The Truth About “Fox eyes” Eye and Brow Threadlifts

One of the biggest beauty and cosmetic trends of the past year may very well be the “fox eyes” look, where the eyebrows and corner of the eyes are pulled slightly so that the tail of the eyebrow is angled, instead of arched.

The look has recently exploded on social media, mostly as it’s become a defining facial feature of various social media influencers and celebrities such as Bella Hadid, Ariana Grande, and Kendall Jenner.

It’s become so popular, that Dr. Dara Liotta, a Plastic Surgeon in New York says “Maybe half of my patients will come in and say, ‘I want a brow lift,’ which is something that never happened even literally six months ago. People didn’t know that was a thing.” (1).

You may have heard of this treatment being referred to as “cat eyes”, “eye lift”, “brow lift”, “non-surgical eye-lift”, “designer eyes”, and even “Bella Hadid brow lift”.

There are two options available to achieve this look – surgical and non-surgical. The choice of treatment for a surgical approach is usually a Blepharoplasty, which is a surgical procedure to change the shape of an eyelid. The non-surgical options are more common, and usually involve a mixture of dermal fillers, botox injections, and finally – PDO threadlifts.

Using thread lifts to raise the eyebrows and achieve the desired effect has become the most common treatment of choice to achieve the desired fox eyes look, however, there are many plastic surgeons and practitioners who refuse to do this treatment, and are actually actively vocal against it.

So what exactly is a fox-eyes brow-lift, and why does there seem to be so much controversy surrounding this procedure?

The Truth About "Fox eyes" Eye and Brow Threadlifts

What is a PDO threadlift?

A PDO thread-lift is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure intended to lift and tighten sagging skin. The results are achieved by inserting threads with tiny hooks in them, that pull the skin around the corner of the eyes. These threads dissolve on their own over time.

PDO (Polydioxanone) is the name of the material of the threads, it’s just one type of thread-lifting available to use by doctors, and was approved by the FDA in 2004 (2). It’s mostly used to lift the cheeks and jowls in the lower part of the face, but has also been suggested to lift the brows (3).

In addition to lifting the skin, the threads also target the body’s healing response, and so stimulate long-term collagen production (4).

It’s important to know that there are different types of collagen that can be formed – it can be beneficial to your skin, or it can be formed directly as a result of scar tissue formation.

How long does a “fox eyes” PDO threadlift last?

Immediately after getting a “fox eyes” PDO thread-lift, there will be a wrinkle in the skin where the threads were inserted. this wrinkle is only temporary and should relax within the first week.

There are a lot of different opinions on exactly how long the results of a fox eyes brow lift procedure will last, but the optimum results of a fox eye PDO thread-lift will only last 3 weeks (5).

After this, the threads will most likely begin to dissolve, and the look will begin to slowly fade. As the the threads stimulate collagen production, the results can last (but to a lesser degree) for up to 6 months.

So before considering getting a brow thread lift, you should bear in mind that the results may not last as long as you’d like. 

Why do some people and doctors advise against eye lifts?

Most plastic surgeons who advise against getting a brow lift argue that PDO threads to lift the brows are simply unpredictable.

Unlike the cheeks, the area and tissue around the eyebrows is quite tight, and so many plastic surgeons say that it’s quite difficult to successfully pull the skin in this area, and to maintain this pull for a long time.

It’s quite hard to keep that nice pull that you see in the before/after pictures, as those photographs are usually taken immediately after treatment, and once the threads begin to dissolve within a couple of weeks – the pull also starts to decrease.

Despite the PDO threads stimulating collagen production, the collagen built around the threads is simply not enough to create a more long-term effect lasting up to 6 months (6).

Many practitioners argue that this procedure does slightly alter the natural proportions of a face, especially if it’s done frequently over a long time due to formation of scar tissue.

Thread-lifting has traditionally successfully been used for facial rejuvenation, but mostly in the lower part of the face (7) (such as pulling saggy cheeks). Inserting threads into the temple area in order to pull the brows is still quite recent, and more research and better techniques needs to be conducted regarding this procedure.

Should you get a “fox eyes” PDO eyelift?

It’s more of a question of what your long-term plans are. It’s important to understand that a fox eye PDO threadlift may help you get the look that you want, but it may not last as long as you hope.

Going back to your doctor every month or every other month in order to maintain the look is definitely not advised. It’s recommended that you don’t get a PDO threadlift more than twice a year (8).

Getting a PDO “fox eyes” threadlift is only a good option for those who are considering getting it only once or twice a year, and understand that it’s not a viable option for a long-term result.

PDO brow lifts done many times will cause scar tissue around your eyebrow, and may cause minor facial deformities if they’re done often for many years.

If you’re interested in getting a fox eye eye-lift look that will be permanent, you should consider surgical options such as a face-lift or a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery).

Are PDO threadlifts for “fox eyes” safe?

One of the major risks of “fox eyes” PDO thread-lifts is an unsatisfactorily aesthetic result. There have been many complaints and reviews of patients being disappointed with getting PDO threadlifts for “fox eyes”.

Another common risk as an asymmetrical result, or one brow being lifted more than the other.

Numbness or soreness in the temple and area where the threads were inserted is quite common, but should subside within the first 2 weeks.

A more serious risk of this procedure, though not so common, is an infection where the threads were inserted.

Scar tissue formation is another risk of “fox eyes” PDO threadlifts. That’s why it’s important to not get this procedure done many times.

If you’re considering getting a PDO threadlift for the “fox eyes” look, it’s important to consult your doctor or practitioner in great detail about all the above points to make sure you understand all the risks involved in this procedure.

Fox eyes PDO threadlift (eye-lift) before and after

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Выкладываю перечень вопросов, интересующие многих пациенток по поводу «Лисьих глаз»🦊 #foxeyes 🦊 Incognito. Меня интересуют #ЛисьиГлазки. ❓Подскажите, Вы работаете нитями Коги? Я конечно, мало разбираюсь в нитях. Просто мне уже ставили нити и у меня вообще не было эффекта. Но процедура была по стоимости гораздо ниже. Я конечно, понимаю, что они разные бывают. ОТВЕТ: Ставлю нити ког 4д/6д/8д Ставлю нити Аптос по желанию пациента – в разы дороже🤑 . ‼️Просто в дальнейшем хочу сделать операцию по височному лифтингу. А сейчас посмотреть как изменится лицо. Знаю что хирурги не любят нити. ОТВЕТ: Если вы хотите результат на всю жизнь, а не на 3-6 месяцев, то прямиков к пластическому хирургу🔪 Форма бровей может измениться как и форма глаза, но через месяц не будет эффекта ВАУ НАТЯЖЕНИЯ!!! Помните об этом! Все мы разные и у каждой из нас свои особенности восприятия👻 . ❓Через сколько окончательно рассасывается нить? ОТВЕТ: Я не имею просто права уверить Вас в том, что нить будет держать каркас целый год. Возможно начнёт рассасываться через месяц, через два, а то и через полгода. . ❓И такой вопрос Вы пишите что токсин входит в стоимость ОТВЕТ: Входит в стоимость нити и ботокс, если есть ботокс ранее введённый (не прошло 6 месяцев) цена идентична, ни больше ни меньше. Докалываем ботокс в определенные мышцы лица. . ❓Это никак не повлияет на процедуру и на стоимость? ❓Будет ли больно? ОТВЕТ: Да! 2 недели после процедуры, а также неприятные ощущения в области инъецированная нитей, так как нити идут с насечками! Запомните! Нить рассасывается, боль проходит. . ❓Могут ли быть отеки и гематомы? ОТВЕТ: Конечно. Ибо вы живой человек, у которого циркулирует кровь и присутствуют сосуды😂 . ❓Складки на висках будут почти две недели? ОТВЕТ: Могут быть, а могут и не быть вовсе. Походу дела мы все определяем. . ‼️А теперь подумайте, нужна ли вам данная процедура на самом деле? Или все-таки легче пойти к пластическому хирургу и сделать височный лифтинг или блефаропластику. Я косметолог, я не могу вам дать 100% гарантию того, что лисьи глазки🦊 будут у вас держаться полгода или год! Да, такова истина. . Лично себе делала 2 раза и не пожалела😘 Разница представлена на данном фото.

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📍 North of England Clinic is coming to Manchester 1st – 3rd of August 2020 ! Text your name to 0044 7943 473976 to Book your slot 💕 —————————— #FoxEyes by Dr. Saleki 👩🏻‍⚕️✨🌸🌸 A versatile treatment designed and meticulously developed for modern, busy women wanting to achieve an elevated brow and upper eye lid lift without the big spend and long downtime ✨💕 . . . 💬This medical treatment which should be done by a doctor uses dissolvable sutures to lift the outer eye corner as well as for those who wish to simultaneously lift the brow. However, it’s important to point out that the treatment can be customised so that the brow is minimally changed. This treatment is a great alternative to surgery and can be done in just under 30 minutes. ⏰ The treatment itself takes 5 mins but allow 10mins for local anaesthetics to take effect. 😣 It is a relatively pain free procedure. In fact, most clients don’t feel anything after the numbing injection. 💁🏻‍♀️Allow a maximum of 2 weeks for downtime during which all skin folds will heal. As with any aesthetics treatment you may experience bruising and swelling which are temporary and will resolve within 3-10days. 📈The initial results can last upto 1yr with PDO threads. 2-3yrs with longer lasting suture materials such as PLL. For those who wish for a more exaggerated result a repeat treatment 6-8weeks after the first maybe advisable. Surgical options have a longevity of upto 5 yrs but expect a longer downtime of 4-6weeks. 🙅🏻‍♀️Clients who are Obese, Pregnant or are unable to avoid strenuous exercise for 2 weeks are advised against this treatment. 📍Harley Street clinic☝️✨🧚🏻‍♀️🥇👩🏻‍⚕️ . . . . . . #dermalfiller #lipfiller #aesthetics #cosmeticsurgery #cosmeticmedicine #cosmetics #aestheticmedicine #antiaging #plasticsurgery #cosmeticinjectables #skincare #skinpeel #skinpeeling #skinpeelingforless #southlondon #teartroughfillers #jawlinefiller #kyliejenner #bellahadid #pdothreads

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Written by Dr. Khaled Mahmoud

Khaled Mahmoud completed his dental education and obtained his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) in 2017. His interests lie in cosmetic dentistry and non-surgical facial aesthetics. He is active in dental research, contemporary cosmetic materials and techniques, and has been a member of numerous public health outreach programs.