What is a Brow Lift or Forehead Lift?
The forehead is often the sight of transverse wrinkles and frown lines between the eyes. Also, with aging the eyebrows begin to sag, producing a sad, tired appearance to the eyes. A forehead/brow lift is performed to improve the wrinkles in these areas by removing selected muscles, which cause these wrinkles and releasing tissues to allow redraping of the forehead skin. It is often combined with eyelid surgery i.e blepharoplasty, chemical peel or laser skin resurfacing.
How is a Brow Lift or Forehead Lift performed?
Classically, the operation was performed through an incision placed across the scalp between the ears. The corrugator and procerus muscles( which cause the vertical and horizontal wrinkles overlying the nose between the eyes) are removed. The forehead tissue is released from its attachments to the forehead, allowing the skin to be redraped, tightened, and the excess removed. However, the incision leads to loss of scalp sensation and hair loss at the incision. Here are before and after pictures of brow lift and forehead lift surgery performed by Dr. DeConti to help you understand what are the results of this surgery.
Endoscopic Surgery Technique
The Endoscopic Surgery technique, which has largely replaced the classic technique, is performed through three half-inch incisions. It has revolutionized this technique allowing similar results with minimal complications. However, if one has severe transverse wrinkling of the forehead, then a classical forehead lift may be necessary.
Where is the procedure be performed?
The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis at an ambulatory surgery center. It can be performed under local anesthesia with deep sedation or general anesthesia. The surgical time is about 1 hour.
Thread Lift Procedure
A brow lift can also be performed using absorbable, barbed sutures to suspend the brow. This is known as a “Thread Lift“. Thread lifts can be performed to lift the sagging skin of the forehead, brow, cheeks, and neck. This procedure is performed in the office under local anesthesia.
What is the recovery for a Brow lift?
After the surgery, one may have swelling and discoloration of the skin. The swelling may involve the eyelids and face. This will gradually improve. Sutures are removed in 7 days. Strenuous activity is restricted for six weeks. Makeup can be applied after three days.
What are the risks and side effects of a Brow lift and Forehead Lift?
Complications are rare with the endoscopic technique. The traditional complications of loss of scalp sensation or loss of hair are almost nonexistent. Bleeding, infection, and rarely nerve injury are possible.