Brow Lift (Forehead Lift) - San Diego, CA

A brow lift, also known as a browplasty or forehead lift, is a procedure designed to rejuvenate the upper one-third of the face. The following problems can be improved: droopy eyebrows, hooding of the upper eyelids, transverse forehead wrinkles, and the vertical "frown lines" in the area between the brows. Dr. Manish Champaneria can help patients in the San Diego area who are bothered by expression lines or other signs of aging in the brow region. For a more dramatic improvement, many patients have other rejuvenation procedures typically performed in conjunction with a brow lift, including eyelid surgery to rejuvenate aging eyes, a facelift to correct aging changes in the middle and lower face and neck regions, or skin resurfacing techniques.

The incision techniques used during a brow lift procedure depend on the severity of sagging, the skin condition and the hairline location. There are classic incisions, which may be located on the upper eyelid, or a coronal incision, which runs from ear to ear underneath the patient’s hair. A less invasive treatment is possible with an endoscopic brow lift.

This surgical technique places the incision along the natural upper eyelid crease or the brow’s hairline. The focus is to trim away excess skin and tighten the remaining skin and underlying tissues to create a rejuvenated facial appearance. The weak tissues will be reattached to the brow bone by sutures or attached with temporary tiny hooks placed internally where the muscles will cling and heal into a new position. This treatment doesn’t simultaneously resolve any issues of wrinkles on the upper forehead.

An incision that hides the scar within the hair area is the coronal brow lift. The cut is made from one ear to the other, running along a few inches above the patient’s hairline. The eyebrows are then repositioned to correct the tired, aging appearance by pulling the muscles up. With this technique, the hairline is also positioned higher. The results are typically subtle, just enough to stretch the droopy eyelids, but not lifted too severely, which would result in a shocked, wide-eyed look.

The use of endoscopes gives way to less invasive treatments. During an endoscopy procedure, several small incisions, no longer than an inch, are made close to the hairline. A tiny camera at the end of a thin tube will be inserted to allow the surgeon to operate via a monitor. Other tubes are inserted that will perform the necessary surgical steps to correct the cosmetic problem. Sutures are placed underneath the skin to help lessen the scars. The healing from this technique is quicker compared to the classic brow lifts.

A brow lift is performed under general anesthesia at an accredited surgical facility. It can last between 1 to 2 hours. Patients are sent home after surgery and advised to limit movement for up to 2 days. There will be some bruising and swelling that may be present on other areas of the face, such as the cheeks. Patients will be able to go back to a normal routine within a week. Strenuous activities must be avoided as it may affect healing. It is quite normal to feel as though the face is out of symmetry, but within 3-6 months, patients will see the optimized results, and look and feel younger with a rejuvenated outcome.

The plastic surgeon will initially evaluate the problem areas on the face and recommend the best approach. A brow lift enhancement is confined within the upper area of the face while a facelift also improves the appearance of the lower area of the face including the chin and the cheeks. Depending on the severity of the wrinkles and the sagging, a full facelift may be a better approach.

The ultimate aim for a brow lift procedure is to give the face an appearance that is fresh and youthful. With this surgery, the plastic surgeon is an expert who ensures that results are subtle enough so that it doesn’t look surgically treated. An experienced facial surgeon will have a thorough understanding of the internal structure of the face and will create results that are natural and prevent a wide-eyed or hyper-alert look.

BOTOX is a nonsurgical cosmetic treatment that targets forehead wrinkles. While it does an exceptional job of smoothing out lines and wrinkles on the forehad and around the eyes, it does not correct drooping of the skin folds around the eyes. Depending on the patient’s case, BOTOX is worth trying initially to see if this treatment satisfies the patient’s aesthetic goals. If BOTOX does little to the cosmetic issue, then a brow lift may be considered. Many patients benefit from a combination approach using surgery and BOTOX to attain the desired outcome.

Because the incisions are made in areas that can act as concealer, often the hair or natural crease of the face, scarring is generally not obvious. Dr. Manish Champaneria will make sure that the incisions are carefully placed to minimize the effects of scarring.