Brow Lift
The effects of aging are inevitable, and often the eyes and forehead areas are the first to show signs. Frown lines appear with an increase in the heaviness of the eyebrows and the upper eyelid. Even people in their thirties may have faces that look older than their years. Recently, the technique of minimally invasive brow lift has revolutionized the surgery in this area. As opposed to the past, a brow lift now only requires a few small incisions for optimal eyebrow lift results. It decreases the need for a large re-section during the blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery). This prevents the stigma of a hollowness seen in years past.
The Brow Lift Procedure
Dr. Vargas performs the procedure with small, well-hidden incisions that create a subtle, yet noticeable difference. The overall goal is to give you a lovely, yet conservative lift. With a few hidden incisions in the hairline, the entire upper face, including the eyes, forehead and cheeks can be rejuvenated.
Your Consultation
Dr. Vargas has written and lectured extensively on the endoscopic (minimally invasive) brow lift, teaching the technique to other cosmetic surgeons at national meetings. She’ll sit down with you for a personal consultation to discuss the procedure and what will work best for your face.
“People always thought I looked severe. Grumpy, even. But that’s not how I felt and didn’t represent who I was. Dr. Vargas transformed my face from looking perpetually haggard to cheerful and reinvigorated.”
Eyebrow Lift Q&A
The procedure does exactly what its name implies: it lifts the brow. The procedure re-positions the brow and can help take away the “heaviness” of the upper eyelid. It can also help to smooth out the forehead.
This problem not only occurs after years of aging, but also has to do with your own individual facial features. Your brow may have developed lower on the face and now as you’ve aged it has lowered even more. Your consultation with Dr. Vargas will help determine if you are an ideal candidate for a brow lift.
The brow lift will reposition the brow and, as a bonus, will remove excess weight from the eyelid. Once the brow is repositioned, there is often excess skin that the brow lift simply cannot correct. At this point an upper blepharoplasty is necessary to fully correct sagging skin of the upper eyelid.
There are many facial cosmetic procedures that can be performed at once. Common procedures related to the area include blepharoplasty, mid-face lift, chemical peel, laser resurfacing, fat grafting, and botulinum toxin injections.
There is more than one method to successfully complete a brow lift procedure. The most common way is an endoscopic brow lift. This happens when several small incisions are made behind the hairline and a scope is used to assist in the surgery. This method helps to reduce scarring. Older methods use longer incisions to perform the surgery and create more visible scarring.
All brow lifts are usually done in surgery under twilight anesthesia.
Swelling and bruising is normal post procedure, in many cases this resolves within 10 days, but can last up to 2 weeks. It is common to notice swelling in the eye and cheek area as well. Dressings will be changes at your 24-48 hour post op. Sutures and staples will be completely removed after one week. It is normal to have numbness and itching during the healing process. Certain activities may be limited until you receive clearance from the doctor.
After the surgery it is best to use cold compresses and lay in an elevated position to reduce swelling and increase comfort. Pain medication is prescribed and can be used to aid in comfort levels post-surgery. You will need to clean the area and wear the recommended garment until your one week post-op.
Any procedure that addresses cosmetic needs is not usually covered by insurance. In cases where the upper eyelids are affecting your vision you may be reimbursable in part or whole, an eye exam test will need to be conducted to validate the vision impairment. It is the patient’s responsibility for pre-approval of coverage and to process the claim for insurance.
