There are many signs of aging that affect the face, and heavy, overhanging brows are no exception. When the brows begin to descend, the most appropriate surgical solution is browlift, also known as forehead lift, surgery. Our Philadelphia surgeons perform browlift surgery to elevate the eyebrows, and in some cases, smooth the wrinkles on the forehead and between the brows.
Browlift Candidates
The eyebrows are one of the areas on the face that are the most prone to sagging. Sagging brows may begin to affect patients as early as their 40s, and as the years go by, the eyebrows become heavier and eventually result in a perpetually angry, frustrated, tired, or sad appearance. Patients whose eyebrows have settled too far down the face may be good candidates for browlift surgery.
Browlift patients must be in generally good health and not take any medications that may interfere with the safety of the surgery. In addition, browlift patients should not smoke. To be considered a suitable candidate for browlift surgery, patients must not smoke or be willing to quit smoking for a few weeks before and after surgery.
Browlift Techniques
Prior to scheduling your surgery, our surgeons will determine the browlift surgical approach that is best suited to your needs.
- Endoscopic browlift: In the endoscopic browlift technique, two or three one-inch incisions are made just beyond the hairline. An endoscope, a specialized tool equipped with a light and camera, is inserted through the incisions. The endoscope enables our surgeons to visualize the internal anatomy and remove or manipulate the appropriate brow muscles. This approach is ideal for patients with low to moderate degrees of brow droopiness.
- Coronal: In the coronal browlift, one long incision is made beyond the hairline. The forehead skin is pulled taut and the excess skin is removed from the scalp, or hair-bearing, portion of the forehead. This approach allows for a significant amount of lift and results are long lasting. However, this technique raises the patient’s hairline, so it is not ideal for patients who are experiencing hair loss.
- Hairline: In the hairline browlift technique, the incision is made at the hairline. This allows for significant lifting of the forehead skin and long lasting results. Excess skin is removed from the portion of the forehead that does not have hair; as a result, the hairline browlift does not push back the hairline.
In some cases, additional procedures such as facelift or eyelid surgery are performed along with browlift surgery.
Browlift Procedure
Browlift surgery takes two to three hours and is usually performed while the patient is under general anesthesia. During browlift surgery, our plastic surgeons will:
- Pull back the hair and secure it away from the face
- Use a surgical pen to indicate where the incisions will be placed
- Have our certified anesthesiologist sedate the patient
- Apply an antibacterial solution to the incision site
- Create the incision or incisions in or beyond the hairline
- Remove or adjust the underlying muscles
- Tighten the skin on the forehead and remove any excess skin
- Close the incision or incisions with sutures
- Apply dressing to protect the incision or incisions while healing
Browlift Recovery
Browlift surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure, unless the patient undergoes facelift surgery at the same time as the browlift. For the first few days after surgery, patients should keep the head elevated and rest. Patients can return to many of their normal activities one to two weeks after surgery. However, strenuous exercise and sun exposure should be avoided for four to six weeks after surgery.
Browlift Side Effects
Though the side effects of browlift surgery fade quickly, there are some common after effects of surgery, including:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Discomfort
- An itchy, tingling, or numb sensation at the incision site
- Nausea from the anesthesia
Browlift Risks
Browlift surgery is a safe procedure, especially when performed by qualified experts such as our Philadelphia plastic surgeons. The browlift procedure is associated with some risks, though these risks are rare for our patients.
- Infection
- Allergic reaction
- Bleeding
- Slow wound healing
- Change in hairline
Browlift Results
Browlift surgery can result in successful outcomes. The results of surgery are visible as soon as the bandages come off, but final results are seen when all residual swelling has faded (about three months after surgery).
Philadelphia Browlift Consultations
The staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery welcomes patients to contact our Philadelphia practice to schedule their browlift consultations.