Endoscopic Brow Lift Without Muscle Resection: Objective and Subjective Changes in Intereyebrow Width

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the objective and subjective changes in medial intereyebrow distance following endoscopic brow lift without corrugator resection. The authors designed a retrospective cohort study. The eligible patients included those receiving endoscopic brow lifts at Williamson Cosmetic Center in Baton Rouge, LA between June 1, 2014 and March 31, 2018. The primary outcome variable was the distance between the left and right medial brow. The secondary outcome variables were nonsurgeon evaluator’s perception of the change in intereyebrow distance and the aesthetics of the intereyebrow region. The relationship of the outcome variables to the primary predictor (time point—preoperative and postoperative) was analyzed using paired sample t-tests. The relationship of the outcome variables to the other predictors was analyzed using Pearson correlations. A P-value of less than .05 was considered significant. A total of 41 patients were included in the study. The average age was 55.3 ± 8.5 years and all patients were women. The average time from surgery to postoperative photos was 6.2 ± 3.2 (range: 3-15) months. The average preoperative intereyebrow width was 31.5 mm, and the average postoperative width was 33.1 mm ( P < .0001). Correct perception of the intereyebrow change was found to be positively correlated with increasing patient age ( P = .047) and increasing change in intereyebrow width ( P = .008). The intereyebrow distance was perceived as aesthetic for 73.4% ± 31.0% of preoperative patients and 76.1% ± 27.6% of postoperative patients ( P = .346). Patients with a preoperative intereyebrow distance perceived as aesthetic are very likely to be perceived as aesthetic postoperatively (correlation coefficient 0.817, P-value < .0001). Following endoscopic brow lift without corrugator muscle resection, there is a small, but statistically significant increase in the intereyebrow distance. However, this change was not associated with negative perception of the aesthetic appearance of the intereyebrow region.