There are many plastic surgery options that can help you regain a youthful appearance today. One that is widely performed is the endoscopic brow or forehead lift. This surgical procedure effectively lifts a drooping brow and properly repositions it to its appropriate aesthetic position. When performed properly it results in an open, refreshed and natural look. While a brow lift can successfully turn back the clock, it is not the right procedure for everyone. Use this list of questions to find out if the brow lift is the right choice for you.
What can an endoscopic brow lift do?
A brow lift may address the following concerns:
- Horizontal creases across the forehead by allowing future Botox/Dysport treatment of these lines without further dropping the location of the eyebrows
- Vertical lines between the eyebrows (frown lines known as the “11’s”)
- Sagging brow line that can make you look tired or angry, and even masculinize a woman’s upper eye/forehead
- Drooping skin below the eyebrows that ages you by creating “hooding” of the upper eyelids, sometimes to the point of decreasing your vision
What won’t an endoscopic brow lift do?
While a brow lift improves a number of potential concerns, there are some things a brow lift will not fix:
- Excessive eyelid skin that can also hood the upper lid (some patients benefit from both a brow lift AND an upper blepharoplasty
- Lines around the eyes (known as crow’s feet)
- Will not change your hairline
- Will not create large scars or hair loss since it is performed with a tiny scope through very small incisions
Who should have a brow lift?
As in most signs of facial aging, it depends on a combination of your family genetics and social habits i.e. smoking, sun exposure, etc.. but typically is recommended for patients in their 40s or beyond. The appearance you will notice in the mirror is decreased exposure of the upper eyelid from dropping of the thick non-hair bearing eyebrow skin over the upper eyelid. Ideally, in a woman, the eyebrow should be located at or above the bony ridge of the eye socket and should be demonstrated to you during your consultation.
Men, on the other hand, are considered handsome with a lower set brow, and therefore don’t typically have browlifts as early or as often as women, and when performed, is more conservative to avoid feminizing their appearance.
Who should not have an endoscopic brow lift?
Patients with high or receding hairlines may make an endoscopic brow lift technically impossible. Also, a brow lift is not typically recommended to patients that have a good, natural aesthetic location for their eyebrows, or for patients that have hooding of the upper eyelid solely from excess eyelid skin, not drooping of the thicker eyebrow skin. This is why it is so important to see a surgeon very experienced at both brow lifts as well as upper eyelid surgery, and can accurately assess in your consultation which one (or sometimes even both together) you would benefit from.
A brow lift is an effective way to restore a youthful, less tired appearance, but it’s not the right choice for everyone. To find out if a brow lift is right for you, contact Robinson Facial Plastic Surgery at 770-667-3090.
