Question: When I raise my eyebrows I get deep horizontal wrinkles on my forehead, most of the time they are not quite as deep but are still very noticeable. Can Botox be used to smooth these wrinkles or is a brow lift recommended?
Answer: Botox can certainly be used to smooth out deep horizontal forehead wrinkles and is extremely effective at doing this. It works by paralyzing or freezing the muscles that cause the extreme frown lines or wrinkles. Unfortunately, it typically only lasts 3 to 4 months in most individuals. It also limits your ability to raise your eyebrows, but if it is performed appropriately by an experienced injector you will have natural results.
A more permanent fix to this problem would be a brow lift and there are other advantages of a brow lift in that the corrugator muscles that cause the wrinkles between the eyebrows can be partially resected so that even these lines are also permanently improved. A brow lift removes excess skin, muscle and/or fat to smooth the forehead and brow area. The procedure can vary in invasiveness — an endoscopic lift only requires a small cut (hidden by the hair) while a coronal procedure requires a bigger incision. However, the results can be more dramatic.