What is a Brow Lift?
A brow lift, also called a forehead lift, is an aesthetic treatment to correct low position of the eyebrows and to remove horizontal lines and vertical frown lines on the forehead. This surgical procedure can be done for people who naturally have them and also for those who develop them as a result of stress or ageing.
A brow lift procedure softens the facial lines, uplifts the eyebrows and helps to regain a softer, younger look and gives you a more aesthetic appearance.
Procedure of Brow Lift
The surgery is done under local or general anaesthesia. During the procedure, your cosmetic surgeon uplifts the loosened forehead skin and alters/removes the muscles so that the frown lines and wrinkles on the forehead will disappear. A surgical brow lift can be performed by three different techniques:
- Coronal brow lift: Here the incision is made above the hairline on the head from one ear to the other ear and the skin from the scalp will be removed.
- Hairline brow lift: It is recommended in individuals with a high receding hairline. During the procedure, an incision will be made between the forehead and the beginning of the hairline. This procedure narrows the forehead and gives better results in those with more horizontal creases.
The extra skin and muscle are then removed and the elevated position of the brow is fixed permanently by surgical stitches, small screws or absorbable fixation devices and the incision is closed. Initial swelling and bruising occurs after the procedure but reduces in a few weeks to reveal a youthful, relaxed and pleasant face with smooth skin.
- Endoscopic brow lift: The procedure is performed using an endoscope, a tiny instrument that has a camera at its tip and is connected to an external display. The surgeon makes a few small incisions behind the hairline on the scalp and through one incision an endoscope is inserted. By viewing the inside structures on the large television screen, the surgeon inserts small surgical instruments through other incisions and shifts the skin backward on the head.
In an endoscopic brow lift, the incisions are small and thus recovery is much faster as compared to the other two procedures. But each procedure has its own advantages and disadvantages. Your plastic surgeon will decide the appropriate procedure for you depending on your specific facial bone structure, the position of the brows, skin texture, elasticity and the desired results.
Complications of Brow Lift
Complications are rare and may include infection, scarring, blood below the skin (hematoma), hair loss at the place of incision, effects of anaesthesia, numbness on certain areas of the face or facial paralysis due to nerve damage. Revision surgery may be required in rare cases.
Other procedures like facelift and eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) can be done along with brow lift to improve the results of the brow lift and to rejuvenate the face.
