What is a browlift or forehead lift procedure?

The browlift is a procedure designed to elevate the brow to a more youthful position relative to the eyelids. Since most people focus on the area of the eyes when talking to you, it can by itself, make your whole face appear younger. Since the advent of newer minimally invasive techniques for browlift, it has become much more common in young as well as older patients.

Who can benefit from browlift?

If you think you have excess skin in the upper eyelid, put the index finger above the mid portion of the eyebrow, and the thumb at the lateral (outside) part of the eyebrow. Lift to position the brow where you would like it to be. You will notice there is really very little excess skin. If you only remove ‘extra’ eyelid skin, the brow will still be in a low position that makes the eye area look small and crowded rather than open and fresh.

A browlift, on the other hand, will make the eye complex appear more open and ‘fresh’. A person with very severe ‘hooding’ of the upper eyelid will benefit from both browlift and eyelid skin resection, or blepharoplasty.

In contrast, a minimally invasive browlift works by weakening the muscles that work to pull down or crease together the brows. The muscles that elevate the brow remain fully active. As a result, the brow is elevated, the ‘worry lines’ and forehead wrinkles are vastly improved.

Will my forehead look frozen after the browlift surgery?

The result of the browlift surgery is permanent and the brow does not look ‘frozen’ as it can with BOTOX. After a browlift, the brow can express emotions and looks natural. When combined with a mid facelift, the result is effective and long lasting. I find myself recommending the browlift more and more often.

What is involved in the browlift procedure?

In order to get to the muscles which need lifting, several small (about 1 inch) incisions are made in the scalp. An endoscope is introduced through one of the small incisions and the operating instrument through the other. The brow muscles are surgically altered. The skin is closed after fixing it in position.

With the browlift procedure, there is no long scar, no cutting of skin, no ‘pulling back’ on the forehead skin, and no hair loss. The basis of the procedure is altering the balance between brow depressors and brow elevators.

How long is the browlift recovery?

Most patients can go back to work in one week following the browlift surgery.