Brow Lift
A brow lift surgery is a cosmetic procedure meant to reduce wrinkles and frown lines, raise drooping eyebrows and give the face a youthful frame. The procedure is also sometimes referred to as a forehead lift. The brow lift or forehead lift is often paired with other cosmetic procedures such as the face lift, eyelid surgery and skin resurfacing. The surgery can help make a patient look younger, happier and more alert. It’s a wonder how much eyebrows can do for a face!
If You’re Considering a Brow Lift…
When you get a brow lift done, Dr. Leonard – our esteemed surgeon – will be removing or readjusting the muscles and tissues in your forehead that cause wrinkles and sagging brows. In order to do so, there are different methods that can be used to perform the procedure.
If you are considering a brow lift and would like to be informed on the many factors of the procedure – including the way it is performed and what to expect when it’s done, keep reading for more information! Please note that this information may not answer all of your questions and that it is important you speak to Dr. Leonard directly if you have specific circumstances that require different answers. Everybody is unique, and their surgery should be, too!
The Best Candidates for a Brow Lift
The best candidate for a brow lift or forehead lift procedure is simply put: anybody who wishes to be without their wrinkles or drooping brows in exchange for a happier and more youthful face. Although the procedure is more typically done on patients between the ages of forty and sixty years old to reduce the signs of aging, a brow lift can be done on a person of any age if they have wrinkles or drooping brows they’d like to remove! Even those with features inherited in their genetics such as low brows or furrowed forehead lines can benefit from this procedure.
On a mental level, the best candidate for a brow lift is one who does not expect plastic surgery to change their life. Dr. Leonard can do wonderful things for your face that will enhance your natural youthful beauty, but that might not necessarily make you feel better about yourself, and it certainly might not change the way others treat you, either. Before making the decision to get a brow lift or forehead lift, it is extremely important for you to understand why you are choosing to do so.
All Surgery Carries Some Uncertainty and Risk
Because Dr. Leonard is a highly qualified plastic surgeon, the risk of mistakes or complications is little to none. However, anything can happen when cutting into a person’s face, and the possibility of complications should always be considered before making the decision.
Complications that could occur include damage to the nerves that control eyebrow movement on either one or both sides, in a sense paralyzing your eyebrows. It is possible that additional surgery can be done to fix this issue if it occurs. A rarer complication is the result of a thick scar where the incision was made. Again, additional surgery can be done to correct the scar and make it thinner if this issue were to arise.
With the classic forehead lift, a complication could include loss of feeling and even hair loss around the location of incision. Endoscopic procedures could also run into complications in which things would need to be switched to the more traditional method mid-procedure. This could result in a more visible scar and the possibility of a longer recovery time.
These complications are extremely rare, accounting for less than one percent of all brow lift procedures. As long as you follow all instructions Dr. Leonard gives you before, during and after the procedure, the risk will be minimized even further. If a complication does occur, it is important to remain calm and allow Dr. Leonard to correct the problem if additional surgery is an option.
Planning Your Surgery
When you approach Dr. Leonard for a brow lift or forehead lift consultation, he will first start by taking a good look at your face and identifying the areas that can be lifted. After the initial examination is complete, you will discuss the surgery. This includes the reasons you would like to have it done and what you would like to get out of the procedure, along with any medical history or conditions that may complicate the surgery.
It is extremely important for you and your safety to be honest with Dr. Leonard about any medical circumstances that may affect the procedure. Conditions and circumstances that may complicate the procedure include past facial surgeries, smoking habits, being prescribed to medications – including over-the- counter medications like Aspirin or Tylenol, high blood pressure, or being prone to blood clots and heavy scarring.
If both you and Dr. Leonard come to the agreement to go ahead with the procedure, he will continue to explain to you the process of the brow lift and what you can expect from it. This is the time to ask any questions you may have about the procedure if he doesn’t cover it already. It is important for you to be aware of everything that goes on with the surgery, so make sure you don’t leave until you are confident that you understand.
Preparing For Your Surgery
Your preparation for the surgery is perhaps the most important part. Following Dr. Leonard’s instructions leading up to the procedure is incredibly important to prevent complications during and after the surgery. His instructions may regard drinking, eating, smoking or medications. It is also possible that you may want to grow your hair out if it is short in order to better hide the scars after your surgery, although this is personal preference. You should also make plans for somebody to drive you home and stay with you for a couple days following the surgery to make sure everything has gone smoothly and assist you in your recovery.
The Surgery
A brow lift begins with anesthesia, a powerful sedative intended to keep you comfortable and without any pain during the procedure. After the anesthesia is in effect, Dr. Leonard will make the incision. The incision can normally be done in different ways. One way is by using an endoscope (a tiny tub with a camera, often used in medical procedures) and specialized instruments with small incisions across the hairline.
Another method is through what is called a coronal incision. This is done with an incision from ear to ear along the top of your head just past the hairline – on skin that has hair on it. This method reduces visibility of the incision scar once the procedure is complete. No matter which method is used, you can feel confident knowing the results will be the same: a lifted brow for a happier, youthful face.
Once the incision is complete and the muscles underneath the skin have been adjusted, the incision must be closed. This is usually done with materials such as absorbable stitches, skin adhesive or special clips.
After Your Surgery
It is important to remember that you will not likely see results immediately following your surgery. It usually takes a couple of weeks for the bruising and swelling to go down and your new brows and forehead to become visible. Until then, be patient. Stress will only make your recovery worse.
You will probably feel a number of mildly uncomfortable things following your surgery, but these are all normal following an incision to the face. It is possible you could continue to feel numbness around the incision area, followed by itching once the numbness dies down. The itchiness could last several months but can be controlled with creams or medications.
Again, we must stress the importance of strictly following Dr. Leonard’s instructions, especially following the surgery. He may provide you with specifics ways you should hold your head or things you should avoid doing. It is important that you listen to these and follow them carefully.
Depending on what closing materials were used, they should be removed within a couple of weeks. Bandages are removed a couple of days after surgery. It is not abnormal for the hair immediately around the incision to fall out or thin. These hairs should go back to normal growth within a month or two.
Getting Back to Normal
You will probably be feeling better a day or two following the surgery, but you should not overdo
yourself for a good week. Avoid extreme physical activity like jogging, housework or sex for a
couple of weeks so as not to stress your recovery.
It is likely that you will be ready to return to your daily routine in a week and a half. Sometimes,
those who underwent the endoscopic method will feel ready sooner. This may be different from
patient to patient, and you should not be afraid to take things slow as you and Dr. Leonard see fit.
Your New Look
When everything is healed, enjoy your new look! You may even be surprised by how youthful and
refreshed you look. The procedure won’t last forever, but it will certainly minimize the signs of
aging for a good amount of time. It may be a good idea to check back in as time passes to discuss
future surgery to continue the effects. We hope you love your brow lift!