Brow Lift
What is a Brow Lift?
As we age, our forehead skin can become lax, causing descent of the eyebrow, leading us to appear aged and tired. Others may mistake your appearance as tired, angry, or sad when this is not how you actually feel. Also known as a forehead lift, a brow lift tightens the tissues of the forehead to create a more youthful contour to the forehead, upper eyelids, and eyebrows.
Who is a Candidate?
Individuals with a sagging or low eyebrow position, deep horizontal lines across the forehead, frown lines between the eyebrows and top of the nose, and excess skin or tissue that hangs over the eyes can often benefit from a brow lift. The best way to determine if this treatment is for you is through a consultation with Dr. Fichadia.
The Procedure
The brow lift procedure can be achieved through three techniques. The main difference among the various options for forehead lifting consists of the placement of the incision. These include:
Open Brow Lift: During this technique, an incision will be made across the forehead around the hairline or in one of the creases in the forehead. Then, skin will be lifted away from underlying tissues, muscles will be loosened, and fat removed. Excess skin will be eliminated, and remaining skin will be pulled down and secured with stitches.
Endoscopic Brow Lift: An endoscope, or a thin, long tube attached to a video camera, is inserted through small incisions in the scalp. This allows Dr. Fichadia to work on the internal structures of the forehead without making large incisions. In the right patient, this procedure results in less risk of numbness and scarring while having a faster recovery.
Limited Incision Brow Lift: This technique combines both the open brow lift and endoscopic techniques. An endoscope is not used, but this technique only uses limited incisions. This technique is meant to target wrinkles at the corners of the eyes, and resulting scars are hidden in the hairline.
The type of brow lift technique that is right for you will depend on your individual anatomy and desired aesthetic outcomes.
Results and Recovery
You will experience a certain amount of swelling and bruising in the 10-day period following surgery. In some patients, this condition may include the cheek and eye area as well as the forehead. You will be advised to keep your head elevated in order to reduce swelling. Cold compresses may further reduce swelling. As the incisions heal, you may experience some numbness as well as itching, both of which will diminish with time. The sutures are usually removed within seven to 10 days following surgery. If bandages have been used, they are removed in one to three days. It is important to follow the advice of your surgeon on resuming normal activities. For most patients, the recovery time will not exceed two weeks, but patients may still be advised to avoid strenuous activities for longer periods. Any prolonged bruising can be camouflaged with standard make-up techniques.
Not infrequently, a brow lift is combined with blepharoplasty (an eyelid tuck) or face lift to provide a harmonious rejuvenation.
Plastic surgery makes it possible to correct many facial flaws and signs of premature aging that can undermine self-confidence. By changing how you look, cosmetic surgery can help change how you feel about yourself.
Insurance does not generally cover surgery that is purely for cosmetic reasons. Surgery to correct or improve sagging foreheads and brows which interfere with vision may be covered in whole or in part. If you are interested in learning more about brow lift surgery in Portland, contact our office today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Fichadia.
