What Is a Brow-Forehead Lift Surgery?
Brow-Forehead lift surgery is done to reduce the furrowing and wrinkles on the forehead to achieve a young and youthful appearance. This procedure reduces drooping and minimizes frown lines and sad or angry looks. On a forehead lift, the muscles and tissues in the forehead are smoothened and altered to reduce wrinkles and loose tissue caused due to aging.
This procedure can be performed alone or combined with other cosmetic procedures such as facelift surgery or eyelid surgery.
Who Can Get the Surgery?
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People between 40 to 60 years of age to minimize the wrinkles and effects of aging.
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Individuals with deep furrows and wrinkles caused due to work stress.
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People with increased muscle activity on the forehead.
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Individuals who prefer to achieve a smooth look on the overall face can combine brow/forehead surgery with facelift surgery and eyelid surgery.
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People who need upper eyelid surgery sometimes benefit from brow- forehead surgery as it ideally meets their expectations.
How to Prepare for Surgery?
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Before getting surgery, the surgeon will evaluate the medical history.
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Diabetic patients should control their blood sugar levels to prevent infection and delayed healing.
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Habits such as smoking should be stopped one week before surgery.
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Medications such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin should be stopped before surgery as they delay blood clotting.
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The surgeon will take photographs of the face to evaluate which areas need to be corrected.
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After the physical evaluation, the surgeon will discuss surgical procedures and the outcome of the surgery.
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The patient will discuss the expectations with the surgeon, and the surgeon will help find the procedure that provides best results.
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Have a reasonable expectation as surgery will not change the look of a face but even out the wrinkles and smoothens the skin on the forehead.
How Is the Procedure Performed?
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Depending on patient choices, Brow- facelift surgery may vary. The surgeon might choose any one technique which is suitable for the patient.
Anesthesia:
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The surgery is performed under local anesthesia combined with mild sedatives. The patient is usually conscious throughout the procedure and can go home the same day.
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Some surgeons prefer general anesthesia, where there are multiple procedures, such, as facelift surgery and eyelid surgery.
Surgical Procedure:
After the anesthesia, the surgery is performed. There are different techniques in which surgery is performed. These include
1. Endoscopic Brow Technique:
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In this procedure, many small incisions are made behind the hairline. An instrument named an endoscope is inserted.
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The endoscope comprises a small camera connected to the television allowing the surgeon to have a clear view of the muscles and tissues.
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Another instrument is inserted into the tissue to modify the muscles and tissues under the skin to give a smooth, wrinkle-free forehead.
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The eyebrows can also be lifted and secured by temporary fixation screws beneath the hairline to reduce the drooping appearance.
2. Temporal Brow Lift:
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In this procedure, small incisions are made near the temples behind the hairline.
3. Coronal Brow Lift:
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This procedure involves an incision behind the hairline across the head, running from one ear to the other. For this process, there is no need for shaving hair. However, a small amount of hair may be trimmed for incision.
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If the hairline is high or receding, an incision can be placed on the hairline itself to prevent more height to the forehead.
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In the case of patients with bald heads, the incisions are placed at the mid-scalp level to follow the pattern of skull bones to camouflage the scars.
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The scars are usually minimal and can be hidden by falling hair on the forehead.
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However, it becomes challenging for male patients as their hairstyles differ from females.
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The surgeon will make incisions in such a way that they are well hidden within the hairline.
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Once the incision is made, the skin is carefully lifted, and muscles and tissues are released; excess skin is cut, smoothened, and tightly secured with stitches.
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Once the procedure is completed, the surgeon may use gauze padding and an elastic band to allow for better healing.
4. The Limited Incision Technique:
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In this technique, the surgeon uses a small incision to reduce the wrinkles in the corner of the eyes. This technique cannot be used to reduce forehead wrinkles.
What Are Post Surgical instructions?
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After the surgery, the patient may experience pain and swelling commonly for a few days.
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Surgeons may wrap bandages around the forehead to reduce swelling.
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Habits such as smoking should be avoided to aid in better healing.
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The patient is advised to sleep with the head in an elevated position.
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Follow the medication as prescribed by the surgeon.
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Avoid excessive exercise and prolonged exposure to the sun for a few weeks.
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Apply cold compression on the incision area to reduce the swelling.
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As the incision starts to heal, the patient might experience itching on scars. Avoid scratching the scars.
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Bandages will be removed in one to three days, and a patient can resume daily activities like bathing, washing hair, and combing.
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Absorbable sutures will be placed which resorb. Sometimes the surgeons may place non-resorbable sutures, which have to be removed after seven to ten days.
What Are the Risks or Complications of the Process?
Contact your surgeon immediately when there is
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Bleeding.
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High fever.
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Continuous headaches.
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Infection.
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Chest pain.
What Is the Recovery Time?
Most of the signs and symptoms of surgery will fade within three weeks.
However, slight swelling and bruising may be present, which can be covered by makeup.
Conclusion:
Brow-Forehead surgery renders the patient their expected results as they are visible immediately after the surgery. Patients can experience a young and youthful look with a wrinkle-free forehead. However, the results can last up to ten years, and additional cosmetic procedures may be required in the future as aging is a natural process.
