Brow lifts

Brow lifts are a popular treatment which aim to deal with deep forehead line and undesired furrows. Brow lifts are often used alongside other procedures such as hair transplants, fat transfers or facelifts.

A brow lift is a relatively simple procedure where some tissue and muscle in the forehead is moved in order to create the desired effect. The skin is lifted and, if needed, any excess skin will be removed. There are two main methods performed in brow lifts and which option is used will often depend upon your facial structure. Firstly, the traditional lift in which an incision is made along the top of the scalp. This usually begins above the ears and incisions are often hidden within the hair to minimise the appearance of scars. By making the incision at this point the surgeon is able to manipulate muscles which cause undesired frown lines. Any excess skin in the forehead can also be removed leading to a smoother appearance. The brows themselves can, if needed, be taken up into a better position. The other surgical option is the endoscopic technique. This procedure makes use of a tiny camera which is inserted through small incisions in order to let the surgeon see beneath the skin. The surgeon then uses special instruments to access and manipulate the forehead muscles and other underlying structures through these incisions. The tissues and muscles can be altered in this way and, if needed, the brows themselves can be repositioned. Following this the brows are secured using either permanent or dissolvable anchors to keep them in place and the incisions are closed. This procedure has a lot less scarring than a traditional facelift however the fact that less skin is removed means the treatment is not as effective on wrinkles and sagging skin.

The usual recovery period following a brow lift is around two to three weeks. You may have to wear a support garment for a few days following the operation. and any associated pain can usually be dealt with using over-the-counter medications. It's common to experience bruising and swelling around the eyes and on the forehead but his usually reduces within a couple of weeks. Following a traditional brow lift you may experience headaches, itching and hair loss. Numbness or other unusual sensations will usually disappear within a short period.

As with every surgery several complications can occur; in rare cases there can be an adverse reaction to anesthesia and infections can develop following surgery. Fluid may accumulate causing hematomas and additional surgery may be required to fix a problem which occurred during the initial procedure. Hair loss within the area of the scar can occur and may be permanent. Nerve damage may cause numbness or a lack of sensation and other minor complications are possible.