Jeffrey Kenkel, M.D. Answers Questions On: Brow Lift

There’s no ideal age for a brow lift. It can help patients of any age open their upper eyelids and change the appearance and shape of the brow.

The goal is to achieve a more alert and refreshed appearance, simulating the way you looked 10 to 15 years ago, not an overdone or startled look.

A brow lift repositions your brow higher. The location of the incision tends to depend on how long your forehead is and how much hair you have. It may be concealed within the scalp hair, at the junction of the scalp hair and forehead, or, on rare occasions, within the forehead itself.

I’ll review which brow procedures will be most beneficial for you and allow you to achieve the results you’re expecting.

Regardless of the type of procedure, the scalp incisions will be closed with sutures, and the area will be washed. Gauze and an elastic bandage may also be used for a few days after the procedure.

It is not uncommon to perform a brow lift at the same time as eyelid surgery and/or a face lift. This allows for a more homogenous rejuvenation of the areas around the eyes and face. Likewise, the upper eyelid and brow are evaluated together. Your appearance in this area can be impacted by one or both.

Your brow lift surgery will be performed in a hospital or outpatient facility, under general anesthesia or conscious sedation. You may be required to stay overnight in the hospital depending on the extent of your surgery.

One to one-and-a-half hours, depending on the extent of the procedure.

Potential side effects include:

• Swelling
• Bruising
• Temporary inability to move brows

Like any surgery, a brow lift involves certain risks, such as:

• Recurrence
• Asymmetry

Recovery tends to vary depending on what type of procedure you undergo. A traditional brow lift is a larger procedure than an endoscopic procedure and may be associated with more pain and numbness, which are typically controlled with oral medication.

While patient experiences vary and recovery after a traditional brow lift is usually more intense than a more limited procedure, you can expect to progress through the following general milestones:

• Hospital stay: Not needed for most patients
• Keep head propped up: Two to seven days
• Sutures removed: Seven to 10 days
• Ready to go out in public and return to work: 10 to 14 days
• Bruising fades: Two to three weeks
• Resume nonstrenuous exercise: Two weeks
• Swelling resolves: Three to four months
• Hair growth resumes around incisions: A few weeks to few months
• Resume strenuous activities: Three to four weeks

About 10 years.