Minimal Incision Brow Lift

What is a Brow Lift?

Over time, the brow can drop.  There are many techniques for lifting the brow, and I will be glad to discuss my preferred technique with you.  A good way to see whether a brow lift procedure would be attractive to you is to stand in front of a mirror and pull gently upward on the outer halves of your eyebrow and see if this gives a pleasing contour to your face.

A minimal incision brow lift usually involves a 1-inch or longer incision just behind or just in front of the hairline above the lateral brows.  Through this incision using fiberoptic light, the forehead skin is elevated down to the eyebrows and to the lateral eyelids.  The eyebrow is lifted and sutured into its new position.  This will give your eye a more open look.  It may or may not be performed at the same time as an upper or lower lid blepharoplasty.  I like this technique because it is straightforward, has few complications, and can easily be done in my office under sedation or even local anesthesia.

The two complications that occur with any frequency are some bruising and swelling which are fairly common but should resolve within 1-3 weeks and tingling on the back of the head. The wrinkles on one side of the forehead may disappear for a period of several weeks to months.  If this occurs, I can use Botox on the other side to get rid of the wrinkles on that side until normal motion returns to the forehead. You will find that your eyebrows may be over-corrected for 2 weeks after surgery before they resume a more normal, natural position.  On the other hand, sometimes there is more relapse of brow position than hoped for over time.  You should know that pre-operative brow asymmetry almost always recurs to some degree.

Smokers heal poorly in terms of infection and wound breakdown, and you are advised not to smoke for at least 1 month before and after surgery.  This includes all nicotine products such as replacement therapy and vaping.  Nicotine screening may be necessary the day of your surgery.  IF THE TEST IS POSITIVE, YOUR SURGERY WILL BE CANCELLED.

I hope this information has been helpful.  I have tried to give you an overview of incision brow lift as I perform it, and I would be glad to discuss in detail with you the other procedures which I do not perform as frequently and why.  It will be a pleasure to discuss brow lift with you.  Please call my office with any questions (804-320-8545.