A Validated Brow Positioning Grading Scale

Abstract

One of the first areas to show facial aging is the periorbital region, where brow malposition contributes to the overall appearance of aging. Movement and positioning of the brows are also sex specific. Men may desire a low brow, whereas women may prefer high, arched brows. To develop the Brow Positioning Grading Scale for objective quantification of eyebrow position and to establish the reliability of this photonumeric scale for clinical research and practice. A 5-point photonumeric rating scale was developed to objectively quantify positioning of eyebrows at rest. Nine experts rated photographs of 35 subjects twice with regard to positioning of the eyebrow in comparison with morphed images. Inter- and intrarater variability was assessed by computing intraclass correlation coefficients. Bubble plots (bivariate scatter plots) demonstrated linearity in judgment by the experts. The test-retest correlation coefficients were acceptable for each expert. The 5-point photonumeric scale generated spans the positioning of the eyebrow for which patients commonly seek correction. The scale is well stratified for consistent rating.