cOSMETIC PROCEDURES > FACE > Brow lift
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Brow Lift
Give your eyes and brows a facelift! With a brow or a forehead lift you can achieve a more refreshed and youthful appearance of your eyes and eyebrows. This procedure is often combined with eyelid surgery and is designed to lift and tighten the soft tissues that cause poor eyebrow position, eyebrow shape, and even heaviness of the eyelid.
What is a Brow Lift?
As we age, unsightly wrinkle lines may appear on the forehead. Frown lines between the brows can make us look angry or "too serious". Skin relaxation may cause the eyebrows to drop, hooding our upper eyelids and making us look tired. If you are bothered by these signs of aging in the brow region, a brow lift may be right for you.
A brow lift:
Reduces the wrinkle lines that develop horizontally across the forehead, as well as those that occur on the bridge of the nose, between the eyes
Improves frown lines, the vertical creases that develop between the eyebrows
Raises sagging brows that are hooding the upper eyelids
Places the eyebrows in an alert and youthful position
Other cosmetic procedures that may be performed with a brow lift include:
Upper and or lower eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty
Facelift
Skin resurfacing techniques such as dermabrasion
You may be a candidate for brow lift surgery if you:
Are physically healthy
Don't smoke
Have a positive outlook and realistic goals
Consultation and Preparing for Surgery
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Your goals for your appearance
Your complete medical history
Your current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco, and drug use
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Evaluate your general health status and any risk factors
Discuss your options
Examine and measure different parts of your face
Take photographs
Recommend a course of treatment
Discuss likely outcomes of brow lift surgery and any potential complications
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Get lab testing or a medical evaluation
Take certain medications or adjust your current medications
Stop smoking
Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and other supplements as they can increase bleeding
The Procedure
You will be given medication so that you will be comfortable during the surgical procedures. Dr. Abedi will suggest either local anesthetic, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia depending on the technique required for your brow lift.
Brow lifts can be performed in multiple ways, each with its distinct advantages and considerations:
1. Traditional (Open) Brow Lift also known as Coronal Lift
2. Endoscopic Lift
3. Temporal Lift
4. Direct Brow Lift
4. Gliding Brow Lift
5. Non-surgical Brow Lift
Technique:
Involves a larger incision from ear to ear along the hairline or within the hair across the top of the head. The forehead skin is then lifted and any muscle adjustment can be made under direct visualization. The resulting scar from a coronal brow lift is well concealed within the hair. For women with very high foreheads, an incision just at the anterior hairline may be recommended. In this way the brow can be lifted without altering the height of the front hairline. The resulting scar, while somewhat more visible, can often be hidden with bangs.
Benefits:
Effective for substantial lifting and correction of deep wrinkles or sagging.
Considerations:
Longer recovery time and more noticeable scarring
Technique:
Involves small incisions made behind the hairline through which an endoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a camera) and surgical instruments are inserted. Dr. Abedi is currently NOT performing endoscopic brow lift due to lack of longevity of results
Benefits:
Minimal scarring, quicker recovery, less invasive compared to traditional methods.
Considerations:
Limited in addressing significant forehead sagging or extensive skin tightening.
Technique:
Combination of classic lift and endoscopic lift. It is performed through smaller incisions at the temples to lift the outer brow area.
Benefits:
Focuses on lifting the outer brows, often with less downtime and scarring and can potentially be done under local anesthetic only. Can help reduce the wrinkles at the corners of your eyes (crow’s feet)
Considerations:
May not address the central forehead or significant forehead wrinkles.
Technique:
Involves an incision directly above the brow line, allowing for the removal of excess skin and lifting of the brow. Suited mostly for men with heavy full eyebrows
Benefits:
Directly addresses drooping eyebrows and is very effective for patients with excess skin.
Considerations:
Potential for visible scarring above the brows.
Technique:
Involves elevating the brows by separating the skin and brow from the underlying muscle, mobilizing the skin and re-draping it over the underlying musculature. The new position of the brows is then held in place by multiple sutures over the skin known as quilting sutures (hemostatic net). The sutures are removed after 48-72 hours, allowing a bond to form between the skin and muscle, with a few stitches in the eyebrow removed after 5-6 days.
Benefits:
Minimum scarring, allows for a customized lift to address medial and lateral brows separately
Considerations:
Initial recovery is difficult given the visible sutures. Very rarely the sutures placed can cause permanent scarring. The procedure is essentially blind and therefore carries a higher risk of nerve injury.
For those seeking a less invasive option, a nonsurgical brow lift using Botox® or similar neurotoxins can smooth out forehead wrinkles and elevate the eyebrows. While effective for temporary improvement, this method requires repeat treatments several times a year and does not offer permanent results.
Each method has its own set of advantages and limitations, and the choice of technique depends on factors such as the patient’s anatomy, the degree of sagging, and the desired outcomes. Dr. Abedi will spend approximately an hour during her consultation to go over all the surgical options available to you to create a customized surgical plan to meet your needs. Our goal is to educate you so that you can fully understand the options available and be involved in the decisions made for your treatment plan.
risks and safety
The decision to have brow lift surgery is extremely personal. You will have to decide if the surgery will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications.
The risks include:
Anesthesia risks
Bleeding
Loss of hair around the incisions
Elevated hairline
Elevated surprised eyebrows (often overcorrection is done as eyebrows tend to sag again with time)
Eye irritation or dryness
Facial asymmetry
Facial nerve injury with weakness or paralysis which can be temporary or permanent
Fluid accumulation
Infection
Numbness or other changes in skin sensation or intense itching which can be temporary or permanent
Pain, which may persist
Poor wound healing
Possibility of revision surgery
Skin discoloration and swelling
Skin loss
Unfavorable scarring
Rare risk of blood clots
These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It's important that you address all your questions directly with Dr. Abedi.
RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY
When your procedure is completed, your forehead may be taped and your head may be loosely wrapped to minimize swelling and bruising. A thin tube may be present to drain any excess blood or fluid that may collect under the skin if a coronal lift or traditional open brow lift is done. Dr. Abedi will give you specific instructions that may include how to care for the surgical site and drains, medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection, specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health, and when to follow up with Dr. Abedi.. You should keep your head elevated and perform no vigorous physical activity for at least the first 2 weeks or until cleared by Dr. Abedi.. Do not use ice or heat on the operated area unless instructed by Dr. Abedi.
Initial wound healing may take 10 to 14 days. Sutures or clips will be removed when it is appropriate. You should be ready to return to work and normal activity after two weeks.
Cosmetics can help camouflage any bruising. Even though you will look presentable to the public, you will find that the healing will continue for several weeks, as the swelling dissipates and incision lines refine and fade. It may take several months for your complete recovery.
results
The results of your brow lift surgery are immediately visible. Over time, post-surgical swelling will resolve and incision lines will fade. Satisfaction with your new image should continue to grow as you recover from surgery. The final results of your surgery will appear over the next few months.
Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee.
Life-long sun protection will help to maintain your rejuvenated appearance by minimizing sun damage. A high grade skin care regimen will help to slow the effect of aging and help maintain your results longer. If you have any questions about what products to use, please do not hesitate to ask us for our recommendations. A healthy lifestyle will also help extend the results of your rejuvenated, more youthful appearance.
Prices for a brow lift can vary depending on the technique used for your surgery and the geographic location of the procedure. Dr. Abedi offers patient financing plans, so be sure to ask.
Cost may include:
Anesthesia fees
Hospital or surgical facility costs
Medical tests
Prescriptions for medication
Surgeon's fee
Note: Medical Services Plan of BC covers direct brow lift in medically indicated procedures such as post paralysis of facial nerve or when there is significant restriction of eyesight secondary to heavy brows. Dr. Abedi can advise you if you are a candidate for MSP covered surgery at time of consultation.
cost
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