The face is often the first part of the body to show significant signs of aging, regardless of how carefully a skincare regimen or healthy lifestyle is followed. Usually, this manifests as drooping features, unwanted wrinkles, and an overall sunken or tired appearance. These small changes can age a person’s appearance far beyond his or her years and even make someone appear overly tired and even unpleasant. On the face, the brow is usually the first area to betray someone’s age, as it begins to descend and add heaviness to the upper portion of the eyes.
To combat this, many people opt for a single, long-term solution like an endoscopic brow lift.
What is a Brow Lift?
This procedure, also known as a forehead lift, utilizes small, surgical incisions to lift the brow and forehead area for a fresh, bright and youthful appearance. A brow lift is intended to smooth out the entire brow and forehead area, eliminating horizontal wrinkles as well as the deep, vertical wrinkles some people develop between the eyes. The procedure will also reposition the eyebrows into their ideal, lifted position to give a refreshed, awake and young appearance to the face.
This type of cosmetic surgery can give long-lasting results that look beautiful and completely natural. Endoscopic brow lifts are less invasive than traditional ones, but they can give equally flattering results.
Before and After Brow Lift Photos
Endoscopic Browlift Before and After Patient: This patient had heavy upper eyelids, frown lines, and forehead wrinkles. An endoscopic brow lift was performed to open her eyes and smooth her brow and release her frowning muscles.
Why Should I Get a Brow Lift?
Potential reasons for wanting an eyebrow lift include wrinkles or lines on the forehead, upper eyelids, and heavy sagging eyebrows. Smoothing the wrinkles between the eyes and the lines along the forehead will dramatically make you appear younger, rejuvenated, and awake. Repositioning the forehead will also lift how the brow sits over the upper eye area, to make you appear more alert and correct the aging appearance of a sagging brow. When repositioned, the eyebrows will produce younger-looking arches to give a refreshed and youthful appearance to the face.
- You will no longer look tired all the time
- Your eyes will appear brighter
- You will look more alert
- You will have improved self-confidence
Who is a Good Candidate for the Brow Lift?
Ideal candidates for this procedure will be in good overall physical health and have visibly sagging brows and eyelids or deep forehead wrinkles. Patients should also be in a stable frame of mind and have reasonable expectations for surgery outcomes.
Understanding the Procedure
The procedure is usually performed in the operating room under intravenous sedation. Patients should expect to be sedated for roughly 1-3 hours, but every case is different, and the amount of time depends on how complex the operation will be and if the patient has requested complementary procedures.
Before the procedure, the patient and Dr. Russell will discuss what will be done, in order to achieve a brow lift that meets the patient’s cosmetic goals.
What to Expect from an Endoscopic Brow Lift?
Dr. Russell will make several small hidden incisions along the scalp to ensure minimal noticeable scarring. These incisions will allow him to insert the endoscope so that he can clearly view the treatment area on a connected screen. Endoscopes are thin, tube-shaped devices with illuminated lenses that allow surgeons to see the area they will be operating on in a less invasive manner. This allows for smaller scars while still receiving the best possible results.
Once the endoscope has been inserted, Dr. Russell will gently lift the forehead skin back to a smooth, taut position. The brows will be repositioned to sit in a naturally more alert, awake position, and, if part of the plan discussed with the patient includes it, the muscle tissue that is causing problematic “11” wrinkles between the eyebrows will be removed. After this, any excess skin and tissue will be carefully removed, and the incisions will be closed. In general, patients can expect the procedure to take one to three hours, depending on the specific case. Dr. Russell will be able to give a more accurate, personalized estimate of the time required during your consultation.
Patients are usually expected to wear bandages for the first 24 hours following the procedure, but they can be removed after that. In most cases, Dr. Russell will schedule a follow-up appointment in one week to remove the stitches and verify that everything is healing properly. Overall recovery time can vary from one patient to the next, but it is generally advised to get plenty of rest and stay away from strenuous or stressful activities as much as possible for two weeks.
Recovery from the Eyebrow Lift
This surgery is an outpatient procedure and patients will be sent home to begin their recovery process. Patients should expect some swelling and bruising and brief discomfort for the first few days which should resolve on their own. Most patients are able to return back to their normal daily activities, including returning to work within 1 to 2 weeks.
What Are the Risks and Benefits?
As with any surgical procedure, there are some possible risks to consider. Patients with chronically dry eyes or prior facial, head, or neck surgeries should mention these things to Dr. Joseph Russell during the consultation because they may affect the surgical approach and outcome.
Possible risks include brow weakness, brow asymmetry, scarring, forehead and scalp numbness, mild hair loss around incisions, and infection. While all of these risks are rare, they should be considered by anyone considering this type of surgery.
The benefits often outweigh the potential risks, however. A majority of patients report a brighter, more youthful appearance. Most patients also report noticing a more pleasant resting facial expression, and they typically feel happier, more confident and more approachable following the procedure. Some even note that there is less tension along with forehead muscles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have visible scarring?
Since incisions are made, some visible scarring may be present even after completely recovering from the surgery. However, Dr. Russell will reduce the risk of scarring by placing the incisions in natural creases and areas that are hidden by the hair on the scalp.
What age should I get a Browlift?
The ideal age for most brow lift candidates ranges from the early ’40s to the late ’60s. In rare cases, younger patients may undergo the procedure if they have a heavy brow or deep worry lines.
How long will my results last?
A brow lift typically lasts 10 years or more.
What is a temporal brow lift?
A lateral temporal lift or temple lift does not change the appearance of the middle portion of the forehead. Instead, it is used to subtly arch the eyebrow towards the temple region which produces a youthful shape and brightens the eyes.
- Forehead and brow show the first signs of aging
- A Browlift guide
- More information on forehead lifting
- Aging Gracefully in South Carolina
Browlift Complementary Procedures
In many cases, Dr. Russell will perform complementary procedures such as upper or lower eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) which will correct saggy upper eyelids and remove bags under the eyes. For a total facial rejuvenation, some patients will require a facelift to go along with their brow lift. Using the deep plane facelift technique, he can lift the cheeks, smooth the jawline and jowls, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles of the neck and nasolabial folds.
The browlift can also be paired with noninvasive procedures, like the use of Botox injections or fillers.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If you think that a browlift sounds right for you, contact Dr. Joseph Russell’s offices in Charleston, SC to schedule a consultation today. He and his team of friendly, knowledgeable professionals would love to start you on the right path to a happier, more confident you.