Learn more about brow lift surgery
When you look in the mirror, does your face give an accurate impression of your emotions? The eyes and forehead play an important role in communicating our emotions. If a droopy, thick eyebrow makes you look tired or unhappy, eyebrow lift surgery can provide a permanent solution. Learn all about brow lift surgery below.

What is Eyebrow Lift Surgery?
A brow lift, also often referred to as a forehead lift, rejuvenates the area above the eyes to restore a more refreshed appearance that better reflects the patient’s natural vitality. By removing excess drooping, forehead skin and repositioning the underlying muscles and tissues, a brow lift can correct a heavy, drooping brow, eliminate deep furrows, and give the upper third of the face a smoother, more youthful appearance.

Why Do You Have an Eyebrow Lift?
The problem with an aging forehead is its effect on our facial expressions – a droopy, highly furrowed brow can make us look constantly tired, anxious or even angry. Some of us are genetically predisposed to have thicker, thicker eyebrows, causing us to appear frowning even when we’re feeling our best. A brow lift directly addresses these issues, helping patients enjoy a more naturally refreshed appearance, among other positive changes:

Others may find you more approachable because they no longer mistakenly perceive you as angry or anxious.
Your eyes will look brighter and naturally more alert
Your self-confidence will increase because you no longer have to worry about looking “anxious.”

Choosing a Plastic Surgeon
Beautiful, natural results with brow lift surgery require a cosmetic surgeon with extensive knowledge of facial anatomy and a keen eye for aesthetic detail. Equally important is the ability to adjust one’s surgical techniques to create results that respect the patient’s ethnicity, age, gender, and unique facial features.

When consulting with potential cosmetic surgeons, ask about their specific training and experience in facial plastic surgery. Look at before and after photos, paying particular attention to patients who look like you. Although results will be individualized, a plastic surgeon’s past work is the best indicator of his or her aesthetic style. If you are male, your surgeon should have experience with eyebrow lifts for male patients, as brow lift techniques must be adapted to maintain a natural masculine appearance.

Types of Eyebrow Lift Surgery
Upper eyelid surgery can be easily performed under local anesthesia. Lower eyelid surgery is performed under sedation or general anesthesia. If both upper and lower eyelid surgery is desired, I prefer sedation anesthesia instead of general anesthesia. There is no need to stay in hospital; can leave the hospital immediately after the surgery.

Endoscopic Eyebrow Lift
Plastic surgeons are increasingly using the endoscopic method for brow lift surgery, which is much less invasive than previous techniques but can often achieve an equally desirable result. For an endoscopic brow lift, your plastic surgeon will make a series of very short incisions (about ¾” long) just behind the hairline. Then, using a special camera and fine instruments, he or she will reposition the muscles and lift the tissues beneath the forehead, removing excess fat and tissue as needed to create a naturally more youthful brow.

Classic or Coronal Eyebrow Lift
The standard technique, the coronal brow lift, is generally outdated because qualified cosmetic surgeons can typically make the necessary improvements with less invasive techniques. However, in some cases, a coronal brow lift may be necessary to achieve the results the patient desires. This technique involves a long incision extending from ear to ear behind the hairline. Excess skin, fat and tissue are removed and the remaining skin and eyebrow muscles are restored to a more youthful appearance.

Eyebrow Lift Surgery and Recovery
Brow lift surgery is an outpatient procedure performed using general anesthesia or local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. Surgery time depends on the type of brow lift and whether another procedure is being performed at the same time. Your incisions can be closed with stitches or staples, which are usually removed about 1 week after surgery.
Patients typically feel little pain after a brow lift, but it is common to feel mild discomfort in the forehead, as well as a feeling of tightness. Swelling and bruising are most common in the first 10 days after surgery and usually resolve after about 2 weeks.
The timeline for resuming activity after a brow lift depends on the individual – if you are having a brow lift alone, recovery is generally much quicker than for a patient who is having a brow lift combined with a facelift or another more extensive procedure.