Our splendid Southern California sun helps make the weather great almost all year but also increases the lines and furrows in our foreheads. Plus, as we age, our brow is pulled downwards, requiring us to wrinkle the forehead just to raise our eyebrows and upper eyelids so that we can see properly. Many women begin plucking the lower half of their eyebrows in order to keep them in their original, youthful, and feminine position higher up above the eyes. The drooping forehead leads to questions about being tired, stressed, or sad, simply because we have all been taught to believe that a heavy brow expresses such feelings. Even so, that tired appearance of the upper brow and eyes occurs as gravity inevitably works to pull the forehead and eyebrows down over the years.
Therefore, the brow lift is designed to reposition the forehead and eyebrows into their original position. Decades ago, the only type of brow lift available was the traditional lift, which required a large incision across the scalp. Fortunately, with advancements made over the years, the most common technique that Dr. Chow employs is the endoscopic forehead lift, which is performed with the use of telescopic cameras and minimally invasive techniques through much smaller incisions. This shortens recovery time and avoids hair loss as a result of the surgery. However, depending on your specific cosmetic concerns, you may benefit from other techniques, including the pre-trichial and direct brow lifts. The best way to determine the most appropriate method of rejuvenation for your upper face is to visit Dr. Chow and have an in-depth consultation in Arcadia.
The brow lift is frequently performed in conjunction with other procedures to rejuvenate the face. It can be done with upper eyelid surgery (upper blepharoplasty) to fully treat the upper eyelids, with both upper and lower eyelid surgery (lower blepharoplasty), as well as the midface lift, facelift, neck lift, and submental liposuction.
Choosing to have a brow lift can help make you appear younger, happier, and better rested, and even help rejuvenate your eyes. At the Chow Center, you will have the opportunity to discuss your aesthetic goals with Dr. Chow himself during your initial consultation.
Restoring your forehead and upper face with the brow lift can produce a younger, more energetic, happier appearance. This procedure is frequently performed with other treatments to rejuvenate the face and eyes as a whole. Common surgeries include an eyelid lift (upper blepharoplasty), lower eyelid lift (lower blepharoplasty), midface lift, or facelift (rhytidectomy).
As with any surgery, your first visit to the Chow Center in Pasadena will include a consultation with Dr. Chow so that you can thoroughly review your cosmetic concerns. You will also have a pre-operative evaluation with Dr. Chow and any testing or medical clearance that may be needed will be scheduled at that time. As always, you will have ample opportunity to ask any questions that arise even after your pre-operative visit with Dr. Chow by calling him and scheduling a follow-up appointment.
For one to two weeks prior to your surgery, avoid any aspirin (or aspirin-containing products), as well as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Alleve), and other medications in this class. If you take any medications that affect your ability to clot (Coumadin/warfarin, Plavix, etc.), this will need to be addressed before surgery. You should refrain from tobacco products and alcohol in the week prior to surgery as well. These can affect your healing after surgery, and cause other problems, such as persistent redness of the skin.
Before surgery, you will be provided with prescriptions for any and all medications you will need after surgery. Please obtain these before surgery. Many patients also choose to take Arnica Montana, a natural supplement, which has been associated with decreased bruising. Arnica should be taken both before and after surgery in order to decrease the likelihood of bruising and also to shorten the duration of any bruising that does occur. Vitamin C both before and after surgery will help to promote healing.
The night before your brow lift, you will not be able to eat or drink anything after midnight. If you take medications on a daily basis, you should review these with the surgery center nurse who calls you one to two days before your procedure to see if and how you should take them.
You should plan to have someone bring you to, and pick you up from, the surgery center. Someone should be with you the night after your surgery.
Dr. Chow performs the majority of his brow lifts through the endoscopic technique in order to reduce the size of incisions (they are largely hidden within the hair, even for those with receding hair lines or significant hair loss) and minimize tissue injury. Other techniques are used in specific circumstances, such as the pre-trichial brow lift, in which the incision is located just at the hairline. These less common procedures will be discussed in detail with you before you choose to have a brow lift. Most of these procedures are performed with either “twilight” anesthesia or general anesthesia for your comfort and safety.
After arrival at the outpatient surgical facility, Dr. Chow will meet with you to review your procedure(s). He will also use a surgical marker to draw certain landmarks on your face. If you have long hair, it will not be cut or shaved; instead, hair bands will be used to keep the hair in place and out of the way during your procedure.
When you wake up after your brow lift, you will have a soft, bulky head wrap, which helps to reduce swelling right after surgery. You will likely have a single “ball” drain, which facilitates the removal of any excess fluid and helps to prevent infection or fluid collection. You will be able to return home following your procedure once the recovery room nurse has reviewed your post-operative instructions with you and ascertained that you are able to safely leave the facility in Pasadena.
* Individual results may vary.
Dr. Chow will see you the day after your brow lift to remove your dressing and drain. You should apply antibiotic ointment at least twice a day to the incisions in order to promote healing and prevent infection. You will also be provided an elastic wrap to work around your head in order to continue to reduce swelling and speed recovery. After five to seven days, you will only need to wear this wrap at night.
Depending on the procedures you choose to have, you will see Dr. Chow several times in the week following your procedure to remove any stitches and clips as needed. You should rest for the day following the procedure. During the first week, light activity only is recommended. After two weeks, light exercise (such as jogging shorter than usual distances) is permitted. After three weeks, you can expect to return to all normal physical activities.
The cost of a brow lift will depend on several factors. The price can be affected by body type, type of technique performed, surgical complications, and even allergies. Find out more by scheduling a consultation in Pasadena.
The brow lift is designed to raise the forehead and eyebrows back to their youthful position. As a result, some of the heaviness sitting on top of the upper eyelids can be relieved, though in many cases, an upper eyelift (upper blepharoplasty) is still needed for full rejuvenation. If you feel you are making too many horizontal wrinkles in your forehead trying to raise your brow, then you may very well benefit from a brow lift.
An endoscopic brow lift is less invasive, with smaller incisions than traditional surgery to raise the brow. Innovative techniques allow Dr. Chow to make use of instruments that can rejuvenate the forehead through incisions hidden within the hair. A telescopic camera is used to see within the small spaces created by the endoscopic instruments. In a traditional brow lift with a long coronal incision, everything can be seen directly, given the very large opening.
Those who undergo a brow lift will have a permanent improvement in their upper face. However, since the aging process does not stop, and aging will continue after the procedure, the forehead may eventually appear similar to its pre-brow lift state. This usually takes ten or more years to occur. It is important to remember that you will be ten years older as well, meaning you still look ten years younger than your actual age.
During the brow lift, the corrugator muscle (which causes those “11s” between the eyebrows) can be weakened, softening these lines and relieving the need for Botox injections. Although this effect can last for years, these muscles will eventually regain their original strength, allowing them to recreate those vertical wrinkles in the brow.
Because the forehead is lifted during this procedure, temporary horizontal wrinkles (ones that appear only when furrowing the brow by raising the eyebrows) generally disappear after surgery. However, when lines have become especially deep due to a variety of factors, the lines will improve but are unlikely to completely disappear.
The brow lift does not also raise the face. In order to raise other portions of the face, you will need to have a midface lift or a facelift.
Yes, almost all patients may return home to rest after the brow lift is performed.
In general, Dr. Chow recommends at least a week away from work after the brow lift. Most patients are able to return to work ten to fourteen days after the procedure. However, if your work requires strenuous physical exertion (lifting heavy objects, for example), you may require more recovery time.
You should rest with only light activity in the first week after surgery. After two weeks, you may begin light cardiovascular exercise (e.g., jog a half mile if you normally run 3 miles). Once three weeks have elapsed, you may resume all normal workout regimens.
You can visit the Brow Lift Description page for more information.
As one of the most well-regarded plastic surgeons performing brow lift in Arcadia, CA, Dr. Jen Chow is here to answer all your questions about brow lift. To confirm whether you are an ideal candidate for brow lift, contact us today to schedule your in-person consultation.
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