Correlation between brow lift outcomes and aesthetic ideals for eyebrow height and shape in females.

This study correlates brow lift outcomes published in the plastic surgical literature with aesthetic criteria for ideal female eyebrow height and shape. Aesthetic criteria were determined by testing the opinions of 11 cosmetic surgeons and 9 cosmetologists. Eyebrow height and shape were altered with computer graphics to isolate those changes as the only variables of appearance. Plastic surgeons and cosmetologists preferred (p = 0.01) medial eyebrows below or at the supraorbital rim and disliked the medial eyebrow above the rim. Both groups preferred (p = 0.01) eyebrow shape to have an apex lateral slant. One hundred preoperative and 100 postoperative photographs from 16 frequently referenced articles on brow lifts were evaluated. There was a significant (p = 0.0008) increase in the number of medial eyebrows elevated above the rim. The number of medial apex eyebrows increased, and the number of flat brows decreased (p = 0.01). There was no significant increase in the number of apex lateral eyebrows. Three conclusions are made about female eyebrows: (1) The medial eyebrow should be located at or below the supraorbital rim but not above it. (2) Eyebrow shape should have an apex lateral slant. (3) Standard open and endoscopic brow lift operations frequently result in unsatisfactory eyebrow height and shape, judged by these criteria.