, an incision is made directly below the eyebrow’s tail, and a strip of skin is removed as part of precise eyebrow fat removal. Then, the surgeon will lift skin from the upper eyelid area and join it together under the eyebrow. This minimally invasive procedure allows for subtle eyebrow fat removal and can be performed in-office with local anesthesia.

What is an Upper Blepharoplasty?

In contrast to an eyebrow lift, an upper blepharoplasty is used to lift the upper eyelid. Similar to our eyebrows, as we age, our eyelids can droop and sag, causing us to appear tired and occasionally obstruct our vision. With an upper eyelid surgery, the skin of the upper eyelid is removed in a thin line on the eyelid. The remaining skin is then brought back together to create an eyelid crease. The result is a more awake and youthful eye appearance. 

How to Remove Fat Between Eyebrows

Some patients also struggle with fullness in the area just above the nose. Fat between eyebrows can make frown lines appear deeper and add weight to the mid-brow. An eyebrow lift can address this by lifting and sculpting the tissue. In cases where deep lines are caused by both skin and fat, a surgeon may recommend combining an eyebrow lift with Botox or other treatments to smooth the area further.

Fat Under the Eyebrow: Surgical Options

Excess fat under the eyebrow contributes to heavy brows and a sagging upper face. While aging is the most common cause, genetics can also play a role, meaning some patients notice this concern even at a younger age.

Surgical correction involves carefully removing this tissue as part of an eyebrow lift procedure. For individuals with both sagging eyelids and drooping brows, combining eyebrow fat removal with blepharoplasty provides the most complete and long-lasting result.

Upper Blepharoplasty vs. Eyebrow Lift Surgery

As you can see, both an eyebrow lift and an upper blepharoplasty are used to treat tired, aging, and drooping eye appearances. However, the main difference between the two is whether excess eyelid skin or fat between eyebrows is causing the problem. Those who proceed to get an upper blepharoplasty are actually struggling with drooping eyelid skin instead of drooping eyebrow skin. While those who get an eyebrow lift were struggling with eyebrow sagging. 

In some cases, individuals struggling with their eye appearance are actually dealing with both sagging eyelid skin and excess fat under eyebrow areas. In these cases, an upper blepharoplasty and an eyebrow lift are appropriate. A board-certified plastic surgeon should be able to tell you which one is causing the problem and address it appropriately.

Cosmetic Surgery

Kitto Plastic Surgery—Offering Eyebrow Lifts and Blepharoplasty in Richmond, VA

Are you struggling with appearing tired, having an obstructed view, or drooping eyes due to your eyebrow or upper eyelid? Dr. Kitto may be able to help. Dr. Kitto is a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in Oculoplastic Surgery and Facial Aesthetic Surgery. After carefully looking at your face and eye area, Dr. Kitto can accurately determine what is causing your problem and formulate a plan to fix it. She has helped numerous individuals gain confidence through her blepharoplasty, eyebrow fat removal, and eyebrow lift surgery in Richmond, VA.

Contact us to set up a consultation today! If you’re considering plastic surgery in Richmond, VA, Dr. Kitto’s expertise can provide the solution you’re seeking.

Dr. Inzhili Kitto

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

Dr. Kitto is a BOARD-CERTIFIED plastic surgeon and an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, as well as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She has undergone specialized training in Oculoplastic Surgery and Facial Aesthetic Surgery and practices in Richmond, VA.

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