Non-surgical brow lifts are becoming the new ‘go-to’ treatment

Brand new research has confirmed that there is a general decrease in all plastic surgeries conducted on women, with a 10% reduction in brow lifts in particular. According to the UK’s leading aesthetic experts, the decline isn’t due to a lack of demand, it’s down to advances in non- invasive technology.

Botulinum Toxin, or Botox, as it’s better known, has certainly been one of the most popular treatments to smooth out wrinkles and frown lines. However, too much can result in a frozen, expressionless look, which deters many. Another lesser-known and more long-term side effect of treatment with Botulinum Toxin, is atrophy. This is when the forehead muscles start to shrink and becomes weak due to inactivity for a long period of time. Plastic Surgeon, Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, of Perfect Eyes on Harley Street says:

“If you regularly use toxin injections over a long period of time, the treated muscles can eventually atrophy and stop being as active. I see it in patients who have been having aggressive treatments for a long time. I would say it affects around 10% of patients I see.”

So how would you know if you’re suffering from atrophy? Dr Sabrina explains:

“If after multiple toxin treatments, you notice a sagging or drooping of the brow then you should probably consult your doctor. Some patients may also notice a change to the shape of their brow. They can become less arched and sometimes straighter. This is something more Botox won’t help with because the brow lifts through the action of the frontalis muscle, so if the forehead is frozen it can occasionally cause the brow to droop, particularly in older patients.”

So, what’s the next step after years of muscle relaxing injections does Dr Sabrina suggest if you’re not keen to ‘go under the knife’?

“I would recommend a combination of collagen stimulating treatments which will achieve a natural lifting of the brow. Silhouette Soft threads can be used to reposition the sagging forehead tissues and then I would recommend Ellansé, in the temple and at the tail of the brow.”

Fox Eye

This combined approach to lifting the brow area is not confined to addressing the downward gravitational pull as we age. ‘The Fox Eye’ is an emerging aesthetic trend where patients are hoping to achieve a ‘slight tilting up’ of the outer corner of the eye.

‘The Fox Eye’ has been trending on Instagram since Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner started posting their winged eye look, and a plethora of models and influencers have subsequently popularised the tilting outer corner of the eye. Some scrape back their hair in a tight ponytail to pull back the skin and create the upward turn of the eyes, while other use makeup to achieve the illusion of lifted eyes and a more awake look.

According to Dr Sabrina “My patients tell us that a Fox Eye, non-surgical brow lift can really open up the eyes and make them look less tired. In addition, we have seen that treating the brow and temple can make a marked improvement on the lower face and jawline.”

The procedure is carried out using local anaesthetic and patients report very minimal - if any - discomfort. The treatments each itself takes less than 60 minutes, and the effects last from 1-2 years because of the collagen stimulation achieved.