As you grow older, you may notice the appearance of what we call “worry lines.” These are deep creases that cover the forehead and often portray emotions we aren’t feeling, such as worry or anger. Bright and open eyes add a youthful, energetic look to your overall appearance.

What is Browplasty?

Browplasty is just a fancy word for a forehead or brow lift. This surgical procedure lifts or elevates a drooping brow. This surgery can help both men and women look younger and feel better about their appearance.

Brow Lift Techniques

There are several different types of brow lift, but the basic technique is the same across the board. Dr. Stevens makes small incisions to loosen up the skin in order to access the underlying muscles, fat pads and tissues. Depending on the particular case, underlying tissues and excess skin are tightened and/or removed. Dr. Stevens then closes the incisions. The result is a rejuvenated appearance and smoother-looking forehead.

Traditional or open brow lift is performed through an incision along the top of the head from ear to ear. In some cases, Dr. Stevens performs minimal-incision endoscopic brow lift. He creates tiny incisions hidden in the hairline and inserts an endoscope, or a thin tube with a camera on the end, under the skin. The endoscope provides Dr. Stevens with a clear view of the internal structures of the face; he uses special instruments to make the necessary modifications.

Benefits of the endoscopic approach include the following:

  • The incisions are so small and hidden behind the hairline, so it is hard to find them.
  • There is no need for any alteration of your hairstyle because there is no scar to cover up.
  • Healing is fast due to the minimal-incision technique.
  • Your brow lift can be performed in about one hour under intravenous sedation in an outpatient surgical center.

Recovering From Brow Lift

After traditional open brow lift, patients usually take two weeks off from work to heal. Swelling, bruising, mild discomfort and a tight or numb sensation are common aftereffects. It can take up to a few months for the last bit of residual swelling to completely disappear.

The recovery from endoscopic brow lift is shorter and more comfortable than that of open brow lift. Patients are usually able to return to work and most of their normal activities within three to seven days.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brow Lift

During your initial recovery, you must avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities. Gentle movement such as walking is permitted as soon as you have enough energy. More vigorous exercise is usually permitted four to six weeks after surgery, depending on your healing progress. Resuming exercise too soon into the recovery process can raise the risk of complications.

Smoking increases the risk of complications during and after surgery. It prevents the healing tissues from getting the oxygen and nutrients they need, which can result in poor healing, noticeable scarring and infection.

Yes. Depending on your particular facial anatomy and goals of treatment, Dr. Stevens may recommend combining brow lift with another procedure such as facelift or eyelid surgery. Combining procedures into a single operation minimizes overall recovery downtime and allows you to achieve your ultimate result sooner than if you spaced out the procedures.

You should notice an improvement in the appearance of your brow and forehead as soon as a few days after surgery. As swelling and bruising resolves, the results will continue to improve. The final results should be noticeable two to three months after surgery.

When performed by a qualified, talented facial plastic surgeon such as Dr. Stevens, brow lift can produce improvements that last for many years. Gradually, the tissues and skin of the forehead and brow will start to stretch out and sag again due to the effects of the aging process; however, the brow area will always look younger than it would if surgery were not performed.

There is no perfect age for any facial plastic surgery. The right time for your brow lift depends on how your skin is aging and other factors, such as a history of smoking or excessive skin exposure that may speed up signs of aging. Brow lift is often performed on patients between the ages of 40 and 60 with drooping brows and other qualifying concerns. Dr. Stevens can evaluate your brows and determine if brow lift is the best procedure for you or if a non-surgical treatment will provide your desired results.

Browplasty and blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) are often combined for comprehensive results. However, sometimes patients meet with Dr. Stevens thinking brow lift is right for them when eyelid surgery is the better option.

Manually lift your brows and inspect your eyelid appearance. If your eyelid does not have bulging fat, loose skin or “hooding” over the eye, then brow lift is likely a good option. Brow lift is typically best if the eyebrows have lost arches or sag within the eye socket. However, upper blepharoplasty could be best if the eyebrow still has a youthful arch and height but the eyelid bulges or hangs over the lashes. These distinctions may be difficult to identify yourself. Our double board-certified facial plastic surgeon can examine your brows and eyelids and determine which procedure (or both) is right for your needs and goals.

Brow lift focuses on elevating the eyebrows and may reduce the appearance of “11s” between the brows but won’t eliminate them entirely. Botox treatments may be necessary to smooth the skin between the brows if you struggle with severe frown lines.

Forehead lines or horizontal creases along the forehead tend to develop and worsen as people try to raise their brows. Brow lift lessens the appearance of forehead lines by elevating the tissues and easing the stress on these muscles. While browplasty can significantly reduce deep creases on the forehead, it won’t eliminate them completely. Brow lifts may also soften crow’s feet by reducing the hooding effect of sagging brows over the eyelids.

The “too tight” or pulled appearance happens when the surgical technique is too aggressive. An overly arched brow is another telltale sign that someone has had facial surgery, and these outcomes are cautionary tales for many surgeons. Dr. Stevens is a talented facial plastic surgeon with extensive experience performing browplasty. He focuses on natural-looking results that won’t give the impression you’ve had work done. Instead, you should have a well-rested, youthful appearance. The right surgical technique and facial plastic surgeon can deliver a natural appearance that looks like you, only younger. View our before and after gallery to see images of brow lift patients, and schedule a consultation with our double board-certified facial plastic surgeon to see if browplasty is right for you.

Contact a Brow Lift Expert

If you are ready for a more youthful-looking appearance in the area around your eyes, contact Douglas M. Stevens, M.D., at the Facial Plastic & Laser Center in Fort Myers to schedule a consultation today.

Schedule
a Consultation

Schedule a consultation in Fort Myers with facial plastic surgeon Dr. Douglas Stevens. Dr. Stevens and his talented staff offer a wide selection of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures to rejuvenate your appearance and restore your youthful facial features.