Brow or forehead lift is a rejuvenating surgical procedure aimed at restoring a more youthful appearance primarily to the forehead. Patients seeking brow lifts usually have sagging brows and forehead skin which can cause the patients’ eyes to look small and tired and upper lids to look heavy. They also show deeper horizontal wrinkles in the forehead.
The operation involves the tightening or partial removal of the select facial muscles responsible for the drop in brow position. The brow is repositioned at a higher level which opens the eyes and reduces upper eyelid overcrowding. This has the effect of giving a more youthful, less tired appearance. This procedure is sometimes considered along with upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery.
Brow-lift is primarily designed to restore a more youthful position of the brow giving it a beautiful arched look.
The First Consultation
During your consultation, you will be asked about your expectations for the brow lift surgery which will help to determine whether they can be realistically achieved. You will be fully educated about the details of the surgery, its benefits and risks and the likely outcomes of the operation. You should honestly share your expectations, fully disclose your health history, current medications, allergies and the use of drugs and smoking.
General Guidelines prior to your Brow Lift
- Detailed Facial examination and measurements
- Pre-Operative Photographs will be taken
- Obtain laboratory testing or a medical evaluation
- Pre-op anaesthetic assessment to ascertain fitness for surgery under anaesthesia.
- Agreement to proceed with the surgery by signing an informed Consent Form
- Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
- Stop smoking well in advance of surgery
- Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements as they increase risk of bleeding.
Your Brow liftProcedure
Although these procedures have been performed for many years, recent advancements in the field of plastic surgery have developed new ways of performing these procedures that lead to more longer-lasting results. Today, two principle methods exist to surgically lift the brow:
- Endoscopic brow lift (more commonly performed)
- Open “traditional” brow lift
The surgical technique recommended by your surgeon will depend on the position of your brows, the degree of forehead skin excess, the depth of the forehead wrinkles and the position of your hairline.
The Endoscopic technique :Anumber of short incisions are made in selected positions on the scalp. An endoscope (which is a very narrow telescope with a camera attached to one end) is inserted into one incision and displays images on a television monitor. Specially designed instruments are used to access the underlying forehead muscles and underlying structures through the other incision sites. The muscles and tissues are altered and the brows are then repositioned and secured through a variety of permanent or dissolving anchoring mechanisms. The skin incisions are then closed. Although less scarring is associated with this technique, the lack of skin removal makes this technique less effective on patients with deep forehead wrinkles and saggy skin.
Open “Traditional” technique :An incision is made across the top of the scalp, beginning above the ears and hidden within the hair. For patients with altered hairlines due to hair loss, incisions can be made immediately in front of the hairline. In both cases, the incisions are designed to be as inconspicuous as possible when completely healed. The incision allows partial removal of muscles causing unwanted frown lines, re-drape and remove excess forehead skin, smoothing the forehead, and elevate the brows into a more aesthetically appealing position.
Your Recovery
The typical recovery period after Brow lift surgery is approximately 1-2 weeks. A compression bandage or garment is often recommended for use during the initial recovery. As with most surgical operations there will some pain and swelling after the procedure. The pain is controlled by pain medication as prescribed by the surgeon while the swelling usually subsides after 2 weeks.You will be prescribed a daily cleaning regime with the use of antimicrobial solutions and ointments. Sutures are usually removed on the 7th day of the surgery.
Schedule a Consultation
If you would like to schedule a Forehead rejuvenation consultation, please contact online or by phone today. Dr. Biraj will be happy to answer your questions and talk with you about all aspects of the procedure.
