A brow lift is a cosmetic procedure that raises the forehead, brows, and skin around the eyes to give you a more rested, alert, and youthful appearance. Plastic surgeons perform a brow lift to improve such facial characteristics as drooping eyebrows, “hooded” or sagging skin, furrowed forehead, and frown lines at the top of the nose. This surgery can revitalize the entire upper third of the face for long-lasting and noticeable results.

At FACES+, Dr. Steven R. Cohen is a board-certified plastic surgeon who serves patients in and around San Diego. He specializes in cosmetic and craniofacial surgery, performing all types of facial plastic surgery. Dr. Cohen and his staff are committed to helping each of their patients with a host of cosmetic concerns with both surgical and nonsurgical treatment plans.

Schedule a private consultation at FACES+ today by calling our office at (858) 453-7224 or filling out our contact form. We hope to hear from you soon.

All About Brow Lifts

What is the first thing most people notice about a person? If you answered their face, you are correct. The face carries the expressions and conveys the emotions of a person through the contours of the skin, muscles, and bones. Heredity, time, and sun exposure produce wrinkles. Deep lines and sagging skin can give an appearance of fatigue and make you look older. Although it will not stop the aging process, a forehead and brow lift can improve your appearance and increase your self-confidence.

Types of Brow Lifts

Dr. Cohen specializes in facial plastic surgery, a complicated form of cosmetic medicine. There are many important nerve systems, blood vessels, and other underlying structures that control and manipulate facial functioning and expressions. As a patient ages, the muscles that shift the eyebrows can become lax. This leads to a low-sitting brow, one that no longer follows the natural brow bone line. To correct this, Dr. Cohen performs a brow lift procedure to reposition the brow and surrounding tissue higher up on the facial profile. ⁽¹⁾

He utilizes these three techniques to achieve the beneficial results of a forehead and brow lift: ⁽²⁾

Benefits of Brow Lift Surgery

A brow lift benefits a patient by:

This procedure can greatly impact a patient’s confidence and facial symmetry. By lifting the eyebrows higher onto the brow bone, they have more freedom with their facial expressions. Patients appear more youthful-looking and awake after this procedure. It is highly customizable and easily combined with other surgeries to improve results.

If you are interested in learning more about brow lifts and facial plastic surgery, read Dr. Cohen’s blog.

Am I a Good Candidate for a Brow Lift?

Men and women of all ages benefit from forehead and brow lifts. They may notice that their brow sits low on the brow bone, resulting in ptosis (sagging). Patients who qualify for this procedure can also have bulky or excessive skin on the upper eyelid that negatively impacts their facial expressions. Those with slight eyebrow sagging may be well-suited for an endoscopic approach, whereas patients with more pronounced brow ptosis may benefit more from a classic brow lift.

Candidates should be in good health with no underlying medical conditions that would complicate surgery or recovery. Patients who use tobacco and nicotine products must quit for at least four weeks before and after their procedure. They should also have realistic expectations and cosmetic goals to qualify for surgery.

To find out if you are a good candidate for a brow lift, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Cohen online.

Personal Consultation with Dr. Cohen

Here at FACES+, we meet with every patient privately for an initial consultation. Dr. Cohen will perform a physical examination to assess your eyebrows and the surrounding area. He will then explain the brow lift procedure process, available techniques, and their benefits. Next, he will inquire about your current medications and health history. This consultation will act as the base point of your surgical experience. Please be as candid as possible with Dr. Cohen to achieve your cosmetic goals in a comfortable and efficient way.

Surgery Preparation

Patients should avoid the following before their procedure date:

Prepare for your brow lift by:

Brow Lift Procedure

Dr. Cohen starts the surgery by marking the eyebrow area with a surgical pen. He then administers the appropriate anesthetic, either general or topical anesthesia, to keep you comfortable. His surgical approach depends on the chosen technique.

Classic Brow Lift

Also called a coronal brow lift, Dr. Cohen performs this method by making an incision along the forehead from one ear to the other. This runs along the hairline and is concealable after recovery. He then undermines the skin and removes tissue and fat if necessary. At this point, Dr. Cohen may reposition or realign the muscles to correct the forehead/eyebrow contour. He redrapes the skin, trims the excess, and positions the eyebrows higher up. He then closes the incision very carefully with sutures.

Temporal Brow Lift

Like a classic brow lift, a temporal brow lift starts with incisions above the brow line. Dr. Cohen places ellipse incisions along the temples. After removing small amounts of skin, he undermines the skin and tissue and detaches the retaining ligaments that hold the brows in place. To lift the brows, he internally sutures the fascia higher onto the forehead. He then carefully closes the incisions. This technique works well for patients whose outer eyebrows (tail) are drooping and dragging down the corners of their eyes.

Endoscopic Brow Lift

Using an endoscope, this technique utilizes three to five short incisions along the scalp. Dr. Cohen inserts the endoscope with a tiny camera underneath the skin to visualize the internal structures and tissue. He uses a different surgical tool to lift the skin away from these structures, removes excess fatty tissue, and adjusts the eyebrow muscles. This method creates very small scars and leads to a faster recovery time.

Brow lift procedures typically take one to two hours to complete.

Recovery & Results

During the first week of recovery, you may experience swelling and bruising around the eyebrows, forehead, and eyes. Dr. Cohen may place a head wrap to compress the area. By the end of week two, we remove your sutures and the swelling should subside significantly. After seven to fourteen days of downtime, you should be comfortable enough to return to work and daily activities. Refrain from vigorous exercise and heavy lifting for up to six weeks.

The results of a brow lift are typically long-lasting. This procedure reduces forehead wrinkles and corrects other signs of aging. Lifting the brows also creates a brighter and more alert expression. Your eyes may appear less hooded, allowing for a more harmonious and balanced facial profile.

Corresponding & Complementary Procedures

Dr. Cohen often combines brow lift surgery with a facelift and/or eyelid enhancement to further rejuvenate the face. During a facelift, he places incisions around each ear to access the underlying muscles and tissues within the face. From there, he can shift the internal structures to lift and reposition your features from the inside out. He then removes excess skin and tightens the remaining tissue to lift and improve the entire facial profile.

If a patient requires an eyelid lift, Dr. Cohen can perform this surgery in congruence with a brow lift and facelift. This procedure removes skin and fatty tissue from the upper or lower eyelid to revitalize the area. Dr. Cohen makes an incision along the natural crease, maneuvers toward the internal fat pads, then trims the excess or repositions them to reduce bulk. He then removes sagging skin and closes the incision with a thin suture to reduce scarring.

How Much Does a Brow Lift Cost in San Diego?

Every patient receives a personalized procedure plan and estimated cost during their private consultation. To schedule an appointment to discuss brow lifts with Dr. Cohen, please call our office at (858) 453-7224. To contact us online, fill out this convenient form.

FAQ

References

1. Pascali M, Bocchini I, Avantaggiato A, et al. Direct brow lifting: Specific indications for a simplified approach to eyebrow ptosis. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery. 2016;49(01):66-71. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-0358.182243
2. Bahmani Kashkouli M, Karimi N, Sianati H, Khademi B. Techniques of Eyebrow Lifting: A Narrative Review. Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research. Published online April 6, 2020. doi:https://doi.org/10.18502/jovr.v15i2.6740