A morphometric study of age- and sex-dependent changes in eyebrow height and shape^✰

Rejuvenation procedures of the periorbital region and the forehead, with the eyebrow as a key structure, are often performed in plastic surgery. There is no common consent on the changes of aging in this region and the consecutive treatment options. This study was designed to support the body of literature with a broader data basis about the natural changes of eyebrow position and its shape.

The brow shape, the lid axis, and the distance between both medial canthi (DMC) were analyzed retrospectively on randomly selected standardized photographs of healthy Caucasian females and males. Six defined heights of the upper brow border, including the position and height of the highest brow point (HBP) and the angle of the upper brow line, were measured.

A total of 244 Caucasian females and males in two groups (<34 years and >55 years) were analyzed. The data showed a difference between brow shapes of young females and males, especially relating to the HBP, which is located medially in young females. The brow shape of females assimilates toward a male shape with aging. The eyebrow moves upward, the DMC widens, and the lid axis drops laterally in both sexes with aging.

Our data suggest that rejuvenation procedures should focus on not only lifting the brow but also reshaping and stabilizing the brow, especially the HBP, which plays an important role in defining the upper brow line. Our findings can explain why lifting the brow can create not only an undesired surprise but also an older look.