Bayside Plastic Surgeon
Dr. David A. Ross FRACS (PLAST)
Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon
03 9596 8888

Browlift Surgery

30 10, 2013

Browlift Surgery

The physical appearance of the face can be divided up into 3 parts. The upper third is made up of the forehead and eyebrows. The middle third is made up of the midface, the cheeks and the mouth, while the lower third is the chin and the neck. Age related changes in the upper third of the face (forehead) can be quite evident. They are usually seen as the development of transverse forehead creases, ptosis (drooping) of the eyebrows and hooding or heaviness of the upper eyelid skin. Often this is one of the first signs of facial aging observed, with hooding of the eyebrows and shading of the eyes, particularly in photographs taken in bright sunlight. It is often best to compare current photographs with those taken in your twenties as some people always have had low set eyebrows. Elevation in this situation can result in a surprised facial expression, which may not be desirable.

Rejuvenation of the forehead is undertaken by a browlift procedure, which is very commonly accompanied by an upper eyelid blepharoplasty to enhance the result. This procedure can have quite a profound effect on the entire face, resulting in a refreshed appearance with a more alert youthful expression. The result does look natural and the frontal hairline is not altered by the procedure. Dr Ross now undertakes three different types of browlift procedure, the minimal access (endoscopic) browlift, the full open browlift and the minimal browlift by direct excision.

Endoscopic Browlift

This procedure is usually undertaken as a day surgery case and is recommended for patients requesting only a subtle moderate lift of the eyebrow level, in conjunction with an upper eyelid blepharoplasty. The procedure usually takes between 1 ½ and 2 hours. Between 3 and 5 incisions are made within the forehead hairline. Using the operating endoscope, the complete forehead is mobilized allowing it to be lifted and resuspended with supportive sutures. This will raise the eyebrow position and reduce transverse wrinkles of the forehead as well as crow’s feet lines around the outer aspect of the eyes.

Full Open Browlift

This procedure would be recommended when a more substantial elevation of the eyebrow position was thought to be most beneficial. The procedure usually takes about 2 hours. A transverse incision is made in the scalp above the hairline to allow complete mobilization of the forehead. Once this has been released adequately the forehead is lifted and tightened with suspension sutures, with excessive scalp removed. The transverse incision is then closed camouflaged by the hair.

Direct Excision Browlift

More recently Dr Ross has undertaken a further brow lift procedure due to patient demand for a more minimalistic procedure with quicker recovery. This procedure is particularly of benefit in males, who may have a thin or receding hairline and cannot hide frontal scalp scars. It is a browlift by direct excision, whereby an ellipse of tissue is removed from directly above the eyebrow on the forehead and the eyebrow repositioned in an elevated position. Although in the short term this has resulted in a visible scar just above the eyebrow, within a couple of months that scar has become quite inconspicuous in most cases. This case can be performed fairly simply under local anaesthetic, recovery is rapid with virtually no downtime. If you would like to find out more about this approach please contact Dr Ross for a consultation.

It is common to have some swelling around the eyes following these procedures, but this usually would settle within 3-4 days. Most patients would have their eyelid sutures removed at 5 days and scalp sutures removed at 10-14 days. It is usual to have some tightness and numbness across the forehead but this should settle after 4-6 weeks. Most patients can return to their normal activities within one to two weeks. Complications can occur but these are unusual following this procedure. The most common complications are some temporary weakness of the forehead muscles, which rarely can be permanent. Also there can be some temporary hair loss around the incision site or a degree of brow height asymmetry. It is quite common that this procedure is combined with a facelift in a complete facial rejuvenation. If you have any queries as to the information provided or would like to find out more about browlift surgery, please contact Dr Ross’s office to schedule a consultation.
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Bayside Plastic Surgeon
Dr. David A. Ross FRACS (PLAST)
Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon
03 9596 8888
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