Unlock Youthful Radiance: Your Guide to Brow Lift Procedures

By Dr. Christian Stallworth

Brow lifts are a safe and effective procedure to improve the appearance of the upper third of your face. They can be performed on patients of all ages but are most commonly done in people between 35 and 65 years old. This procedure is commonly combined with other facial procedures, such as blepharoplasty, facelifts, and neck lifts to enhance facial harmony and balance.

What is a Brow Lift? 

A brow lift is a surgical procedure that lifts the eyebrows in relation the upper orbital rim and the upper eyelid.  Sometimes, excess skin is removed, but in other cases the entire forehead can be lifted and simply repositioned higher on the bone without any tissue removal.  This can tighten and smooth the underlying muscles. The procedure can be performed under local anesthesia in some cases, while in others a general anesthetic is required.  This all depends on the technique used and the goals of surgery.  Operative time can range from one to two hours.  Patients should be able to go home the same day but will typically need to arrange transportation or have someone drive them home.

The typical recovery period after brow lift surgery is two weeks, sometimes longer again depending on the extent of surgery and the technique used.

Types of Brow Lifts

There are a number of different eyebrow lifts: coronal, trichial/pretrichial, midforead, direct, endoscopic, and temporal are the most common classifications . Each type has its own benefits and risks, so it’s important to understand what your options are before choosing a procedure.

• Coronal: Once the patient is under anesthesia, the surgeon makes a cut or incision that starts at about ear level and goes across the top of the scalp to the other ear.   Then entire forehead and anterior scalp can be lifted vertically and skin excised.  Dr. Stallworth rarely ever performs this type of lift.
• Trichial / Pretricial:  This technique is nearly identical to the coronal lift, but the incision is made either directly behind or infront of the hairline of the forehead.
• Midforehead: An incision is made on both the right and left sides of the forehead and placed within the line of an existing forehead wrinkle.
• Direct:  The incision is made at the superior margin of the eyebrow hairline.
• Endoscopic: After making a series of small incisions hidden in the hair, the surgeon uses specialized equipment with cameras and small instruments to dive deep to the muscles and nerves of the forehead to gently release and elevate the tissue.  This is one of Dr. Stallworth’s favorite techniques when done in the right patient.
• Temporal: Also known as the lateral brow lift, this focuses on elevation of the lateral or tail portion of the eyebrow.  It is much less invasive and produces great results!  This is easily performed in the clinic and can help augment any number of other procedures.

Am I a good candidate?

You must be in good health to have brow lift surgery. Otherwise, the procedure may not be the right option for you.

You should also have realistic expectations. To learn more about what to expect from your procedure, talk to your surgeon.

Recovery Period

The recovery time after a brow lift depends on the type of procedure you undergo, but in general you can expect to feel back to normal within a 3-7 days. Most patients experience some discomfort during the first few days of recovery and should take it easy for at least this amount of time. You’ll need to avoid strenuous activities like heavy lifting or excessive exercise for about a week after surgery.

Most patients experience mild swelling around their eyes for 10-14 days after surgery, but this is often manageable with cold compresses and over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). 

Schedule a consultation!

A brow lift is a safe and effective procedure that can be performed with Texas Plastic Surgery. You can expect to see improvement in one week, but full recovery may take several months. Schedule an initial consultation to get started!