Most patients do not require a brow lift – eyelid surgery is
sufficient. However, it will significantly enhance the result in those
that do. Occasionally, a brow lift alone may be all the correction some
individuals require. Dr. Morris will carefully evaluate your individual
situation and advise you accordingly.
What A Brow Lift Does
A brow lift corrects more than just the brows. It lifts
heavy tissue out of the upper eyelid, making the eye look fresher and more
open. It can also improve the frown wrinkles between the eyes.
When people look at you, they make eye contact. The forehead
and brow tissues affect the appearance of the eyes. If your brow tissues sag
downward, they intrude on your eyes, and can make you appear stern or tired.
Low eyebrow position and wrinkling can occur from heredity
or from aging. Brow deformities can occur even in young individuals - as early
as the twenties. By lifting your brows upward, your eyes will appear larger and
more open - you can have a fresher, more energetic look. If your brow has
inadequate arch, a brow lift can often create a more pleasing shape and arch to
the brow. Proper positioning of the brow is important to achieve the most
improvement possible, without creating an overly startled or unnatural look.
Wrinkling can occur simply due to your personal pattern of
facial expression, a pattern that is almost impossible to voluntarily change.
If you have marked wrinkling between the eyes due to excessive activity of the
muscles of expression, muscle activity can be reduced to provide correction of
this problem. Normal facial expression and adequate brow movements are
preserved.
It is critically important to evaluate the brow position
before considering any type of upper eyelid surgery. Dr. Morris will attempt to
eliminate or reduce all of the features that concern you. He will strive to
give you the most natural result possible.
Limitations
There are always differences in the position and shape of
your brows on each side. A brow lift can certainly improve brow deformities,
but even after the procedure, you may notice slight differences in brow shape
and position, just as those individuals who have not undergone surgery.
Risks
The risks of brow lift surgery are extremely small, and
we'll discuss all of them in detail with you when you are in the office. We'll
detail all significant risks in our written information for you to review and
consider.
As the swelling decreases and you begin to move your
forehead, your tissues will relax slightly after surgery, allowing the brows to
move downward slightly. To achieve proper position after this relaxation, your
brows may initially need to be lifted slightly higher than their ultimate
position. The relaxation phase usually lasts only a few weeks, and you can make
adjustments in your make-up to compensate if necessary.
The Operation
A brow lift is performed through three tiny incisions placed
within the hair of your scalp and two incisions placed in the hair in the
region of your temples. The tissues are lifted and repositioned upward to
provide the necessary lift to the brows and reduction of wrinkling.
Dr. Morris will trim no hair, and will close your scalp as
carefully as possible to attempt to prevent scar spreading. Hair almost always
grows into the region of the scar. You may wash your hair beginning the first
day after surgery.
Your forehead area will feel tight to you for 48-72 hours,
and the tightness will gradually resolve over the next several days as the
swelling decreases. Most of the bruising gravitates downward into the eyelid
area, and can usually be covered by makeup in 5-7 days, or sooner if no eyelid
surgery has been performed. Some patients experience no bruising at all.
Sutures and small fixation devices are removed painlessly 10 days after the
procedure.
You may have a feeling of headache for which we'll prescribe
medication. Most patients require medication for only 2-3 days.
The Stages Of Recovery
For brow lift procedures, the average....
