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Brow Lift Frequently Asked Questions
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- What is a brow lift?
- When can a brow lift be performed?
- What does a typical brow lift consultation entail?
- How is a brow lift performed?
- What should I expect postoperatively?
- When will the stitches be removed? Does this hurt?
- When will I be able to see the results?
- What are the risks of brow lift?
- Are the results permanent?
A brow lift, or forehead lift, is plastic surgery to lift the brow. The procedure can reduce or eliminate furrows in the brow and alleviate an angry or tired look by excising a bit of skin and lifting the muscles of the brow higher. It can also correct drooping or sagging eyebrows. There are several techniques for a brow lift that give varying amounts of correction.
2. At what age is a brow lift usually performed?
A brow lift is can be performed on someone as young as their late 20s and at any age after that. For younger patients, there are endoscopic techniques that provide a less intensive lift than older patients may need and for older patients, there are other techniques, such as the coronal lift, that can provide more extensive lifting extensive lifting.
3. What does a typical brow lift consultation entail?
Your surgeon will examine you and discuss your medical history. Then, he or she will go over that options that can best help you attain your goals. You will discuss the risks and complications of this surgery, as well as anesthesia choices, fees, and what to expect postoperatively. A consultation is the time when you can ask questions about your concerns and determine if this surgeon is right for you. Do not be afraid to ask about anything at a consultation.
4. How is a brow lift performed?
Your surgeon will determine how much excess skin will need to be excised and how the muscles of the forehead may need to be rearranged. He or she will also determine where incisions should best be placed for your particular needs. The incisions will be made and the skin and muscles of your forehead will be loosed and redraped. For some patients, the surgery may excise or clip your corrugator muscle of the forehead to hinder you from furrowing your brow in the future. Excess tissue will be removed, the incisions will be sutured, and a pressure dressing will be applied. This is the basic technique and there are variations that your surgeon may choose for you.
5. What should I expect postoperatively?
Expect your forehead to be swollen, tender, and possibly bruised. This is normal so do not be alarmed. If you are in pain, take your prescribed medications on a schedule, which can help control pain better than waiting for the pain to be sever first. You will be groggy from the anesthetic for a day or two, but sleep is a good thing, so don't fight it. You will have to sleep with your head and shoulders elevated for a week or two after surgery. Use two pillows or sleep in a recliner, if you have one.
6. When will the stitches be removed? Does this hurt?
The sutures and/or surgical staples will be removed a week to 10 days after your surgery. It may hurt a little, but your surgeon can give you injections of a local anesthetic if the stitches or staples are difficult or painful to remove.
7. When will I be able to see the results?
The results of a brow lift are immediate, but you won't see them until after the swelling goes away completely. Be patient during the healing period and the full results should be visible in a few months. Any numbness along the incisions should subside by 6 months after surgery, but may remain indefinitely in a few patients.
8. What are the risks of brow lift?
No surgery is without risk. With a brow lift, there is a chance of infection, excesive scarring, hematoma (blood clots), numbness from nerve damage and hyperpigmentations (permanent discolorations) caused by the bruising. An infection or poor healing may lead to tissue necrosis, which can require the excision of the dead tissue. You may also have asymmetry or undesired cosmetic results resulting from your brow lift. Sometimes, you may heal at an uneven pace and your forehead may be asymmetrical for a couple of weeks until everything settles. If your brow lift was performed by an unskilled surgeon, it is possible to have your skin pulled too tight and result in a very surprised look. Although you may look this way at first, it should relax. Since incisions are often placed behind the hairline in a brow lift, you may have some hair loss near the incisions.
A better way to put it is that the results are semipermanent. You are going to continue to age and your brow will continue to droop, ibut you will look younger and more relaxed for many years. Brow lifts done with an endoscopic technique may not last as long as those done with traditional or coronal techniques, but they are less invasive,which may make them a good choice for you.
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