Browlift

A forehead lift or "browlift" is a procedure that elevates the eyebrows to give a more youthful, refreshed look to that area The procedure corrects drooping brows and improves the horizontal lines and furrows that can make a person appear angry, sad or tired.

Good candidates for a forehead lift

A forehead lift is most commonly performed in the 40-60 age range. However, it can also help people of any age who have developed furrows or frown lines due to stress or muscle activity. Individuals with inherited conditions, such as a low, heavy brow or furrowed lines above the nose can achieve a more alert and refreshed look with this procedure.

Forehead lift is often performed in conjunction with a facelift to provide a smoother overall look to the face. Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) may also be performed at the same time as a forehead lift, especially if a patient has significant skin overhang in the upper eyelids. In some cases patients who feel they need eyelid surgery may actually benefit from a browlift instead.

Patients who are bald, who have a receding hairline, or who have had previous upper-eyelid surgery may still be good candidates for forehead lift. The surgeon will simply alter the incision location or perform a more conservative operation.

Remember, a forehead lift can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them in detail with Dr. Kim

Browlift

All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk

Complications are rare and usually minor when a forehead lift is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon. Yet, the possibility of complications must be considered.

In rare cases, the nerves that control eyebrow movement may be injured on one or both sides, resulting in a loss of ability to raise the eyebrows or wrinkle the forehead. Additional surgery may be required to correct the problem.

Formation of a broad scar is also a rare complication. This may be treated surgically by removing the wide scar tissue so a new, thinner scar may result. Also, in some patients, hair loss may occur along the scar edges. Loss of sensation along or just beyond the incision line is common, especially with the classic forehead lift procedure. It is usually temporary, but may be permanent in some patients. Infection and bleeding are very rare, but are possibilities.

If a complication should occur during an endoscopic forehead lift, your surgeon may have to abandon the endoscopic approach and switch to the conventional, open procedure, which will result in a more extensive scar and a longer recovery period. To date, such complications are rare — estimated at less than 1 percent of all endoscopy procedures. You can reduce your risk of complications by closely following your surgeon's instructions both before and after surgery.

Planning your surgery

For a better understanding of how a forehead lift might change your appearance, look into a mirror and place the palms of your hands at the outer edges of your eyes, above your eyebrows.

Browlift

Planning your surgery

Gently draw the skin up to raise the brow and the forehead area. That is approximately what a forehead lift would do for you.

During your consultation, Dr. Kim will discuss your goals for the surgery and ask you about certain medical conditions that could cause problems during or after the procedure, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood-clotting problems, or the tendency to develop large scars. Be sure to tell Dr. Kim if you have had previous facial surgery, if you smoke, or if you take any drugs or medications -- including aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.

During the consultation Dr Kim will explain the surgical technique, the recommended type of anesthesia, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, the risks and the costs involved. Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have, especially those regarding your expectations and concerns about the results of surgery.

Preparing for your surgery

Dr. Kim will give you specific instructions to prepare for the procedure, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking and avoiding certain vitamins and medications. It is important to follow instructions closely to allow for proper healing and to attain the best results possible.

If your hair is very short, you may wish to let it grow out before surgery, so that it's long enough to hide the scars while they heal.

Browlift

Preparing for your surgery (continued)

Whether your forehead lift is done in an outpatient facility or in the hospital, you should arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery, and to help you out for a day or two.

Where your surgery will be performed

As with most plastic surgery procedures a browlift will usually be performed at an outpatient surgery center.

Anesthesia used for the procedure

Most forehead lifts are performed under local anesthesia, combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. You'll be awake but relaxed, and although you may feel some tugging and mild discomfort, your forehead will be insensitive to pain.

Some surgeons prefer to use general anesthesia, in which case you'll sleep through the entire operation.

The surgery

Dr. Kim will help you decide which surgical approach will best achieve your cosmetic goals: the classic or "open" method, or the endoscopic forehead lift. Make sure you understand the technique that your surgeon recommends and why he or she feels it is best for you.

Browlift

The surgery (continued)

The classic forehead lift: Before the operation begins, your hair will be tied with rubber bands on either side of the incision line. Your head will not be shaved, but hair that is growing directly in front of the incision line may need to be trimmed.

For most patients, a coronal incision will be used. It follows a headphone-like pattern, starting at about ear level and running across the top of the forehead and down the other side of the head. The incision is usually made well behind the hairline so that the scar won't be visible.

If your hairline is high or receding, the incision may be placed just at the hairline, to avoid adding even more height to the forehead. In patients who are bald or losing hair, a mid-scalp incision that follows the natural pattern of the skull bones is sometimes recommended. By wearing your hair down on your forehead, most such scars become relatively inconspicuous. Special planning is sometimes necessary for concealing the scar in male patients, whose hairstyles often don't lend themselves as well to incision coverage.

If you are bald or have thinning hair, your surgeon may recommend a mid-scalp incision so the resulting scar follows the natural junction of two bones in your skull and is less conspicuous.

Working through the incision, the skin of the forehead is carefully lifted so that the underlying tissue can be removed and the muscles of the forehead can be altered or released. The eyebrows may also be elevated and excess skin at the incision point will be trimmed away to help create a smoother, more youthful appearance.

Browlift

The surgery (continued)

Using another instrument inserted through a different incision, the forehead skin is lifted and the muscles and underlying tissues are removed or altered to produce a smoother appearance. The eyebrows may also be lifted and secured into their higher position by sutures beneath the skin's surface or by temporary fixation screws placed behind the hairline.

When the lift is complete, the scalp incisions will be closed with stitches or clips and the area will be washed. Gauze and an elastic bandage may also be used, depending on your surgeon's preference.

A brow lift may sometimes be performed using an endoscope (surgical video device) and special instruments placed through small incisions made within the hairline. This allows the tissue and muscle beneath the skin to be repositioned, altered or removed, correcting the source of visible creases and furrows in the forehead.

Correction of a low-positioned or sagging brow may be made with or without the use of an endoscope through incisions at the temples and in the scalp. This technique may be done in conjunction with incisions hidden within the natural crease of the upper eyelids to eliminate frown lines between the brows, on or above the bridge of the nose.

Browlift

The surgery (continued) An alternative brow lift technique is the coronal brow lift. The coronal brow lift can pinpoint specific regions of the brow to correct. This technique involves an incision from ear to ear, lifting the forehead and removing excess skin from the scalp. Recovery time is often longer than the endoscopic brow lift due to the size of the incision.

The incision lines from a brow lift are well concealed within the hair or natural contours of the face unless they are placed at the hairline to shorten the forehead. Results appear gradually as swelling and bruising subside to reveal smoother forehead skin and a more youthful, restful appearance.