# Can you raise one eyebrow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 1, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840 "2005-11-01T02:25:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/21 "2005-11-01T04:18:19Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Fascinating. :dubious: (Spock has three testicles. And he spells it the Old Vulcan way, testical) Have I started a new craze? Testicle Dancing? Someone needs to make a flash animation of it… ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/22 "2005-11-01T04:22:04Z")
I can’t raise either eyebrow. I just kind of squint one eye to make it appear I’m giving the :dubious: look. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it just looks like I got spunk in my eye. ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/23 "2005-11-01T04:27:43Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > I can’t raise either eyebrow. I just kind of squint one eye to make it appear I’m giving the :dubious: look. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it just looks like I got spunk in my eye. I just sprayed Guinness all over my monitor. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/24 "2005-11-01T04:50:20Z")
I distinctly remember being able to raise both of them, but I guess my brow muscles on my right side have atrophied to the point that I can only raise the left one. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/25 "2005-11-01T04:50:28Z")
I can only raise one eyebrow, the right. It’s gotten so there’s a little bulge of muscle on that side, and not on the other. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/26 "2005-11-01T05:51:09Z")
I can raise my left eyebrow alone if I try really hard, but most of the time, the right one comes up too. However, I’ve been practicing, and the left one is much easier to manage than before. Sometimes I just use the squint trick, but I don’t know if I can, what with the new visual that gives me. Yes, my life is such that eyebrow-raising practice has use. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/27 "2005-11-01T06:02:45Z")
I can raise my left eyebrow on its own. The right eyebrow needs help from other muscles. I can roll my tongue and make it belly dance. And I can flare my nostrils and make them dance. That’s talent, baby! ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/28 "2005-11-01T06:13:14Z")
I can raise my right eyebrow but not my left. I actually can remember training myself how to do this as a child by holding down my left eyebrow, so I suspect it is something that anyone could learn if you really want to bother with it. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/29 "2005-11-01T06:40:43Z")
Right-handed, right eyebrow, left ear (but not at the same time). Can also curl and roll my tongue and use it to tie a knot in a cherry stem. Cannot roll my Rs or purr. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/30 "2005-11-01T07:00:48Z")
I can do either if I try. I raise the right one all the time and without even thinking about it. Ah! See! There it goes again! ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/31 "2005-11-01T08:24:53Z")
Yes, I can. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/32 "2005-11-01T08:32:36Z")
> [@Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy](#): > > I just sprayed Guinness all over my monitor. Thanks. _Sacrilege!_ But, since I caused it, I’ll be doing penance. _heads off to confession_ I might get excommunicated for this. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/33 "2005-11-01T08:39:53Z")
I can, but my wife hates it when I do. “Damn it,” she’ll say, “get your hands _off my face_!” Actually I can raise either brow independently, but I remember having to practice. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/34 "2005-11-01T09:05:19Z")
Yep. Both individually. I can also make my eyes shimmy. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/35 "2005-11-01T10:44:21Z")
Just the right. It took me a while to get the knack as a teenager, but I’ve had it down pat these 30 years. I’ve never been dedicated enough to learn to do the left by itself. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/36 "2005-11-01T13:51:40Z")
I can’t raise one eyebrow and I can only wink my right eye. It’s one of my biggest regrets. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/37 "2005-11-01T14:19:59Z")
Only with difficulty. People like[Vincent Price](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001637/) and[Robert Taylor](http://www.meredy.com/roberttaylor/)really pissed me off. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/38 "2005-11-01T14:22:20Z")
I can do both but the left one requires more effort. Let us pay homage to one of the greates eyebrow lifters of all time…[John Belushi](http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Senator-Blutarsky-John-Belushi_i414139_.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/39 "2005-11-01T14:34:37Z")
Oh, yes I can, and beautifully for the right one. The left one is a little more difficult. When I was 10, and saw my aunt could do it, I started practicing in the mirror until I was able to do it. So I don’t think it’s genetic. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840/40 "2005-11-01T14:50:33Z")
I taught myself to do it when I was about 14, and now do it unthinkingly, especially when having my photograph taken. But only the left one. You can see it [here](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v180/Soileau/ClaireMommy.jpg), but look close because my hair is kinda in the way. I can also wiggle my ears, independently. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/328840.md?page=3)