Brow Lift

Every emotion we feel is expressed in movements of the forehead and eyebrows. With time deep horizontal and vertical line may develop, or the eyebrows may sag below the rim of the orbit, giving a tired appearance. As the eyebrow descends, loose skin gathers below it on the upper eyelid, giving the mistaken impression that an eyelid tuck is needed.

Who is it for?

If you have deep lines in the forehead, or the eyebrow is positioned low, a brow lift will make a dramatic alteration to your expression and perceived age.

Brow lifting is needed less often in men, as a slight droop of the eyebrows emphasizes the bony prominence above the eye that is a male characteristic.

Traditionally brow lifting required a long incision in the scalp, however using an endoscope (like other scopes used for minimal incision surgery like arthroscopy of the knee) it can be done with 3 to 5 small incisions behind the hairline. This can be combined with additional internal techniques to avoid raising the hairline when necessary.

What to expect

General anesthesia is commonly used. If you prefer, your brow lift can be done under local anesthesia (injections to freeze the tissues) with sedation.Often a brow lift is combined with a face lift or eyelid work, under the same anesthetic. If needed, the underlying bone of the forehead can be reshaped at the same time. The incision(s) will be placed within the hair. The hairline moves back somewhat as the brow is lifted. If you already have a high hairline, additional internal work will be needed to avoid this movement, and there will be temporary looseness and wrinkling of the skin of the upper forehead. If this failed to settle, or you wished to avoid this process, a fine zig-zag incision would be made along the hairline, and excess skin removed.

I usually place drainage tubes under the scalp for the first 24 hours. There will be bruising, particularly around the upper eyelids, for about two weeks. The forehead may be numb for a few days to several weeks. If long incisions are made (as opposed to using the endoscope), the scalp will be numb for at least several months. Loose skin in the upper eyelids will be tightened.

The results should be long lasting. Moving the eyebrows upward, and reducing forehead lines give you appear a more youthful, rested and cheerful appearance.

If you are considering a Brow Lift in Orange County, please click here to contact Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Bailey, for a consultation.

Before and After Pictures

Click on a thumbnail for a larger image.

Before

After