# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/41 "2015-03-23T14:41:22Z")
Yup, both of them. Among my favorite parlor tricks. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/42 "2015-03-23T14:47:42Z")
Yes. I’ve raised the eyebrows of many people with some of my stupid comments. Some only raised one. 😃 I can raise my own right eyebrow a little. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/43 "2015-03-23T15:47:36Z")
I can do both, but the left brow is much, much better than the right one. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/44 "2015-03-23T16:27:52Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve been doing the Vulcan thing since I was a kid, and can still do it easily. It’s the natural position for my hands, for some reason. When my hands are perfectly relaxed at my sides, my middle and ring fingers don’t touch, but the index/middle and ring/pinky pairs do. I tend to use them in those pairs as well. ---
**Author:** ![prettydorky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@prettydorky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prettydorky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/45 "2015-03-23T17:46:35Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > 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. This is true for me also. The right one is very mobile and has a mind of its own. I have no poker face. I apparently also raise both eyebrows to dramatic heights when angry. My son once famously said, “I hate when you get mad. I wish you didn’t have any eyebrows!” ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/46 "2015-03-23T19:05:07Z")
There was a really cute girl sitting next to me in my 7th grade science class who could raise each eyebrow independently. I was pretty fascinated with her, so I spent a long weekend in front of the mirror trying to learn how to do it, in hopes of impressing her on Monday. Eventually I figured it out- it’s a matter of just “finding” the muscle. I managed to get it to work on my right eyebrow, but never figured it out on my left. Unfortunately, all that practice had kinda conditioned me to do it a lot… for a while, at least, I couldn’t keep the eyebrow from popping up all the time. The girl thought I was making fun of her and never spoke to me again. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/47 "2015-03-23T20:58:02Z")
Yes, either one, and do the Vulcan thing, and wiggle my ears. I have vowed to use my powers only for Good. Semi-related joke - “I don’t know how Bill gets all the girls to talk to him. All he does is stand at one corner of the bar licking his eyebrows.” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Woo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Dr.Woo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Woo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/48 "2015-03-23T21:24:54Z")
All of my father’s descendants can - and do. We can raise either brow, do the dance, wiggle our ears and generally move our faces/scalps around in odd ways. I first saw my son raise a single eyebrow when he was 2 days old. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/49 "2015-03-23T21:29:45Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > 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. > [@chadtrench](#): > > I can lift each eyebrow separately. Though the right one’s not as high as the left one. I can raise my left eyebrow easily, and pretty high. Raising the right takes a little effort, I can’t raise it as high as the left, and the left twitches a tiny bit when I do it. So, like **rowrrbazzle** , I can’t get a really impressive dancing effect. I sometimes raise the left one reflexively, but I always have to work a little at the right one. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/50 "2015-03-23T22:12:04Z")
I can do the caterpillar dance, but the right eyebrow is more agile than the left. I cannot flare my nostrils, but I can twitch my nose. Weird story about how I discovered I could do this: I was watching a movie on TV when I was about twelve. A commercial came on for Downy fabric softener, in which this boy is in front of his TV in his pajamas and bathrobe. The boy got a quizzical look on his face, twitched his nose, then craned his neck so he could sniff at his sleeve. The moment he twitched his nose, I tried to do the same – AND IT WORKED!!! Surprised the hell out of me. A few years later I learned how to wiggle my nose from side to side, like Elizabeth Montgomery on _Bewitched_. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/51 "2015-03-23T22:40:24Z")
Really? Not one image of proof? I want pics, people! 😛 And, I am so jealous because although I can sort of raise one eyebrow independently - it’s not quite enough to say that I can do it. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/52 "2015-03-23T22:47:42Z")
I can’t, but my sister can flare her nostrils and move the dimple on her chin in and out. The best part is that she can do both, at the same time. Nostrils out, dimple in. Dimple out, nostrils in. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/53 "2015-03-23T22:48:12Z")
I can raise and lower both eyebrows independently of one another. I can do a wave from one side to the other, so I presume that if I practiced I could do whatever Jack Black’s thing is (I haven’t seen it). I can wiggle my ears. I can flare my nostrils. I can close my nostrils and alternate opening them one by one. I can whistle by inhaling. I cannot lick my own elbow, nor can I touch my tongue to my nose. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/54 "2015-03-23T23:02:52Z")
I can lift either one and I can alternate them fairly quickly. I can also roll my tongue, either in a barrel or in a cup and I can more cup forward till it disappears off the front. Also I can do the LL&P maneuver on either hand. I cannot wiggle my ears. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/55 "2015-03-23T23:59:40Z")
We’re a talented group. We could sell tickets and go on tour. Along with raising my left brow (I’m the OP) I can also do the Vulcan salute, switch from V to W, twitch my nose and flare my nostrils. I can cross my fingers on both hands (pinky under ring, index under middle.) I can’t wiggle my ears, though. ---
**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 24, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/56 "2015-03-24T00:01:10Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > I can’t wiggle my ears, though. Not one of us! Burn the lesser musculatured freak! ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/57 "2015-03-24T00:45:37Z")
I can… - raise each eyebrow independently - wiggle each ear independently - wink with either eye (without opening my mouth or incorporating any facial gesture) - flare my nostrils - roll my tongue - turn my tongue upside-down - whistle while both exhaling and inhaling - Do the Vulcan salute on either hand - Gleek - approximately 3 feet consistently, 6 to 10 feet after sucking on a lemon ---
**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 24, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/58 "2015-03-24T00:57:00Z")
I just checked in the mirror, my right eye doesn’t go up as much as it used to. It feels like it’s going up more, but it’s not. I get a really good arch on the left one still, but the right just moves straight up a little bit. Can’t roll my tongue, could only wiggle my ears a little when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Stately\_Greek\_Automaton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stately_Greek_Automaton)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/59 "2015-03-24T01:20:09Z")
I can arch both. When I’m arching my left brow, my right eye tends to gradually start twitching though. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713/60 "2015-03-24T02:24:05Z")
I can also cross my eyes separately. As a child I could only do the left, but eventually I taught myself to do both. It’s loads of fun freaking people out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-raise-one-eyebrow/715713.md?page=4)