A brow lift is a surgical procedure performed by a plastic surgeon in order to tighten up and remove sagging skin and tissue in the forehead and eyebrow area. As a person ages, the forehead area often develops wrinkles and redundant folds of skin that are sometimes referred to as lateral hooding. The space in between a person’s eyebrow and eyelid can also become loose and saggy, causing the person to have a crabby or tired appearance. When a brow lift is performed, the wrinkled forehead is alleviated as well as the droopiness above the eyes.
A traditional brow lift procedure may be performed in a couple of different ways. One method is called the coronal lift. With this technique, the surgeon pulls the skin upward into the scalp area, removing the excess tissue and skin. In order to reduce the visibility of wrinkles, the muscles in the region may be loosed during the procedure, as well. Another traditional method is called the hairline lift. This is a preferred method for those with a receding hairline. The incision is made below the hairline and does result in a visible scar which will fade over time. A patient who wears bangs as part of their hairstyle will be able to hide the scars fairly easily.
An endoscopic procedure is a bit different. It entails the use of a small camera which is called an endoscope during the operation. During the process, the surgeon makes several small incisions in the head and scalp area with which to pull the forehead tautly into place. At times, small screws are used in order to have the results be stabilized. The screws are placed directly into the skull bone with stitches surrounding them.
There are pros and cons to each of the above methods. A typical brow treatment will take from two to three hours to perform and requires a general anesthetic. The patient may spend one night in the hospital or, in some cases, be released on the same day. There will be swelling, bruising and some pain initially, but within three to six weeks, the patient should be feeling and looking quite well.
Some of the complications of any of these methods include numbness, itching, and, on rare occasions, a bit of paralysis. These complications are usually temporary and should subside over time. Many patients choose to have additional procedures performed simultaneously, such as eyelid surgery or a face-lift on the lower portion of the face.
If you are interested in having a brow surgery performed, make an appointment with a reputable cosmetic surgeon in order to learn more about each technique as well as which one would be most appropriate for you.