FOREHEAD (Brow) LIFT

Drooping eyebrows may lead a patient to seek a forehead lift, also called a browlift. This procedure restores the eyelid area to a more youthful oval shape. A forehead lift may require surgery to remove and tighten excess tissue, or it may simply involve releasing muscles that cause frown lines—the lines parents often get when giving “The Look” to their children.  For a better understanding of how this procedure might change your appearance, look into a mirror and place the palms of your hands at the outer edge of your eyes, above your eyebrows. Gently draw the skin up to raise the brow and forehead area. This is approximately what a forehead lift would do for you. If you think this makes you look shocked or surprised, you probably shouldn’t have a forehead lift.  I take great care to mark my patient’s skin preoperatively while they look in a mirror and verify their preferred brow placement. This allows me to accurately replicate the direction of pull and determine how much elevation is necessary.

The Procedure
Most forehead lifts are done through three or four small scalp incisions, each less than an inch long. An endoscope, a tiny, pencil-like camera, is inserted through one of the incisions. While looking through the endoscope, the doctor inserts an instrument through a second incision and lifts the skin and muscle.  At the same time, the surgeon removes or alters underlying tissues. Eyebrows also may be lifted and secured into a higher position by sutures beneath the skin’s surface. Occasionally, an incision is made across the top of the head from ear to ear, all hidden in the hair. This may be a more reliable approach depending on how thick and heavy the brow is.

After Surgery
You may experience some numbness, incision discomfort, and mild swelling after your surgery. Pain at the incision site is usually minimal, and mild pain medication can manage it. Stitches or staples will be removed within one week. Temporary fixation screws will be removed in two weeks, if they were used.

Road to Recovery
It’s a good idea to take it easy the week after your surgery. You should be able to shower and shampoo your hair within two days. Most patients are back at work in a week. Vigorous physical activity should be limited for a couple of weeks. Limit exposure to heat and sun, which may promote swelling.  Scars from your forehead lift should fade quickly, but they are permanent. Although you may feel a little down at first, your mood will improve as your body chemistry gets back in sync and you look and feel better.

Risks
Risks involved with forehead lifts are minimal, but can include temporary injury to the nerves that control eyebrow movement, infection and bleeding, delayed healing, and numbness. As with a facelift, high blood pressure can cause complications. Any elevation in blood pressure is treated with a long-lasting antihypertensive pill preoperatively.

When All Is Said and Done
As with a facelift, a forehead lift is a procedure you may have to repeat in the distant future. However, you should be pleasantly surprised at how such a simple procedure can take years off your face.