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Brow Lift - Plastic Surgery

Background on Brow Lifts

Our foreheads broadcast the telltale signs of aging more so than virtually any other place on our bodies. Fortunately, a forehead lift is one of the simplest and most common procedures to fight the visible signs of aging. As we age, the muscles and skin on the forehead begin to lose a great deal of elasticity, which causes the characteristic drooping and furrowing, often giving the appearance of fatigue, anger, or frustration.

By smoothing out lines and lifting sagging skin, a forehead lift gives a younger, more refreshed look. Most people who elect to have a brow lift fall between the ages of 40 and 60, but a brow lift is a quick and easy way for anyone to enhance their appearance. 77,000 Americans had brow lifts in 2002 Brow lifts last from anywhere between five and ten years.

Brow Lift Surgery - Are You A Candidate?

Anyone who has deep wrinkles, folds, and furrow lines in their forehead because or age, stress or genetcs is an excellent candidate for a brow lift. Forehead lifts are often combined with eyelid surgery and facelifts to improve the overall appearance of the skin. Candidates for a brow lift are usually people between the ages of 40 and 60. Ask your surgeon if you are a good candidate for these other procedures.

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Brow Lift Procedures & Risk

Classic Forehead lift

The classic forehead lift begins as your surgeon ties your hair back with rubber bands to clear the area around the incision. Very rarely will your head need to be shaved, but you may need to trim down any long hair around the spots the doctor will need to open your skin. People with thinning hair, receding hair, or with no hair at all are still viable candidates for a brow lift, but your surgeon will have to strategically place the incisions around the natural shape of the bones of the skull. Once the skin is open, the surgeon delicately separates the underlying tissue and muscles. This tissue is removed so that the muscles can be smoothed out and altered. The eyebrows are generally lifted and any excess skin around the point of the incision is removed to create a younger, less anxious look. The incision area is closed with special stitches, your hair and face washed to prevent infection, and the rubber bands are removed. Some surgeons elect to cover the area with gauze and bandages, but this option is completely at your doctor's discretion.

Endoscopic brow lift

The classic brow lift is a somewhat involved procedure that entails some rather radical incisions across the entire scalp from ear to ear. A new and revolutionary procedure called an endoscopic brow lift eliminates the need for a single arching cut across your head by using four or five short incisions in your hairline. Working through these incisions, your doctor inserts a pencil-thin camera under your skin to observe the muscles and tissues underneath. Another instrument is inserted through another incision to remove and smooth out the forehead skin and muscles.

After the procedure, the rubber bands tying your hair back are removed and the small incisions are stitched up and closed. Your surgeon may choose to use gauze and bandages to cover the wounds, but this again depends on the prerogative of your doctor.
Even simple procedures like a brow lift carry certain dangers, although these are very limited. If you have any questions about possible complications speak to your plastic surgeon before your procedure.
Even simple procedures such as a brow lift carry certain dangers, although these are very limited. If you have any questions about possible complications, be sure to discuss these with your plastic surgeon ahead of time.

Risks

As with any type of surgery, there is a degree of uncertainty and risk. With brow lift surgery some of the risks include scarring, infection, elevated hairline, changes in skin sensations, eye irritation, pain and swelling. Your plastic surgeon will be able to describe and discuss the associated risks of your procedure with you. However, it is very important to ask any questions that you are concerned about ahead of time.

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Where Brow Lift Surgery is Performed

Brow lift surgery can be performed in either an office-based surgical center or a hospital, depending on the patient's needs. Your plastic surgeon will help you determine your treatment plan during your consultation.

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Anesthesia for Brow Lift Surgery

Most plastic surgeons choose to use a combination of local anesthetic and oral sedative. You will be awake through the procedure but will feel no pain, although some patients report minor discomfort and tugging during the surgery.

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Planning for Brow Lift Surgery

During your initial consultation your surgeon will examine your skin, hairline, and bone structure to asses which approach best suits your needs. Be sure to alert your doctor to any problems in your medical history such as circulatory problems, excess scarring, or previous facial surgery, for these conditions may alter the outcome of your procedure.

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Preparing for Brow Lift Surgery

Before your surgery your doctor will give you explicit instructions on what not to eat, drink, or take. If you smoke, the first thing you should do is quit two weeks prior to your procedure. Smoking inhibits blood flow which can make healing more difficult. Reduce your intake of aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs as they thin the blood and prevent clots from forming.You may also wish to let your hair grow out before the procedure in order to better hide any scars in your hairline. Doctors also recommend that you stop smoking because smoking interferes with the body's natural healing mechanisms. You also should arrange transportation to and from the appointment and ask someone to help you out for the first few days.

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How Brow Lift Surgery is Performed

Modern brow lifts are usually performed using one of two techniques. The first is the more traditional surgery, which involves a lengthy incision along the hairline of the patient beginning at one ear and ending at the other. The hair on either side of the incision is tied back and the skin on the forehead is carefully separated from the tissue underneath. The skin is then stretched across the forehead and reattached within the hairline by tight stitches and sutures. Some surgeons like to cover the area with surgical gauze and bandages, but that is at their discretion.

An innovative and less invasive procedure is called an endoscopic brow lift. Instead of one long incision, the surgeon makes three to five half inch cuts in the top of the scalp, into which a pencil thin scope is inserted. This scope is connected to a TV camera which allows the doctor to see beneath the skin without having to cut it open.

While the camera is inserted into one incision, a surgical tool is inserted into another, and the forehead skin is lifted while the underlying tissues are smoothed out or removed all together. The smaller incisions are then washed and stitched, and depending on the doctor, covered with gauze or antiseptic dressing.

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Recovery from a Brow Lift Procedure

The recovery period after a brow lift greatly depends on the procedure. A traditional brow lift is a much more invasive procedure, and as such requires a prolonged recovery period. Many patients will typically experience mild pain and numbness as the anesthetic wears off, but these symptoms are easily treated by over-the-counter pain relievers.

Doctors often recommend keeping the head elevated for two to three days after the procedure to reduce swelling. Your surgeon will usually advise you to take it easy for a few days, and avoid strenuous physical activity for a week.

Endoscopic patients usually feel better faster, as their procedure is less involved and complicated. In any case, people who get brow lifts are counseled to avoid direct sunlight for a few weeks, and refrain from any activity that raises blood pressure, as it can increase susceptibility of post surgical bleeding.

Most people return to work after week or so, and the final signs of the surgery usually disappear after three weeks, leaving the patient looking and feeling refreshed, renewed, and looking younger.

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Brow Lift Surgery Questions and Answers

How am I evaluated for forehead lift surgery?
Your initial consultation begins with a conversation with your surgeon about what you expect to achieve through the procedure. Whether it is extra skin on your forehead or deep worry lines across your skin, your doctor should be able to offer specific solutions for your concerns. A complete medical history will inform your doctor of your current health status and provide information about any potential complications. After your surgeon decides on the procedure to use, you will be ready for your next big step.

How does my plastic surgeon reduce my frown lines and lift my eyebrows?
Most brow lift procedures use a long incision across the scalp to hide any potential scarring. By lifting the skin on the brow and altering and conditioning the muscles underneath your surgeon creates a smoother, younger looking forehead. Endoscopic brow lifts uses four or five small incisions on the brow to insert a small camera and a thin surgical instrument to lift and smooth out the skin. These procedures are becoming more and more popular as larger numbers of people are embracing the miraculous changes a forehead lift can deliver.

What will the surgery be like?
Brow lifts are usually performed on an outpatient basis. Most surgeons use local anesthesia combined with an oral sedative, so you will be relaxed but feel no pain. If your doctor combines a brow lift with a face lift or eyelid surgery you may need a general anesthetic so you can sleep through the entire procedure.

When will I get back to normal?
Avoid straining immediately after your surgery to reduce the chances that you will aggravate your stitches and sutures. You should also reduce your exposure to sunlight, but expect to be back at work and normal within about ten days.

How long will the results last?
Depending on your genetics and lifestyle you can expect your brow lift to last for many years after your procedure. Additional improvements can enhance your appearance in the coming years, so continue to contact your surgeon about how you can retain your youthful appearance in the future.

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If you would like more detailed information to these and other questions, the best place to start is by contacting a board certified plastic surgeon.

 

 

Dr. JoAnne Lopes, M.D.

 After many years of extensive surgical training and being the mother of three children, Dr. JoAnne Lopes brings outstanding surgical skills coupled with a heightened appreciation for the cosmetic concerns of women. As a female plastic surgeon, she feels that her contribution to the field has been her ability to view plastic surgery from a woman's perspective and uses this perspective in her approach to cosmetic surgery.

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