Brow Lift - Aestique

Our facial expressions portray how we feel. Sometimes, a furrowed brow may make you seem angry while a sagging brow may make you appear sad or tired. Unfortunately, these creases can become permanent either through overactive forehead muscles, heredity or the aging process. A brow lift, or forehead lift, can help to minimize the signs of aging, including drooping eyebrows, hooding over the eyes, forehead furrows, and frown lines.

What is a brow lift?

A brow lift, can give you a more youthful, refreshed look. The muscles and skin that cause troublesome wrinkles, creases or sagging are removed or altered to smooth the forehead, raise the upper eyelids and minimize frown lines. While this facial rejuvenation procedure can be done alone, Dr. Lazzaro often performs brow lift in conjunction with other procedures, such as blepharoplasty and facelift.

Who is a good candidate for browlift surgery?

Brow lift candidates may be male or female and can vary in age. However, this procedure is most commonly performed on people in their 40s to 60s who seek facial rejuvenation to reduce the signs of aging. Brow lift surgery can also help people with inherited conditions, such as a droopy brow or furrowed lines above the nose.

Are there any risks involved?

As with any surgery, there is always the risk of infection and bleeding when performing a brow lift. These complications are very rare when the browlift is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon. You can reduce your risk of complication by following the instructions Dr. Lazzaro will give you both before and after surgery. Also, patients who smoke have an increased risk of poor healing. We advise you to stop smoking several weeks prior to and after surgery to allow your body to heal properly.

How do I plan for a browlift?

To see how a browlift might change your appearance, stand in front of a mirror and lace the palms of your hands at the outer edges of your eyes, above your eyebrows. Then gently draw the skin upward to raise the brow and forehead area. This will simulate the degree of facial rejuvenation that a brow lift can give you. However, you will need to be evaluated by Dr. Lazzaro to see what result you can expect. The surgeon will discuss with you what your expectations are and what can be realistically accomplished.

What happens during browlift surgery?

The brow lift/forehead lift procedure can be done under MAC/sedation or a general anesthetic. Dr. Lazzaro will discuss the options with you in detail during your one-on-one consultation appointment.

There are various brow lift techniques, and which technique Dr. Lazzaro uses dictates where the incisions will be placed. When considering what technique to utilize, several factors come in to play including anatomy, hair line position, appearance and the degree of improvement that is necessary.

If the surgeon uses a more traditional approach, the incision line will be just behind the hairline and will run across the top of your head. For mild brow drooping, our surgeon will use an endoscopic technique, which utilizes a tiny lighted camera to perform the procedure. The endoscopic technique uses multiple small incision sites that are still placed behind the hairline. Through these incisions, the plastic surgeon removes or weakens the muscles that create expression lines and the resulting furrows and creases. In addition, the surgeon may reposition and secure a low brow. A coronal incision is one that extends across the crown of the head within the hair. This allows the surgeon to address the underlying muscles of the brow and forehead region, and to reduce any excess skin.

Regardless of which technique is used, the surgeon will elevate eyebrows and the forehead skin and position the eyebrows, giving you a younger, more alert look.

What happens after the browlift procedure?

You can expect to have some bruising and swelling for about one week or so following surgery. You may experience some numbness at that time, which is normal. You will return to our office in about seven days to have your sutures removed. During recovery, you will want to keep your head elevated to help minimize the swelling. We recommend sleeping in a recliner for the first several nights. You will also need to avoid hair products including dye and/or a hair dryer for 3 weeks. Any discomfort you may experience can be controlled with medications prescribed by your surgeon.

How long is recovery?*

You should be up and about in one to two days after surgery, but plan on taking it easy for at least one week. Most people are able to go back to work in about 10 days. You should limit vigorous activity for several weeks following a brow lift. Most of the visible signs of surgery should fade within two weeks, though minor swelling and bruising may last a little longer.