Benefits of Forehead or Brow Lifts
A forehead/brow lift is a procedure that is used to elevate eyebrows that have drooped below the brow bone due to the aging process. It is probably one of the most misunderstood and misused of all facial plastic surgery procedures. A forehead lift should not be utilized solely to eliminate hooding (extra skin) above the eyelids. The least problematic, easiest and best procedure for this excess skin is an upper blepharoplasty, or upper eyelid surgery. Brow lifts employed inappropriately make the patient appear startled and unnatural. Very high or exaggerated arched brows were popular in the 1970s, but today most models have a straighter slightly arched brow. When a patient has sagging brows and extra upper lid skin a forehead lift is helpful and may also be combined with an upper and/or lower blepharoplasty.
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How a Forehead/Browlift is done
There are choices of brow lift techniques, and the one that will be utilized is dependant upon the patient. Typical coronal brow lifts have incisions placed across the top of the head or just above the hairline. These may leave the patient with numbness, hair loss, and a raised hairline that many find unacceptable.
A pretrichial lift avoids raising the hairline but leaves a scar at the forehead junction that may have to be hidden with a hairstyle that covers the incision.
The highly touted endoscopic brow lift procedure with minimal incisions is less invasive but requires stainless steel screws or other fixation device to hold it in place. There are multiple small incisions, elevation of the hairline, localized hair loss and perhaps some numbness. Many surgeons also question whether its results are as beneficial or last as long as the coronal type forehead lifts.
Dr. Zweig often uses two other techniques for refreshing the brow area, a unique lateral brow lift, which he has perfected, and a mid-brow lift. In a lateral brow lift, there are no visible scars and virtually no hair loss because the incision is carefully hidden in the hair.
A mid-brow lift is used mostly in male patients who already have a high or receding hairline. The incision is placed in a natural horizontal forehead crease and usually heals nicely. As males progressively lose hair due to male pattern hair loss this placement of the incision is not going to be exposed later.
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Anesthesia
Brow lifts are often combined with other rejuvenation procedures such as facelifts and a blepharoplasty and are performed in our AAAHC-accredited outpatient surgery center. Twilight and general anesthesia are the available options from our board-certified physician anesthesiologist.
Recovery
Although most patients report minimal pain after surgery, medication is prescribed if needed. Many patients take only Tylenol. Some swelling and possibly bruising is to be expected. The healing process is similar to blepharoplasty.
Returning to social obligations or to work depends on the individual. Most patients are able to drive within 24-48 hours, if they are not taking prescription pain medication. Most people look presentable long before the two weeks we allow.
At the time of your consultation, Dr. Zweig will analyze your brow and eyelid area and discuss your goals. The treatment plan he will suggest takes into consideration your hairline, brow position, and facial structure. The treatment plan is as important as the actual surgery to achieve a completely natural long-lasting, refreshed appearance. Dr. Zweig’s unique artistic vision combined with surgical skill and years of experience assure the best chance of success.
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