Brow Lift

A brow lift, or a “forehead lift,” can improve the appearance of deep forehead lines and drooping brows, which is generally due to age or heredity. The furrow lines that make a person look angry can also be diminished with this procedure. The results will be a smoother, more animated appearance to your forehead. A brow lift can also be combined with other procedures to give an overall rested and refreshed look.

It is important to remember that plastic surgery cannot stop the aging process, but with an effective procedure such as a brow lift, you can look forward to a more youthful appearance.

Ideal Candidates

To help minimize some of the most visible signs of aging, a brow lift is commonly performed on adults between 40 to 60 years old. They should be free from mental and physical illness, have realistic goals and expectations, and have pronounced lines and skin overhang on their foreheads. If a patient is bald or has a receding hairline, the doctor can make adjustments to alter the incision location or perform a more conservative operation.

What to Expect From This Procedure

Brow lift surgery may last a one to two hours; however, if combined with another procedure, it can take longer. The surgery is usually done while you are under general anesthesia (asleep), but can be done while the patient is under a local anesthetic with a sedative (very relaxed with a numbed area).

Classic Forehead Lift

For the classic or “open” forehead lift procedure, Dr. David Kim will make a long incision  which will run from ear to ear (hair is tied back before surgery and the hair that is growing directly in front of the incision line may need to be trimmed). For bald patients or those with receding hairlines, this incision can be made in different areas.

In getting started, the surgeon will cut along your hairline, remove and tighten skin and muscles, and lift and smooth the eyebrows. Once the incision is made, the surgeon will separate the skin from the muscle on the forehead. Depending on the desired results, the surgeon will then alter the muscle and lay the skin, removing any excess, so that the brows are raised and the entire forehead is smoother and appears more youthful. 

Endoscopic Forehead Lift

There is now a variation to the classic brow lift procedure; replacing the long incision with a few short scalp incisions, each less than an inch in length. This is called the “endoscopic brow lift.” An endoscope is a small “pencil-like” camera, which is connected to a television monitor; this allows Dr. Kim to clearly view the muscles and tissues beneath the skin as he operates. Similar to the open method, hair is tied back and trimmed, if necessary, prior to surgery.

During the endoscopic brow lift, another instrument will also be inserted through a different incision. The forehead skin will be lifted and the muscles and underlying tissues will be removed or altered to produce a smoother and rejuvenated appearance. In turn, the eyebrows may also be lifted and secured into a higher position. This is done by using sutures beneath the skin's surface or by special, temporary screws placed behind the patient’s hairline.

For both brow lift methods, the incisions will be closed with sutures or clips.

Possible Risks

As with any surgery, there is a potential risk for complications, such as infection, bleeding, or reactions to anesthetics. Some of the possible complications associated with brow lift surgery include nerve damage, loss of sensation, a broadened scar, and hair loss along the scar edges. Dr. Kim makes every effort to create incisions in inconspicuous areas, even though hair loss and receding hair lines may still make these once invisible scars visible.

Recovery

Immediate recovery for the classic forehead lift and endoscopic forehead lift may significantly differ.

Classic Forehead Lift

A patient may experience numbness and itching on top of his or her scalp as well as temporary discomfort around the incision, which can be controlled with certain medications. You may be instructed to keep your head elevated for two to three days following surgery to keep any swelling down.
Although permanent hair loss is rare, if hair around the incision has fallen out and temporarily appears a bit thinner, you can anticipate your normal growth to resume within a few weeks or months.
If bandages were used, they will be removed one to two days after surgery. Most stitches or clips will be removed within two weeks, which is sometimes separated into two stages.

Endoscopic Forehead Lift

Similar to recovering from the classic forehead lift, patients may experience some numbness, incision discomfort, and mild swelling.

Incision site pain is usually minimal, but can be controlled with medication. Patients who have undergone the endoscopic forehead lift typically experience less of the itching sensation that is more common among classic forehead lift patients.

The stitches or staples should be removed within a week and the temporary fixation screws within two weeks.

Dr. Kim will help to determine which type of brow lift will best meet your goals.