Visual communication with those around us is encoded in numerous subtle movements within our faces. Many of these movements are centered around the eyes and brows. As we grow older, the effects of gravity cast shadows across our faces that mask this ability to express ourselves. The forehead and brow tissues become loose and the eyebrows descend, giving a hooded, stern, or drawn expression. Permanent forehead wrinkles and vertical frown lines begin to appear as imprints of time. As time changes the structure of the face, a patient’s inner expressions and emotions may not be reflected anymore on the outside.
One simple procedure can help reverse the effects of aging on the face and leave patients looking younger and more refreshed. A Browlift performed with the expertise and artistry of our surgeons at Toronto Cosmetic Surgery Institute will allow the personality within to be visible once again.
If you find that your brows are saggy, heavy looking, or that your forehead looks tired, a Browlift can provide an opportunity to not only reverse the wrinkling and loss of tone and shape in your brow, but can also change a heavy or asymmetrical brow. A Browlift, otherwise known as Forehead Lift or Browplasty, is also often combined with Upper Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty), as descended eyebrows normally contribute to drooping eyelids.
The art of achieving a natural, younger appearance based on the individual needs of each patient requires the expertise of a skilled and compassionate surgeon. At the Toronto Cosmetic Surgery Institute, our surgeons and staff take great pride in dedicating themselves to achieving optimal results that will leave you looking and feeling rejuvenated.
There are a number of different techniques for performing Browlift surgery. Since each approach is designed to address a different type of problem, you can be confident that there is a treatment that can be specifically tailored to you and your needs. The technique that your surgeon uses will depend on your age, facial structure, current eyebrow position, and on what is possible to maximize your appearance.
A Coronal Browlift is performed by making a long incision behind the hairline and beautifully elevating the entire forehead, brow area and hairline. In female patients without any thinning of the hair, it is an effective way for Dr. Jugenburg to address moderate to major brow drooping. The advantage of this technique is that incisions are not made on the forehead and the scar is well hidden by hair.
The Pretrichial Browlift requires a long, discreet incision just in front of the hairline. Dr. Jugenburg elevates loose forehead skin, leaving the height of the hairline unchanged. Eyebrow shape and asymmetry can be addressed and the scar, once healed, is virtually undetectable. This procedure is ideal for patients who want to both lift the eyebrows and raise and shorten the forehead. If shortening of the forehead is undesirable, however, the TrichialBrowlift is a variation of this technique where the length of the forehead is left unchanged.
A Direct Browlift requires making an incision following the length of each eyebrow. This approach is typically reserved for male patients, particularly those with male pattern baldness. Using this technique, Dr. Jugenburg elevates a sagging brow, while tightening and smoothing the forehead, by pulling the skin and tissue of the forehead down, rather than up. The hairline is lowered, which is ideal for patients with a receding hairline and/or a high forehead. DrJugenburg conceals the scar behind the eyebrow hair and can precisely address eyebrow shape and asymmetry. An ideal patient for the technique is one with forehead wrinkles which are used to hide the scars.
A Midforehead Browlift is especially useful in male patients with a prominent forehead crease. In this approach, Dr. Jugenburg makes an incision along the forehead crease and elevates the eyebrows as desired. Eyebrow shape and asymmetry can be addressed, and the scar is nicely concealed. Since this technique does not involve the skin of the whole forehead, the position of the hairline is unaffected. This is advantageous if a higher hairline would be undesirable. The procedure can also be easily performed under light sedation or local anesthesia.
An Endoscopic Browlift is minimally invasive and performed with only 3 to 5 small incisions made just above the hairline. Please note, however, that Dr. Jugenburg does not perform Endoscopic Browlifts.
Following surgery you will have a supporting bandage around your forehead. Bruising and swelling will be most noticeable after the first day and will slowly subside after that. Some natural fatigue may also persist for 2 to 3 days, due to the normal effects of the anesthesia and surgical procedure. For at least two weeks after the procedure, you will be asked to avoid any strenuous physical activity and all activities that raise your blood pressure. Patients are usually comfortable returning to their normal routine after this time. If you work in an office setting, however, you should be able to return to work after a few days.
Patients will return to see their surgeon the day after surgery and at regular intervals thereafter. This is done to ensure that their surgeon can properly monitor your recovery, and make each patient’s experience smooth and safe, with the best result possible.
A few days
Bruising and swelling will be most noticeable after the first day and will slowly subside after that.
Strenuous exercise, any activity that raises your blood pressure, and exposure to the sun should be avoided for two weeks to a month after surgery
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Browlift is often combined with Upper Eyelid Surgery as heavy, descended eyebrows generally contribute to the appearance of sagging in the eyelids. If your reasons for considering a Browlift are fine lines or other related problematic areas, Botox and/or the use of fillers might offer non-surgical alternatives. Botox can also be used after some Browlift procedures to increase the effects of surgery.
Aging affects the entire face, yet it is most noticeable in the area around the eyes. For many, the combination of Browlift and Eyelid Surgery(Blepharoplasty) therefore become an effective solution for a more youthful and refreshed appearance. So, how to choose what is the best option for you?
Addressing each of the individual components of the aging process is a finely balanced and complex process. Since the soft tissue of the brow interacts with the soft tissue of the eyelid, lifting the brow often affects the laxity of the eyelid skin. Similarly, refining the upper eyelid areas may also pull the eyebrows even lower. If used and performed correctly, however, Browlift and Upper Eyelid Surgery are not in direct competition, but are instead complementary.
At the Toronto Cosmetic Surgery Institute the needs of each patient are always determined and an individualized plan for treatment is offered. Depending on the patient, the treatment required may be Upper Eyelid Surgery, Browlift, or possibly both procedures. Get in touch here to schedule a thorough analysis of your eye area with the SixSurgery team.
A Browlift procedure will elevate heavy, drooping eyebrows, improve forehead wrinkles and frown lines, and can lift excess, sagging upper eyelid skin. If any of these concerns affect you, you may benefit from a Browlift.
This is the medical term for a drooping eyebrow. This can cause significant overhang of upper eyelid skin over the lashes and interfere with the visual function or appear unsightly. It usually occurs on both sides, but can be asymmetrical, appearing only on one side.
A suitable Browlift patient is generally in good health, a non-smoker, and is able to avoid blood-thinning medications for two weeks before surgery. He or she has low and heavy eyebrows, and may be aware of looking tired, angry, or worried much of the time.
A variety of different techniques are available to a skilled cosmetic surgeon in order to approach the needs of each patient on an individual basis. An Endoscopic Browlift may not be suitable for some patients, as it may, for example, result in elevating the patient’s hairline higher than is cosmetically desired. Moreover, if a patient is not a candidate for this procedure, it is because another surgical method would be a better option.
There is no lower age limit for this procedure. Some patients have low brows at an early age, a feature that is often hereditary.
Different people have quite different physical characteristics and expectations. Before performing a Browlift, our surgeons always take all necessary factors into account in order to achieve optimum results that will leave your appearance rejuvenated.
When done correctly, elevating the eyebrows will achieve a very natural and powerful enhancement to your appearance. This will leave you looking more refreshed, relaxed and youthful.
A modified Pretrichial Browlift can be used to lower the hairline, while still providing the benefits of a standard Browlift. In this case, a narrow strip of excess skin is removed from just below the hairline, the scalp is stretched downward, and the hairline is lowered. With our surgeon’s surgical skills and meticulous closure techniques, thereafter the scar is often difficult to see.
A Browlift is a surgical procedure, and all surgical procedures carry some risks. With regards to a Browlift, there are special considerations that need to be taken into account. These are dependent on which surgical technique is chosen and will be discussed during a pre-operative consultation with Dr. Jugenburg. Complications might include irritation of the nerve that provides sensation to the forehead, bleeding, and asymmetry between the two sides. Such complications are rare and usually resolve without leaving any long-lasting abnormalities. In some cases, further surgery may be required to ensure ideal results. Keep in mind that almost all patients have some temporary numbness of the forehead and/or scalp after surgery.
Botox can be used to paralyze the muscles that keep the eyebrows low, allowing them to rise. This effect is mild, however – surgery is much more effective at raising the brows. The effects of Botox also last only a few months, whereas the effects of Browlift are generally permanent. Injection of a filler just beneath the brow might provide an alternative non-surgical approach to achieve mild brow elevation.
The various options available to you will be discussed in detail during a consultation with our consult staff. These will depend on your needs, expectations, face structure, and any previous surgery. Our team will determine the best approach to maximize your appearance.
Depending on your needs and expectations, the treatment required may be Browlift, Upper Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty), or possibl both procedures. The careful analysis performed by Dr. Jugenburg prior to surgery is essential in determining the best approach for each patient.
If visual function is impaired by sagging upper eyelid or brow skin, such that a Browlift and/or Upper Eyelid surgery is required out of necessity, an insurance company may reimburse the patient. The patient would need to see an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) first, to prove that excess skin actually interferes with their vision.
You will most likely be deeply sedated during the procedure, which means you will be completely asleep and comfortable. In an occasional patient undergoing a Mid-forehead Browlift, local anesthesia may instead be used.
No, your hair will be left untouched.
Browlift procedures performed by our surgeons generally last one to two hours. This
time frame can vary depending on the needs and desires of each patient.
You will have mild soreness and tightness of your forehead. These symptoms are easily controlled with medications that Dr. Jugenburg will prescribe for you. Approximately 10% of patients have headaches for up to 24 hours after surgery.
The technique that you and Dr. Jugenburg choose to perform your Browlift will be the one most likely to provide you with optimal results and the least visible scarring. In most cases, any scarring will fade over a period of three to six months after surgery and be completely hidden by hair.
Although most patients will be back on their feet after a few days, it is preferable to allow one to two weeks for swelling and bruising to resolve before returning to a normal routine. Strenuous exercise, any activity that raises your blood pressure, and exposure to the sun should be avoided for two weeks to a month after surgery. Recovery time may also vary from patient to patient depending on their physical fitness.
The benefits of Browlift surgery will last indefinitely, and revision surgery is rare. Occasionally, patients will want their brows raised even higher, which can be accomplished by revision surgery. When the average patient looks in the mirror, they’ll usually pay particular attention to how much brow elevation they think is necessary to create a more youthful and refreshed appearance. But the reality is that the maximum amount of elevation possible is 1 cm, at most. In most cases, even less elevation is actually needed.
