Brow Lift

Brow or Forehead Lift. This procedure helps to lift the brows, or the entire forehead, in order to remove the appearance forehead wrinkles and frown lines and improve the appearance of the upper eye.

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Forehead Lift Surgery

The effects of aging are inevitable, and, often, the brow and forehead area show the first signs. The skin begins to lose its elasticity. Sun, wind, and the pull of gravity all affect the face, resulting in frown lines, wrinkling across the forehead, and an increasing heaviness of the eyebrows. Even people in their thirties may have faces that look older than their years. Your tired, angry, or sad expression may not reflect how you actually feel. As a result, many people have opted for a procedure known as the forehead lift. Based on variations in how men and women age and on new advances in medical technology, different methods are used to perform this procedure.

If you are wondering how a forehead lift could improve your appearance, you need to know how these procedures are performed and what you can expect. This website can address many of your concerns and provide you the information you need to begin considering forehead surgery. If you have any further questions about forehead lift surgery, you can feel free to ask our Maryland forehead lift specialists a question or schedule a consultation.

Successful facial plastic surgery is a result of good rapport between patient and surgeon. Trust, based on realistic expectations and exacting medical expertise, develops in the consulting stages before surgery. Your surgeon can answer specific questions about your specific needs.

Is a Forehead Lift for You?

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As with all elective surgery, good health and realistic expectations are prerequisites. When a surgeon tightens loose skin and removes the excess, forehead wrinkling and drooping brows are modified. The procedure is called a forehead lift or brow lift. If necessary, the surgeon removes part of the muscle that causes vertical frown lines between the brows. The result can be a smoother brow and a more youthful expression. To see what a forehead lift can do for your face, put your hands above your brows and outside the edges of your eyes and gently raise the skin upwards. Forehead lifts are an option if you have a sagging brow or deep furrows between the eyes. This procedure is usually done between age forty and sixty-five, although it may be necessary at an earlier age.

Incisions can be placed at the hairline, behind the hairline, or in some cases, above the brow or in the mid-forehead. Endoscopic techniques that are available allow the procedure to be performed, thereby minimizing incisions and reducing visibility of scars. Our Maryland forehead lift specialists can help you select the best technique suited to your particular situation.

Making the Decisiont for a Forehead Lift

Whether you are having surgery for functional or cosmetic reasons, your choice of a qualified facial plastic surgeon is of paramount importance. During the consultation, the surgeon will examine your facial structure, the condition of your skin, and your hairline in order to decide where incisions should be made. A thorough medical history will be obtained so that your surgeon can consider any medical conditions that may heighten surgical risks. A detailed description of the procedure will also include a discussion of risk involved.

After the decision to proceed with surgery is made, the surgeon will describe the technique indicated, the type of anesthesia, the surgical facility, any additional surgery, and the risks and costs.

Understanding the Surgery

The surgery begins with the placement of the incision. In many cases, the incision is made slightly behind the natural hairline, running from ear to ear across the top of the head. However, if the patient is balding or has a receding hairline, the incision will be made in the mid-forehead area or at the hairline, along a natural line to minimize scar visibility. Excess skin and tissue will also be removed before fine sutures or staples are applied.

In endoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes a series of small incisions just behind the hairline and, using the endoscope as a guide, proceeds to remove those muscles that are the source of frown lines. The eyebrows are then lifted to reduce the sagging of skin at eyelid level. Depending on the nature of the incisions and the surgeon's preference, bandages may be applied along the incisions. The procedure usually lasts one to two hours.

What to Expect After the Surgery

Even though most patients experience very little pain after surgery, the surgeon will still prescribe medication. Some degree of swelling and bruising is unavoidable, and your surgeon may instruct you to use cold compresses to keep swelling to a minimum. If a dressing has been applied, it will be removed within one to two days. The surgeon will also instruct you to keep your head elevated when lying down, to avoid as much activity as possible, and to report any undue discomfort. Though there are few risks in facelift surgery and thousands are performed every year, some risk exists in any surgery.

In some cases, a drainage tube may have been inserted during surgery. This will be removed on the first or second day after surgery. All sutures and staples are usually removed within five to 10 days following surgery. Surgeons generally recommend that patients avoid vigorous activity. Patients should prearrange for post-surgery support from family and friends.

Recovery usually takes two to three weeks, though many patients go back to work in two weeks. Scars are usually not noticeable after enough time has passed for them to mature. In any case, they are easily disguised in natural skin creases, by the hair, or, in persistent cases, by makeup until total healing has occurred. Bear in mind that the aging process continues after surgery and that some relaxation of tissues will occur over the first few weeks.

Facial plastic surgery makes it possible to correct many facial flaws and signs of premature aging that can undermine self-confidence. By changing how you look, cosmetic surgery can help change how you feel about yourself.

Insurance does not generally cover surgery that is done purely for cosmetic reasons. Surgery to correct or improve genetic deformity or traumatic injury may be reimbursable in whole or in part. It is the patient's responsibility to check with the insurance carrier for information on the degree of coverage.