Brow Lift Surgery what is involved

A brow lift can either be performed in an outpatient medical facility or a hospital. Depending on what type of procedure you have a brow lift can usually be performed under local anaesthetic, although occasionally general anaesthesia is recommended. The procedure can take between one to two hours, and does not usually require an overnight stay.

How the procedure is performed and where the incisions are placed will depend on the type of brow lift surgery you are having. There are two types of brow lift technique: endoscopic and traditional or ‘open’.

Endoscopic Brow Lift

An endoscopic brow lift raises the eyebrow line and smoothes wrinkles without removing much skin. During an endoscopic brow lift, the surgeon utilises an endoscope, a tool that acts as a visual guide during surgery. By using the method the surgeon is able to make smaller incisions in the scalp. The surgeon inserts the endoscopic instrument to produce a visual map of the inside of the forehead and eyebrows before inserting another instrument into the other incisions to lift the skin and to remove excess fat, muscle, or skin on the forehead and eyebrows. Advantages of this technique are that it can be performed without the need for general anaesthetic and has a quicker recovery time with reduced bruising and less scarring. It is also a good method for people who require more minimal facial rejuvenation.

Traditional Brow Lift

Traditional brow-lift surgery is performed by making one long incision across the forehead from ear to ear. The incision is usually hidden in the hairline to reduce the risk of visible scarring. The surgeon then lifts the forehead skin to enable him/her to work on the underlying muscles. The eyebrows can be lifted and the forehead muscles can be tightened. Excess skin can also be removed before the surgeon stitches the skin back into place and closes the incision. Due to the relatively larger size of the initial incision and the removal of additional skin, this technique results in more scarring and requires a longer period of recovery to heal.

With both brow-lift techniques, surgeons may utilise permanent fixation devices for long lasting results. Endoscopic brow lift procedures tend to encompass these methods of long term fixation more often than the traditional brow lift procedure.