Deep furrows on the forehead, frown lines over the eyes, drooping eyebrows and hood-like skin over the eyes are all conditions that can make you look older than you are or feel. Whether age or heredity causes these conditions, a forehead lift (or brow lift) can give you a more youthful, animated and alert appearance.
Also slight changes in the height of your eyebrows can have major effects on your apparent age and remarkable affect how your eyes appear. Many women pluck or wax their eyebrows in order to change the height of their brow. A high arched eyebrow is a sign of youth and can highlight your eyes and draw attention to them. A droopy eyebrow can hood your eyelids, draw attention away from your eyes, and is more typical of the male brow.

In men, the natural position of the eyebrow is slightly lower than women and more horizontal. When the brows “crowd” the upper lids, then the eyes take on a narrow and heavy appearance. Men look more masculine with a lower brow, and sometimes low brows can contribute to an unwanted masculine look in some women.

The forehead and eyebrows make up the upper one-third of the face. A standard face and neck lift is really a lift of the lower two-thirds of the face and neck. A forehead lift deals only the upper one-third of the face. It may be combined with a standard face and neck lift or an eyelid lift.

A forehead lift is recommended for people whose eyebrows have fallen with time and whose forehead has deep wrinkles. It is the most effective way to improve the deep horizontal and vertical grooves on the forehead that develop after years of facial expression.

THE SURGERY

The standard forehead lift, recommended for severe age-related forehead and eyebrow problems, is performed through incisions in the hairline of the forehead. The operation may take about an hour, sometimes longer, and is performed under an IV sedation anesthesia. At the end of the surgery, small sutures and surgical staples are placed to close the incision. These are removed in seven to ten days. Patients generally are able to go home the same day as surgery.

If your eyebrow or forehead problem is not too severe, then perhaps you would be a good candidate for endoscopic surgery of the forehead. Through five small incisions in the scalp, the deep grooves can be improved and the eyebrows raised. Dr. Chatham will be happy to discuss this procedure in detail during your initial consultation.

There are pros and cons of both the traditional “open” or coronal incision forehead lift and the “limited incision” endo forehead lift. Sometimes a modified incision can be made in patients not wanting their frontal hairline elevated any more (already have a high forehead, for example).


THE RECOVERY

Most patients are able to return to work in ten days and resume routine activities and exercise at three or four weeks. During the first week, there is forehead and lid swelling and occasionally bruising. Afterwards there will be some numbness in the forehead and scalp for several months. Most of our patients do not find this a major concern. Your improved look will be subtle to most others: we do not want to create a surprise or “goosed” look! Remember, that “ natural” is always best. Friends may say how well rested you look, or ask if you’ve changed your hairstyle.


Lateral Brow Lift (“Temple Tuck”)

Sometimes brows will benefit from a limited elevation that focuses on the lateral brow (outside). Usually the outer brow is the most lax and mobile, and requires more attention than the medial (inside) brow. We might recommend a limited lateral elevation with a short incision made in the temple hairline, and focus most of our elevation on the outer brow and skin of the outer upper lid. This can not only tighten but help provide future improved “stabilization”. Sometimes this is combined with upper eyelid surgery and may be performed under local anesthesia.

OTHER OPTIONS

If your forehead grooves are not too deep, or you wish to discuss non-surgical improvements, then perhaps Botox® Cosmetic (Botulinum Toxin) injections or chemical peels might be for you. These are further discussed under (Non-Surgical Procedures).

However, the most effective treatment to insure your desire results is best left to Dr. Chatham he will be certain to provide the most effective answer for you.
 

Visit our plastic / cosmetic surgery offices located in Louisville, Kentucky (KY) and New Albany, Indiana (IN).