# Can you raise one eyebrow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 22, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713 "2015-03-22T20:59:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/21 "2015-03-23T00:58:19Z")
Just one, my right. I have thick dark eyebrows, too, which gives it additional impact. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/22 "2015-03-23T01:17:35Z")
Oh, yep, I can do the full Nimoy as well. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/23 "2015-03-23T01:19:37Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I can flair my nostrils, roll my tongue, and raise either eyebrow by itself, but, to my great sadness, I cannot roll an R. \*flare. I meant flare. I’m usually a very good speller, so I was annoyed at my earlier mistake. Also, I can raise one eyebrow while pointing to it with the other eyebrow. For whatever that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/24 "2015-03-23T01:25:19Z")
Yes, both, independently or together. It’s a family trait. I can do the Vulcan thing. I can give the finger with either my middle finger or my ring finger and alternate them rapidly. I can roll my tongue up, but not down. And I have double-jointed thumbs. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/25 "2015-03-23T01:36:16Z")
Yes, but only my left. Also, it’s more of a left eyebrow up/right eyrbrow down so when I do it (and I do it a lot), it’s every exaggerated looking. I think I can hold the right one and lift the left one, but it’s easier to push the right one down and the left one up. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/26 "2015-03-23T01:39:18Z")
Yes, left one. Vulcan salute, both hands, simultaneously; can turn both "v"s into "w"s and back. Let’s see Sarek do THAT! ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/27 "2015-03-23T01:41:27Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I can flair my nostrils, roll my tongue, and raise either eyebrow by itself, but, to my great sadness, I cannot roll an R. We might be twins. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/28 "2015-03-23T01:59:48Z")
I can lift either brow, can pull them down in the middle while raising both outside ends, can wiggle each ear and my scalp, can flip my tongue and roll it into a tube, can roll my Rs, can do the Vulcan salute, can drum my fingers with both hands at the same time but starting on different fingers (I’ve never found anyone else who can do this one), and all sorts of other weird, fine motor skills things. And I’m the clumsiest person in the WORLD. I trip over air. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/29 "2015-03-23T02:01:26Z")
Yes, I can raise both eyebrows and wiggle my ears individually or together . ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/30 "2015-03-23T02:13:20Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I can lift either brow, can pull them down in the middle while raising both outside ends, can wiggle each ear and my scalp, can flip my tongue and roll it into a tube, can roll my Rs, can do the Vulcan salute, can drum my fingers with both hands at the same time but starting on different fingers (I’ve never found anyone else who can do this one), and all sorts of other weird, fine motor skills things. > > And I’m the clumsiest person in the WORLD. I trip over air. Where can I get tickets? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/31 "2015-03-23T02:15:31Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Where can I get tickets? 😃 Someday, there will be famous video. Like the one of the woman in the mall falling into a fountain. And it will be me! ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/32 "2015-03-23T02:16:35Z")
If I flap them REAL HARD, I can get my feet a good half inch off the ground! ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/33 "2015-03-23T02:21:47Z")
My right one goes up in surprise or puzzlement, but it’s involuntary. I can hold it when I feel it happen, but I can’t do it on purpose. I can wiggle that eyebrow independently, and furrow it by itself, on purpose. I can wiggle my ears, flare my nostrils, wiggle my nose, roll my tongue both ways, roll one eye independently, trill my Rs, and in fact, speak Russian without an accent (I’ve been told). I can so the Spock salute with both hands, and with my left, I can cross both sets of fingers-- that is, I can cross middle over index and ring over pinky. I can also move my pinky and ring fingers completely independently. I can also touch my tongue to my nose. Combination of long nose and tongue, short philtrum, and the ability to curl my tongue upward. I can fingerspell cat on one hand and dog on the other at the same time. That took practice. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/34 "2015-03-23T02:57:39Z")
Just the left one. And the vulcan hand gesture as well. Both of which took quite a bit of practice as a young’n. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/35 "2015-03-23T03:58:58Z")
I get Botox for migraines and cannot move my eyebrows much. Which is too bad, because pre-Botox, although I wasn’t able to raise one eyebrow, I did a really great “are you kidding me?” double-eyebrow-raise with a side of looking-down-one’s-nose. After my very first Botox treatment, I couldn’t move my eyebrows or forehead _at all_. It was like someone had slapped a piece of packing tape on my forehead. Weirdest feeling ever. The benefit (other than a huge reduction in migraine) is that I’ve got the forehead of a sheltered 16-year-old, and the Botox also acts as a bit of an eye lift. ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/36 "2015-03-23T05:22:14Z")
I can raise each one separately and do the caterpillar dance thing. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/37 "2015-03-23T05:49:43Z")
I can raise my right eyebrow easily. The left takes a bit of effort and concentration, and then not as well. That slows down switching them. ---
**Author:** ![chadtrench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@chadtrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chadtrench)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/38 "2015-03-23T05:52:20Z")
I can lift each eyebrow separately. Though the right one’s not as high as the left one. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/39 "2015-03-23T14:06:14Z")
I can raise the left one but not the right. It gives me an excellent Death Glare. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/40 "2015-03-23T14:10:27Z")
I’ve been doing the Vulcan thing since I was a kid, and can still do it easily. I did have to teach myself at the time, it didn’t come naturally. I used to be able to do the V to W thing, but just trying now it’s barely happening. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713.md?page=3)