Brow Lift or Forehead Lift

Upper Face Rejuvenation with Birmingham AL Plastic Surgeons

As we age, unsightly wrinkle lines may appear on the forehead. Frown lines between the brows can make us look angry or "too serious." Skin relaxation may cause the eyebrows to drop, hooding our upper eyelids and making us look tired.

If you are bothered by these signs of aging in the brow region, a Brow Lift, or Forehead Lift, may be right for you. This cosmetic surgery procedure reduces wrinkle lines that develop horizontally across the forehead and at the top of the nose, improves frown lines (the vertical creases that develop between the eyebrows), raises sagging brows that hood the upper eyelids and places the eyebrows in a more alert and youthful position.

A brow lift at Hedden & Gunn Plastic Surgery's cosmetic surgery center in Birmingham, Alabama can rejuvenate the upper portion of the face and give you a more refreshed and youthful appearance. Brow lifts work by adjusting the tissue and muscles beneath the skin that are the source of forehead creases and furrows.

Brow Lift Candidates

You may be a candidate for a brow lift if:

• You are physically healthy.
• You don't smoke.
• You have a positive outlook and realistic goals.

Other cosmetic procedures that may be performed in combination with a brow lift include Eyelid Surgery, Facelift and Laser Skin Resurfacing.

Your Brow Lift Consultation

By choosing a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) for your brow lift procedure, you can be assured that you are choosing a highly-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon. ASPS Member Surgeons must meet rigorous standards for training, ethics, physician practice and research in plastic surgery.

During your brow lift consultation, be prepared to discuss:

• Your goals for your appearance.
• Your complete medical history.
• Use of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

Your brow lift surgeon will also:

• Evaluate your general health status and any risk factors.
• Examine and measure different parts of your face.
• Take photographs.
• Discuss your facial rejuvenation options and recommend a course of treatment.
• Discuss the likely outcomes of brow lift surgery and any potential complications.

Be sure to ask questions at your consultation. It is very important to understand all aspects of your brow lift. It's natural to feel some anxiety, whether preoperative stress or excitement about your anticipated new look. Don't be shy about discussing these feelings with your plastic surgeon.

Brow Lift Risks and Safety Information

The decision to have brow lift surgery is extremely personal. You will have to decide if the benefits of a brow lift will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable.

The risks of a brow lift include:

• Anesthesia risks.
• Bleeding.
• Loss of hair around the incisions.
• Elevated hairline.
• Eye irritation or dryness.
• Facial asymmetry.
• Facial nerve injury with weakness or paralysis.
• Fluid accumulation.
• Infection.
• Numbness or other changes in skin sensation or intense itching.
• Pain, which may persist.
• Poor wound healing.
• Possibility of revision surgery.
• Skin discoloration and swelling.
• Skin loss.
• Unfavorable scarring.
• Rare risk of blood clots.

These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent. It is important that you address all of your questions directly with your plastic surgeon. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications.

Preparing for a Brow Lift

In preparing for brow lift surgery, you may be asked to:

• Get lab testing or a medical evaluation.
• Take certain medications or adjust your current medications.
• Stop smoking.
• Avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and other supplements, as they can increase bleeding.

Your brow lift should be performed in an accredited surgical facility, licensed ambulatory surgical center or hospital. You will need to arrange to have someone drive you to and from surgery and stay with you for at least the first night.

Brow Lift Procedure

You will be given medication to keep you comfortable during surgery. Your surgeon will suggest either intravenous sedation or general anesthesia.

Brow Lift Incisions

Brow lifts can be performed in different ways. Some surgeons prefer to use an endoscope (a thin tube with a camera on the end) and special instruments placed through small incisions made within the hairline. This allows the tissue and muscle beneath the skin to be adjusted, correcting the source of visible creases and furrows in the forehead.

Some surgeons prefer to perform a brow lift through a "coronal incision." This incision is created from ear to ear across the top of the head within the hair-bearing skin.

The forehead skin is then lifted and any muscle adjustment can be made under direct visualization. The resulting scar is well-concealed within the hair.

For women with very high foreheads, an incision just at the anterior hairline may be recommended. In this way, the brow can be lifted without altering the height of the front hairline. The resulting scar, while somewhat more visible, can often be hidden with bangs.

Brow lift incisions are typically closed with removable or absorbable sutures, skin adhesives, surgical tape, special clips.

Brow Lift Recovery

Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to care for yourself. Following your physician's instructions is essential to the success of your brow lift and recovery. These instructions that may include:

• How to care for the surgical site and drains.
• Medications to apply or take orally to aid healing and reduce the potential for infection.
• Specific concerns to look for at the surgical site or in your general health.
• When to follow-up with your plastic surgeon.

After the procedure, your forehead may be taped and your head may be loosely wrapped to minimize swelling and bruising. A thin tube may be present to drain any excess blood or fluid that collects under the skin.

Do not use ice or heat on the operated area. Keep your head elevated and avoid vigorous physical activity for as long as your surgeon recommends. You should be ready to return to work and normal activity after 2 weeks.

Initial wound healing may take 10 to 14 days. It is important that the surgical incisions are not subjected to excessive force, swelling, abrasion or motion during the time of healing. Sutures or clips will be removed when appropriate.

Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your brow lift recovery period:

• What medication will I need after surgery?
• Will I have dressings/bandages, and when will they be removed?
• Are stitches removed, and when?
• When can I resume normal activity and exercise?
• When do I return for follow-up care?

Brow Lift Results

The results of your brow lift are immediately visible. Satisfaction with your new image should continue to grow as post-surgical swelling and bruising resolve and incision lines fade. Cosmetics can help camouflage any bruising. The final results will appear over the next few months, revealing smoother forehead skin and a more youthful, rested appearance.

Although good results are expected from your brow lift, there is no guarantee. Life-long sun protection will help to maintain your rejuvenated appearance by minimizing sun damage. A healthy lifestyle will also help extend the results of your rejuvenated appearance.

Brow Lift Words to Know

• Brow lift: A surgical procedure to correct a low-positioned or sagging brow. Smooths furrows across the forehead and between the brows.
• Endoscope: A surgical video device sometimes used during brow lift procedures.
• General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness.
• Hematoma: Blood pooling beneath the skin.
• Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection to help you relax.
• Local anesthesia: A drug injected directly to the site of an incision to relieve pain during an operation.
• Skin resurfacing: Treatment to improve the texture, clarity and overall appearance of your skin.
• Sutures: Stitches used to hold skin and tissue together.