A forehead lift, also known as a browlift or browplasty, is a cosmetic surgery procedure used to elevate a drooping eyebrow that may obstruct vision and/or to remove the deep “worry” lines that run across the forehead and may portray to others anger, sternness, hostility, fatigue or other unintended emotions.
Forehead/brow lift surgery is generally undertaken by patient aged between 40 and 60 who have become aware of frown lines or wrinkles, and drooping upper eyelids – which can give the appearance of an older, tired face.
A mid-forehead lift is intended for patients older than 65 who have heavy sagging eyebrows and the deepest forehead wrinkles.
The most common techniques used in forehead/brow lift surgery are open and endoscopic. Both procedures involve the individual being placed under a general or local anesthetic and can take up to two hours.
In both open and endoscopic forehead/brow lift surgery, fatty tissue and possibly some forehead muscles are removed, the remaining muscles are tightened and excess skin is cut away. Finally the brows are lifted and fixed into place, and the remaining skin pulled down to create a smooth surface. The incision is then closed using sutures or staples. Forehead/brow lift surgery can also be performed using threadlift or suture techniques, where threads or sutures with small ‘teeth’ are placed into the forehead through a small insertion. The threads are then pulled upwards to create the ‘lift’ and the incision closed using stitches.
