Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror and wish you didn’t have those wrinkles and sagging in your forehead? Unfortunately, the truth is: you are not alone; millions of women feel the same. Premature ageing is, in fact, one of the most common worries for women in their early adulthood years, and it’s something that even the most expensive creams can’t solve.
But then there’s a brow lift, a procedure that promises to lift your brows and forehead and make you look and feel younger. So, what exactly is a brow lift? How does it address one of the earliest signs of ageing?
Defining a brow lift
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons defines brow lift as “a surgical procedure that corrects a sagging or deeply furrowed brow. The procedure is often performed to reduce the creases, or ‘frown lines,’ that develop across the forehead and on the bridge of the nose. It can also raise the eyebrows to a more alert and youthful position.”
The development of these creases in the forehead and the area where the brows go up and down begin during childhood. It continues to go deeper as you age. Unfortunately, the forehead is also one of the most expressive parts of your face making it the most vulnerable to fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin and poor elasticity. With the help of a brow lift, you can tighten the skin and muscles on your forehead to get rid of those creases so you can look a lot younger.
The steps to conducting a brow lift
Also called forehead cosmetic surgery, a brow lift is a minimally invasive procedure that requires the patient to be under general anaesthesia. Depending on what you’re trying to achieve, the surgeon would most likely use one of the three most common techniques in brow lift cosmetic surgery:
Endoscopic brow lift
This is the most common type of brow lift in Sydney, and it’s done by the surgeon creating small incisions behind the hairline where an endoscope or a tiny tube with a light and camera is inserted for the surgeon to get a better view of the forehead muscles and tissues. An instrument inserted in another incision is then used by the surgeon to lift and anchor the right forehead tissues using small screws or sutures. After this procedure, the incisions are closed with small clips or stitches.
Hairline brow lift
Also known as an open brow lift, this technique is done with an incision between the top of the forehead and the beginning of the hairline. First, some skin and tissue will be removed to avoid the hairline being pulled back and looking weird. Once that piece of skin is removed, the remaining skin is then lifted upwards and secured in place using sutures while any excess skin is trimmed, so the area looks clean. This technique is beneficial for those with a high receding hairline. However, it might not be the best option for patients who easily form keloids since a visible scar could mean a big problem, especially along the hairline.
Coronal brow lift
Another popular brow lift technique, Coronal brow lift, involves the surgeon making an incision on the top of the head across the airline, after which the forehead is lifted, so the scalp in front of the incision overlaps behind it. That overlapping scalp is then removed while the incision is closed using sutures. However, a coronal brow lift is not used often by surgeons because it’s trickier than the other techniques and it’s also not recommended for people who lose their hair or those with thin hair and high receding hairlines.
Some surgeons also use a direct lift, which is done by creating an incision along the upper edge of each brow to elevate it directly.
The benefits of doing a brow lift
So, how exactly can a brow lift help you look younger? Here are some of its many benefits:
A brow lift gives you the appearance of tight, youthful skin.
Ageing is inevitable, but sometimes, fine lines and wrinkles may show on your face earlier than expected. It could be because you’re naturally more expressive and raise your eyebrows often, or it could also be due to different lifestyle factors that speed up the process of ageing. Whatever the reasons for your fine lines and wrinkles, a brow lift can help you tighten those areas properly, creating a more youthful looking you. Both men and women have tried brow lifts, and it did wonders on their appearance by making them look a lot younger than they are. But, unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to achieve these results just by applying creams and other skincare products to your face.
A brow lift makes you look more relaxed.
You could be one of those suffering from many lines and creases between the eyebrows or across your forehead. Or you could be suffering from a sagging brow line that makes you look tired or angry all the time (not your ideal first impression). With brow lift surgery, you can address this problem by removing all those creases that make you look angry or tired, making you appear calmer, happier, more relaxed and generally more approachable.
A brow lift opens up your eyes.
When you have creases on your eye and the brow area or the skin begins to sag, it could be harder for you to apply makeup, and you also tend to look more tired than you are. To solve this problem, a surgeon could raise your brow area by tightening the skin to open up your eyes and make you look more youthful.
A brow lift can be customised according to your needs.
There is no one-size-fits-all in plastic surgery, and a brow lift is no exception. While some people may tell you to go with injectable treatments like Botox or dermal fillers, thinking that it’s easier and less invasive, you also need to remember that their effects will only last for a few months. This means that you need to keep repeating your needle treatments more often to keep those fine lines and creases away. Most surgeons also recommend these injectable treatments only for patients with mild to moderate wrinkles and fine lines in the upper face.
But with a brow lift, you can guarantee that you’ll get long term results because it corrects those creases, fine lines, and wrinkles almost permanently. It’s also not as scary or invasive as you think, and you can always ask your surgeon to explain the procedure to make you feel more at ease going into it.
The preparations for brow lift surgery
To help you get ready for brow lift surgery, here are some of the things that you can do:
Talk to a reputable surgeon.
Before you undergo a brow lift cosmetic surgery procedure, it’s very important to talk to your surgeon about your problem first so he can do a full assessment of your face and determine if a brow lift would be the best procedure for you. If it is, you will be asked to complete your medical history and physical assessment to make sure that you are fit for surgery. This is also the best time to set proper expectations to ease your mind and help you be prepared and feel calmer on the day of the procedure.
Prepare yourself physically for surgery.
Although a brow lift is a minimally invasive procedure, you still need to prepare yourself physically to make sure that you recover fast and reduce or eliminate the risks for complications. Your surgeon will order you to stop smoking, exercise, eat healthily, and avoid medications that could increase your chances for bleeding, like any herbal supplements or aspirin.
Prepare your space and support for recovery.
A brow lift is an outpatient procedure that’s done for at least two hours. But since it involves the face, you will be put under general anaesthesia for this type of surgery. This is why it’s very important to plan your day to make sure that you can go from the surgery to your home and recover smoothly. For one, you need someone to drive you back home and stay with you for at least one night to assist you with your needs post-operation. You also need to designate a space at home for recovery to get the rest you need safely and comfortably.
A brow lift procedure can do wonders in making your face look younger, calmer and happier. But most importantly, undergoing this procedure can do a lot to make you feel more confident about yourself. You can focus on living your life with a newfound confidence that allows you to do more things. At the end of the day, a brow lift is undoubtedly a worthwhile investment.
