Brow Lift
Sagging eyebrows and loose, wrinkled forehead skin are a natural part of aging, but that does not mean you need to let it happen. Board-certified surgeon Dr. Nicole Langelier provides patients in Richmond the opportunity for a brow lift that delivers natural-looking, rejuvenating results.
What Is a Brow Lift?
A brow lift is a procedure that elevates or improves the contour of the eyebrows. There are multiple techniques that can be used for brow lifting, each with their own pros and cons:
- Nonsurgical Brow Lift: Neurotoxin can be used to relax the muscles that pull the eyebrows downward. This results in an aesthetically pleasing and subtle lift to the eyebrows. This treatment is minimally invasive with no downtime but also requires injections every 3 months to maintain the effect. Learn more about neurotoxin treatments (here).
- Direct Brow Lift: This involves carefully placed incisions at the top of the brow hairs. This does leave a visible scar, so while it is a good option for men with bushy eyebrows that can hide the incision line, it is not a good option for women who want the best aesthetic result or those with sparse eyebrow hairs and smooth foreheads.
- Internal Brow Lift: This procedure is performed through a hidden incision in the eyelid crease. While Dr. Langelier may recommend this procedure in addition to blepharoplasty when patients have heavy eyebrow tissue, it does not provide the lift most of her patients seek.
- Endoscopic Brow Lift: This technique lifts the brow and forehead through small incisions on top of the head. While some surgeons like this technique, it has fallen out of Dr. Langelier’s favor as it also makes the forehead taller.
- Trichophytic Brow Lift: Also called a pretrichial brow lift, this technique provides not just a brow lift but also smooths forehead wrinkles, reduces wrinkles between the brows, and improves thickness of the nasal bridge. This procedure lifts the forehead through a very carefully placed incision at the front of the hairline.
What Is a Trichophytic Brow Lift?
Also called a forehead lift, a trichophytic brow lift is a plastic surgery procedure that restores the appearance of the forehead. Signs of aging can appear on the forehead sooner than most body areas. Namely, this happens because of routine sunlight exposure and the thousands upon thousands of contractions of the forehead muscles. Over time, your forehead skin can begin to show wrinkles, become loose or even saggy, and develop an angry appearance between the eyebrows. A brow lift addresses any (and all) of these concerns by lifting and repositioning your forehead skin into a more youthful structure.Benefits of a Brow Lift
- Smooth away wrinkles on the forehead
- Lift sagging or heavy-looking eyebrows
- Improve your resting facial expression to look more rested and happy
- Improve heaviness between the eyebrows
- Tighten skin laxity
- Improved confidence
- Natural-looking results
Is a Brow Lift Right for Me?
Many people begin to notice forehead signs of aging as young as their 30s. However, choosing the right solution for improving your appearance will depend on your individual situation. Dr. Langelier consults thoroughly with each patient to ensure they are matched with the right procedure option. A brow lift is best for candidates who have deeper wrinkling or more substantial skin laxity.Nonsurgical Options for Forehead Rejuvenation
A brow lift works best for more significant signs of aging, but Dr. Langelier also offers options that are ideal for milder concerns. Neurotoxin injections are excellent for smoothing out lighter wrinkles while also preventing them from becoming deeper. Additionally, laser treatments can provide improvement in skin texture and some amount of skin tightening without the need for surgery.What Is the Procedure Like?
A brow lift can take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the complexity of your surgery plan. After the procedure, you can return home the same day. Either local anesthetic with sedation or general anesthesia is used to ensure a pain-free experience. Each procedure involves three main steps:
- Creating incisions at the hairline
- Removing excess skin
- Lifting the skin and repositioning it
The incision length will depend on the type of brow lift, but in each case they are made so that scars are minimized and hidden when possible. Thus, people will only be able to focus on the youthful results created by the procedure.
Combining Procedures
Many patients see extended benefits by combining a brow lift with another face procedure. One popular combination is to have eyelid surgery at the same time. This additional procedure further provides new definition to the eyes by addressing concerns such as excess eyelid skin, puffy eyelids, under-eye circles, and eyelid malposition. You can have multiple procedures in a single visit, which avoids the hassle of having multiple recovery periods.
How Is the Recovery Period?
While a brow lift does require some downtime and recovery, it typically is straightforward. The most important elements are avoiding any strenuous activity and following your post-procedure aftercare instructions. As you recover, Dr. Langelier will see you for follow-up appointments to check your progress and provide any additional instructions if needed.
The initial healing period is about 1 to 2 weeks. Physical activity is limited during the first week, and it is important to take it easy. Many patients return to work after the first week, using cover-up to hide any remaining bruising, which typically resolves after 2 weeks. Key parts of this downtime include:
- Managing swelling and bruising by elevating your head when you sleep
- Keeping incisions clean and avoid irritation of the surgical sites
- Discomfort can typically be managed with acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol)
- Avoiding bending over or any strenuous activity
Seeing Brow Lift Results: Timeline & Duration
Patients can expect to see initial improvement in wrinkles and eyebrow position immediately. At the end of the 2-week downtime period, much of the swelling and bruising should have faded, allowing you to see the tighter, repositioned appearance of your forehead. However, the full result can take a few months to appear. As you continue to heal, the forehead’s tissues will continue to settle into their new position, and residual swelling will resolve. Even minor swelling can impact how your results look, even if the swelling itself is not obvious.
In one sense, patients can expect permanent results from a brow lift. The tissues will maintain their new position for years on end. However, since aging and gravity continue, patients may begin noticing new wrinkles or signs of aging after about 10 to 12 years. Minimizing excess sun exposure and avoiding lifestyle factors that age skin will be key in prolonging your results and maintaining a youthful appearance.
