Brow Lift
What is Brow Lift Surgery?
As you age one of the most noticeable features to the facial surgeon is the descent of the eyebrows which is interpreted by most patients as sagging eyelids or the appearance of tired looking eyes. Naturally, the female eyebrows are usually arch shaped and above the level of the bony rim of the orbital cavity. Many females use eyebrow shaping or tattooing to try and recreate the arch shape and level. The normal male eyebrow is usually at the level of the bony rim. In both males and females, aging causes eyebrows to droop and overlap the eyelids and most patients present to the facial surgeon asking for eyelid surgery.
Based on the natural aging process many people feel that they need eyelid surgery because of the droopy upper eyelids. In fact, many patients need their forehead and eyebrows suspended back to their natural youthful position. If excess eyelid skin is removed in upper eyelid surgery/blepharoplasty in a patient with sagging brows, the brow position can actually be worsened.
This worsening effect is because the tightening can cause the brow to descend further down. It is vitally important for the facial surgeon to always discuss the brow position with you in order for both the surgeon and the patient to understand the contribution of droopy brows before removing any eyelid skin. If after initial consultation (suitability assessment) with Dr John Webster it is agreed that you have drooping brows and excess eyelid skin, then this can all be treated during the one procedure under general anaesthesia.
Elevating the eyebrows with a forehead or eyebrow lift, smooths the horizontal forehead wrinkles and decreases the activity of the muscles between the eyes and on the forehead that are responsible for frowning and scowling. Not every patient is a candidate for brow lift as some patients do not look natural with elevated brows.
One common problem is that some patients are not offered the option of brow lift by some facial surgeons. Before any upper eyelid procedure, a brow lift should be discussed. If too much skin is removed from the upper lids, a future brow lift may be impossible as there will not be enough skin to close the eyes.
Dr John Webster will discuss the best options with you, upon initial consultation, which you can book directly yourself either online or contacting our practice on 07 4580 4733. A current referral is required from your usual GP or medical practitioner.
Who is a Candidate for Brow Lift?
- Patients with low eyebrow position that desire elevation
- Patients with eyebrow asymmetry
- Patients with excess or droopy upper eyelids
- Patients with forehead or brow wrinkles
Who is not a Candidate for Brow Lift?
- Patients who look surprised or unnatural with elevated brows
- Patients who have had multiple upper lid surgeries and do not have sufficient skin to close the lids
- Patients with unstable hairlines (although some techniques use hidden incisions).
Procedure Description
- The procedure is performed with general anaesthesia.
- The most common techniques use incisions hidden in the hairline. Some facial surgeons use endoscopic techniques while other surgeons employ open surgical methods. Much of this depends on factors such as patients with high hairlines or hair loss and if the patient will benefit from skin removal in the forehead region.
What are the types of Brow Lift available at the Oral Facial & Implant Centre?
- Mini Open Brow Lift (Transfollicular/Trichophytic)
- Endoscopic Brow Lift
- Non-surgical Brow Lift
Mini Open Brow Lift
Mini Open Brow Lift utilises a special incision know as a transfollicular or trichophytic incision just behind the hairline and performed in a manner that the hair will grow back through the scar and hide the incision scar. The hairline is not elevated and can actually be lowered with the mini open brow technique. Since this is a skin incision technique, no holes are drilled in the skull and no hardware is required for the procedure other than sutures and is the equivalent of a facelift for the brow and forehead. In addition, most facial surgeons feel that this technique is the most stable type of brow lift and the results will last longer. The mini open brow technique should not be confused with the older type of coronal brow incisions where the hairline was pulled backward and involved large incision and deep dissections. These older techniques required extremely large incisions on the scalp and very deep dissection. That is not the mini open brow technique. The basis of this technique is a precision incision that allows the hair follicles to regrow through the scar. This is called a transfollicular or trichophytic incision method. The result is an incision scar that is barely noticeable. The diagram illustrates how the hair follicles grow through the precision incision.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
Non-Surgical Brow Lift
Non-Surgical Brow Lift has been around since the introduction of dermal fillers in combination with anti-wrinkle treatments. The procedure involves adding dermal filler to the upper and outer brow to create volume which lifts the eyebrow slightly. Used in combination with anti-wrinkle injections to the upper eyelid muscles, once these muscles are neutralised they cannot pull the eyebrow down and the combination of these effects can be enough for younger patients (usually aged 30-40s) to achieve the desired effect. The advantages of this treatment is that it is reversible if you don’t like the outcome or visual effects of the non-surgical brow lift. The disadvantage is that this procedure is costly and the effects wear off over time. The effects that can be achieved with a non-surgical brow lift cannot match the effect of a surgical brow lift but may be all that is required to achieve your desired look.
What does Dr John Webster recommend?
Surgical brow lifting is a favourite facial cosmetic surgery procedure for Dr John Webster in Toowomba, as it opens the eye area and brightens the face. Surgical brow lifting is the only long-term way of managing upper facial aging in moderate to severe cases, all with a natural look as the final result. There are other options available such as direct brow lift and more, however they have more scarring and potential for unfavourable outcomes and are not recommended by Dr John Webster in most cases.
In mild cases, particularly with the 30s and 40s females, the brow can be lifted with a combination of injectable dermal fillers to add volume and position to the brow and anti-wrinkle injections to reduce the depressor muscles function that contributes to pulling the eyebrow down.
This combination can produce a subtle lift and is not reproducible in all patients. Dr John Webster has found that this combination is more effective than either product alone. The entire treatment takes about 5-10 minutes and is relatively painless because the area is numbed with local anaesthetic before the procedure. Due to the presence of the dermal filler the treatment can last up to a year and if you are unhappy with the appearance the filler can be dissolved in the practice with a reversing agent.
It is important to understand that this combination does not have the same effect as the surgical options yet is often tried before surgery to see what a brow lift may achieve. A surgical brow lift will always provide a longer lasting result that is more cost effective in the long term. A suitability assessment for each patient is completed by Dr Webster and discussed with each patient to determine the best clinical outcome based on patient goals.
How can you arrange a consultation to discuss Eyelid Surgery?
If you would like to know how we can help you further, or to book a no obligation consultation with Dr John Webster.
Please phone 07 4580 4733 or alternatively request an appointment now online (insert button or link).
All patients seeking cosmetic surgery must have a referral from their usual GP or if that is not possible, from another general practitioner or specialist medical practitioner. Please note a referral is not required for Non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
