Change in Brow Position After Upper Blepharoplasty With or Without Internal Browpexy

Abstract

Background Only upper blepharoplasty can cause a change in the eyebrow position, so browpexy can be combined with blepharoplasty in selected patients. There are many brow lifting techniques, both surgical and nonsurgical, and internal browpexy is one of the most widely used surgical brow lifting techniques. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change in brow position after upper blepharoplasty with or without internal browpexy using preoperative and postoperative photographs. Methods Patients who underwent upper blepharoplasty by a single surgeon at Dokuz Eylul University Hospital between 2018 and 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 48 patients, 30 of whom underwent upper blepharoplasty only and 18 of whom underwent upper blepharoplasty combined with internal browpexy, were examined to present the change in brow position postoperatively. Preoperative and postoperative photographs were analyzed using the ImageJ program and the proportional changes in brow height were shown. Results The first group, which only underwent upper blepharoplasty only, consisted of 30 patients (62.5%), all female; the second group, which underwent upper blepharoplasty and internal browpexy, consisted of 18 patients (37.5%), all female. The change at the midpupil level was determined as a 6.13% decrease in the first group and a 2.99% increase in the second group; at the brow peak level, this change was a 6.2% decrease in the 1st group and a 4.38% increase in the 2nd group. Conclusions In cases of dermatochalasis, blepharoplasty alone can cause a shortening of the distance between the eyebrow and the upper eyelid groove and an unaesthetic appearance. Internal browpexy is an easy-to-apply technique that allows stabilization of the eyebrow after skin excision and a small amount of elevation.