Sun, wind, and gravity affect the skin and muscles of the face over time. One of the most noticeable aspects of aging is a progressive drooping of he eyebrows. This can cause wrinkling of the forehead from raising one’s eyebrows, as well as vertical wrinkles or furrows between the eyebrows. Sometimes the eyebrows or excess eyelid tissue can obstruct vision.
A brow lift or forehead lift elevates the brow and smooths forehead skin, and can remove vertical lines between the eyebrows. Incisions are made in inconspicuous places, either behind the hairline, in one of the forehead wrinkles, or immediately above the eyebrows. If an endoscope (a small tube with a fiber optic light) is used, the incisions can be very small. After the muscles are tightened and excess skin is removed, the incision is closed with sutures. The operation is usually an outpatient procedure that can take several hours.
Swelling and bruising, common after a brow lift or forehead lift, begins to subside in seven to fourteen days. Numbness and itching are common during the healing process. Sutures are removed within seven to ten days after surgery.
Some of the common complications that can occur with a brow lift are infection and nerve damage. Although complications are rare, patients should be aware that they can occur.