A Brow Lift is a procedure that is used to rejuvenate the forehead and the eyes to make you appear more rested, peaceful, and youthful. as we age, the muscles in our foreheads tense and pull on the skin of the brows and forehead, creating deep lines. Gravity pulls the eyebrows and tissue around the eyebrows downward over the eyes. This can create an extra fold of skin or even prevent the eyelids from opening completely. This is the reason that brow lift procedures are often performed with eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty).
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Brow Lift?
Patients with brows that drop too low when they relax the forehead, who have wrinkles in the forehead from constantly lifting up the eyebrows, or who have extra skin over the eyelids may be candidates for brow lifts. These patients often appear angry even when they are not. A brow lift can often make a remarkable difference in the apparent age of your face. Dr. Dana Coberly—our skilled plastic surgeon—will help chose the best vector to restore a “younger you”.
How Is the Surgery Performed?
There are several techniques that may be used to raise and secure the brows in a new position.
Open Brow Lift
An incision is made in the scalp behind the hairline and the scalp is lifted up down to the eyebrows. It is then re-secured in place and extra scalp is removed. The incision is then closed. This procedure generally is more powerful and more permanent than the endoscopic technique.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
Involves smaller incisions in the scalp and endoscopy is used to lift the scalp and divide muscles that cause the brow to furrow and wrinkle. This procedure is less invasive and involves a smaller incision, but generally is not as permanent or as powerful as the open approach.
Hairline Brow Lift
This approach makes an incision at the hairline of the forehead, and extra forehead skin is removed instead of extra scalp and hair. This procedure is ideal for patients who have a high forehead.
Dr. Coberly will help you decide which procedure is best for you.
What Is the Recovery Like?
Most patients stay overnight after a brow lift, and will need someone to stay with them on their first night home. A small drainage tube is usually used overnight, and will be removed in 1-2 days. Tightness in the eyelids is normal and you may have a throbbing sensation for the first several days. Most patients are able to return to work once the swelling subsides in 7-10 days. Activity is restricted for 3 weeks.