What is a brow lift surgery?

Also called a forehead lift or rejuvenation, brow lift surgery is a cosmetic procedure to raise the brows. The appearance of the forehead, the brows and the area around the eyes is improved by a brow lift. The procedure improves the appearance by raising the soft tissue and skin of the forehead and brow. A person might choose to have a brow lift if a person has a low, sagging brow or brow asymmetry. A brow lift might also boost self-confidence. A surgeon can do a brow lift alone or with other facial procedures, such as eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) or a facelift. Picture Courtesy: Cosmohair

What are the types of brow lift surgeries?

The types of brow lift surgeries are:

• • • Classical or coronal brow lift
    • Endoscopic brow lift
    • Temporal or Limited incision brow lift

How to prepare for brow lift surgery?

Before the procedure: A plastic surgeon does brow lift surgery. Before the procedure, the surgeon will take a complete medical history of the patient, medication history, allergic history to any medications, history of any surgeries, etc. The surgeon might ask the patient to stop a few medications such as blood thinners or other anti-inflammatory drugs and stop smoking alcohol for a few days before the surgery. The patient has to undergo a couple of blood tests before the procedure to ensure the person is fit for the surgery. The surgeon will counsel the patient regarding the procedure’s pros and cons and the type of surgery opted for [1]. At the time of the procedure The patient is administered local, general, or iv sedation before the procedure. The brow lift surgery can be performed using different techniques. Some of the techniques are suggested below: Endoscopic Brow Lift Surgery   Picture Courtesy: Plastic surgery In this surgery, the surgeon will make small incisions behind the hairline. A long thin tube is inserted with a light and a tiny camera (endoscope) through one of the incisions to view the underlying muscles and tissues. Next, an instrument is inserted through one incision, and the surgeon will lift the forehead tissues. The surgeon will anchor the tissues either with a temporary stitch or a permanent stitch or anchor below the scalp during this procedure. These stitches will keep the tissues under control for years. Since the procedure is minimally invasive, the patient will experience minimum scarring and a shorter recovery time [2]. 

• Coronal or Classical Brow Lift Surgery

In this technique, the surgeon makes an incision at the ear level and goes across the top of the forehead to the other ear. The surgeon may place the incision at the hairline in a few cases. Excess skin, fat, and tissue are removed, and the remaining skin and brow muscles are repositioned into a youthful appearance [3].   Picture Courtesy: Plastic Surgery

• Temporal or Limited Incision Brow Lift Surgery

This is considered a minimally invasive procedure done under local anesthesia. Smaller incisions are made during this procedure. Through this procedure, wrinkles are reduced in the corners of the eyes. After the procedure: After the procedure, a small drain tube is placed along with the incision site to drain the excess fluid or blood. A small dressing bandage is placed along the forehead to minimize the swelling. The drain tube will be removed one or two days after the procedure. 

Causes

• The brows move down as one age. As a result, the skin and soft tissues lose elasticity, and the distance between the eyebrows and eyelashes also shortens.
• You can look tired, angry, or sad with the lower position of the eyebrows. A brow lift can raise eyebrows and restore a refreshed, more pleasing appearance.
• The person might consider a brow lift if a low or sagging brow contributes to sagging upper eyelids.

FAQ

1. What to expect after a brow lift surgery?

Post-surgery, the doctor will give a couple of instructions which have to be followed strictly. Here are some of the instructions which have to be followed by the patient.

• • • The doctor will prescribe pain killers to minimize the pain.
    • The patient is advised to elevate the head while resting and apply cold compresses to relieve swelling.
    • Avoid exposing the incision area to excessive pressure or motion.
    • The patient might experience numbness and itching during the wound healing process.

2. How long does a brow lift surgery take to recover?

The patient might usually require two-three weeks to recover from the procedure. However, the patient might get back to work two weeks after the procedure. 

3. How long does the brow lift surgery last?

Brow lift surgery doesn’t last forever. As the aging continues, wrinkles will eventually return, but they won’t be as severe as before [4].

4. What are the risk factors associated with brow lift surgery?

The risk factors associated with brow lift surgery are:

• • • Scarring
    • Change in skin sensation- after the surgery, a person can experience numbness in the operated area for a few days.
    • Asymmetry in the position of the eyebrows
    • Hair problems [5]
    • Elevated hairline, hair loss around the incision area
    • Fluid accumulation
    • Poor wound healing
    • Pain or numbness in the operated area

 5. How long does the brow lift surgery take?

An endoscopic brow lift will typically take about 45min to 1hour, whereas a temporal brow lift will take about 30min [7].

6. How much does a brow lift surgery cost?

The cost of brow lift surgery depends on various factors such as the type of surgery chosen, type of anesthesia administered, experience and skills of the surgeon, and type of hospital chosen. Anavara organization helps the patient find the best hospital and best surgeon at a better cost. Kindly visit https://anavara.com/ for further queries.

7. What are the benefits of brow lift surgery?

The benefits of brow lift surgery are:

• • • Restores the natural arch in the eyebrows
    • Removes the excess fat and skin
    • Reduces the sagging of upper eyelids
    • Reduces the forehead wrinkles
    • It provides the long-lasting effect
    • It makes the brow look more symmetrical
    • Help to treat drooping eyebrows that obstruct vision.
    • It makes the person looks years younger.

 8. What are the disadvantages of brow lift surgery?

Disadvantages of brow lift surgery are:

• • • Hair loss in the incision area
    • Scarring
    • Numbness in the forehead area
    • Asymmetry of eyebrows

 

References

1. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/cosmetic-procedures-brow-lift
2. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/forehead-lift
3. https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/procedure-learning-center/face/brow-lift-guide/
4. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10784-brow-lift
5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/brow-lift/about/pac-20393257#:~:text=A%20brow%20lift%2C%20also%20known,of%20the%20forehead%20and%20brow.
6. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/brow-lift/safety
7. https://med.stanford.edu/drmost/aesthetic-services/procedures/brow-forehead-lift.html