A brow lift (browlift) improves the appearance of the forehead, brows and eye area. The procedure involves lifting the soft tissues and skin of the forehead and eyebrows. You may have the procedure if you have low, sagging or uneven brows, which contribute to drooping of the upper eyelids. A brow lift can be performed alone or with other facial procedures, such as eyelid surgery or a facelift.
Aging usually causes the eyebrows to move downward. The skin and soft tissues lose their ability to move back into place after stretching. This causes the distance between the eyebrows and eyelashes to shorten. A lower brow position can make you look tired, angry or sad. Raising the eyebrows can provide a refreshed look.
During the procedure, local or full anesthesia can be administered. Eyebrow lift techniques vary depending on the desired results. The specific method your surgeon chooses will determine the location of the incisions and therefore the post-operative scars.
Your surgeon may use one of the following browlift techniques:
- Endoscopic method: in this procedure, several small incisions are made behind the hairline.
- Temporal: through small incisions just behind the hairline near the temples.
- Direct: removal of the skin above the eyebrows, usually done in people with thick eyebrows. It is also a shorter operation and can be done with local anaesthetic.
- Coronal browlift approach: incision behind the hairline at the top of the head, from ear to ear or basically at the top of the head. The forehead is then lifted into its new position, with the scalp in front of the incision overlapping the scalp behind it. The overlapping scalp is then removed, and the remaining scalp is sutured. This technique is usually not used on people who have high hairlines, thin hair or who are likely to lose their hair.
- Hairline: the cut between the top of the forehead and the beginning of the hairline. A small amount of skin and tissue is removed from the top of the forehead, not the scalp. This can correct a high hairline. A brow lift at the hairline is often used if someone has a high hairline. However, a scar may be visible at the hairline, depending on the location of the incisions, the healing of the scar, and the hairstyle.
The brow lift (browlift) surgery usually takes about 1 to 2 hours.
By lifting the soft tissues and skin of the forehead and brows, a brow lift can give your face a more youthful appearance. Keep in mind that the results of a brow lift will not last forever. As you age, the skin on your face may begin to sag again.
