Brow Lift Surgery / forehead lift surgery

A brow lift also known forehead lift surgery is a cosmetic procedure that involves lifting the skin in the forehead and possibly removing some of the tissue and muscle underneath in order to improve the overall appearance of the face.  The procedure may be utilized to correct drooping eyebrows, to remove facial lines or to tighten loose skin.

Understanding the Procedure

In order to complete a brow lift, the surgeon must make four incisions behind the patient's hairline.  Each of the incisions is less than one inch long, which is large enough for the surgeon to insert a small camera called an endoscope.  This allows him or her to look beneath the patient's skin in order to identify tissues and muscles that need to be removed in order to lift the brows and to create a younger looking forehead.  Once the tissues and muscles are removed, the incisions are closed in a horizontal fashion in order to reduce the appearance of scarring and to improve the results of the procedure.

The brow lift procedure generally takes one to two hours to complete.  Most patients remain in the hospital for a night after the procedure is complete.

Risks Associated with Brow Lift Surgery

Although a brow lift procedure can provide very pleasing results, there are some potential risks associated with the procedure.  Some of the side effects that are associated with any type of surgical procedure include:

• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Infection
• Scarring
• Swelling

Some risks that are specifically associated with the brow lift include:

• Alteration of the hairline may be necessary in order to conceal the scars
• Asymmetry, or both sides of the face appearing different, may occur, but can be corrected with additional surgeries
• Change of eyebrow shape, though rare, may occur after the surgery and can be corrected with additional surgeries
• Change in facial expressions because of the repositioning of the eyebrows and forehead
• Lagophthalamos, or the inability to close the eyes completely
• Loss of hair, though rare, may be temporary or permanent
• Loss of sensation in the forehead caused by stretching or nerve damage, though rare, may be temporary or permanent
• Numbness in the area where the operation was performed, which should subside within a few weeks following the procedure
• Tissue death, which may require additional surgeries in order to correct

As with any surgical procedure, there are potential complications and side effects associated with getting brow lift surgery.  With the help of a competent surgeon, however, most individuals are pleased with the results and experience very few side effects.