Brow Lift - SM Plastic Surgery

Upper blepharoplasty refines the stretched skin above the lid; brow lift raises and fixes the descended brow itself. Where the brow presses down on the lid and the eyes look heavy, blepharoplasty alone may not be enough, so the brow position is examined and the method decided together.

When the brow descends, the forehead strains to open the eyes and its lines can deepen. Raising and fixing the brow reduces that habit and can help ease the burden on the forehead, though the degree varies from person to person.

There are approaches incising just above the brow, or entering from the forehead; which suits is decided by the degree of brow descent, the height of the forehead and the skin. After detailed analysis, the method that suits you is explained.

With an incision above the brow, suturing follows the lie of the brow hairs, becoming less noticeable with time. The scar's position varies with the approach, and how well it heals varies with constitution.

Where brow descent and lid laxity are both present, the two operations are sometimes combined. They need not always be, however — the main cause of the sagging is diagnosed and the necessary extent decided.

It is considered when the eyebrow has descended and pushed the eyelid below it down, making the eye area look heavy. We also look at it when trimming eyelid skin alone would not improve things enough, or when the gap between brow and eye has narrowed and the expression looks closed off. We first separate whether the descent comes mainly from the brow or from the lid, then decide.

If the distance between brow and eye has narrowed compared with before, or the tail of the brow has dropped so the eye looks downturned, brow descent can be suspected. Relaxing your forehead and checking in a mirror whether the brow sits close to the eye gives a rough idea. The actual degree can only be established by measuring forehead height together with the condition of the eyelid.

How far the brow is raised is decided by looking at forehead height, the distance between brow and eye, and the natural flow of your own eyebrows. Lifting too much can give a startled look, so it is planned within a natural range. Swelling can make it feel odd at first, and it takes time for the result to settle.

It generally takes about an hour and is performed under local or sedation anesthesia. The time can vary with the approach used and the scope of any surgery performed at the same time. The type of anesthesia is decided at the consultation based on your condition and the planned scope.

Stitch removal is based on about one week, as early as five days and as late as two weeks. The timing can shift with the location of the incision and how quickly the area heals. We check the condition at your follow-up visit and let you know when it will be done.

It varies between individuals, but ordinary activities are generally possible from around five to seven days. Swelling and bruising can linger after that, so we suggest leaving some margin before plans that involve meeting many people. Recovery speed differs with the incision site and individual condition.

Since the brow itself is raised and fixed, the tattooed area moves up with it and may look repositioned. We take the shape and flow of the tattoo into account when planning the incision, and if needed we can discuss reshaping it after surgery. Please mention any tattooing at the consultation in advance.

When the brow returns to its position, the pressure on the eyelid eases and the eye area can look lighter. It is not a procedure that enlarges the eye itself but one that adjusts brow position, so the degree of change differs from person to person. If eye-opening strength is weak, another approach may be needed alongside it.

A brow lift focuses on raising and fixing the position of a descended eyebrow, while a forehead lift raises the forehead tissue as well and addresses the forehead and brow area more broadly. The choice depends on whether the descent is confined to the brow or extends across the forehead. We check forehead height, lines and the extent of the descent before deciding.

The raised and fixed brow position tends to hold, but age-related tissue changes continue afterwards, so the brow can come down again over time. How far it descends again differs with skin elasticity, daily habits and how much descent there was before surgery. We follow the course and advise on the care that is needed.