The forehead and brow and usually the first parts of the body to display signs of aging. A Reston brow lift, or forehead lift, is a surgical procedure that raises your brows and reduces the appearance of frown lines and forehead wrinkles. Consequently, it can improve your general appearance and the apparent position of your eyes on your face. If you are interested in a brow lift, here is what you should expect.
Preparing for the Procedure
During your first consultation visit, you will discuss your brow lift needs with your surgeon who will review your medical history. This is the best time to discuss any previous surgeries, current medications, and allergies with your doctor. Your doctor will also perform a physical exam, which often involves examining and measuring different parts of your face and taking pictures. They will then educate you on the risks and benefits of the procedure. Usually, you may also be advised to stop taking certain medications and smoking and to plan for someone to drive and take care of you after the surgery.
During the Procedure
A brow lift is an outpatient procedure. Your doctor will usually administer general or localized anesthesia before the procedure. Generally, there are several brow lift techniques and your surgeon’s choice will depend on your desired results. The options include:
- Coronal Brow Lift: During this procedure, your surgeon makes an incision across the top of your head behind your hairline. They then lift your forehead into a new position, remove the overlapping scalp, and sew the remaining scalp together.
- Endoscopic Brow Lift: Your doctor makes several small incisions behind your hairline. They insert a long thin tube with a camera and light mounts into one incision and another tool into another. The endoscope helps your surgeon see your muscles and tissues while the other tool lifts and anchors the tissues.
- Direct Brow Lift: Your surgeon removes skin from above your eyebrows. It is ideal for people with bushy eyebrows.
- Temporal Brow Lift: Your surgeon makes small incisions near the temple just behind your hairline.
- Hairline Brow Lift: This procedure is ideal for patients with a high hairline.
Typically, a brow lift surgery lasts between 1 to 2 hours.
Post Procedure
Following your brow lift, your doctor may loosely wrap your forehead to minimize swelling and place a small tube along the incision site to drain excess fluid or blood. They will also give you special care instructions, which may include:
- Applying a cold compress to alleviate swelling
- Resting with your head elevated
- Taking your prescribed pain medication
- Protecting your incisions from excessive motion or pressure
You may experience numbness or itchiness at first but this should subside within a few days. Expect to be called back to the doctor’s office in 1 to 3 days to get your bandages removed and 7 to 10 days for suture removal. If you experience worrying symptoms during your recoveries such as shortness of breath, sudden swelling, and chest pain, call your doctor immediately.
Aging can have many effects on your face, including causing your eyeballs to fall from their primary position and making you look older than you are. A brow lift from Soheila Rostami, MD, FAAO, FAACS, or Rostami POC can help fix this problem. Dr. Rostami offers minimally invasive, nonsurgical, and surgical brow lift treatments to revamp your look. Call the Reston, Virginia office today to learn more.
