Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Brow Lifts
Throughout your life, the brow moves — and it moves a lot. It’s a key player in nonverbal communication and helps convey mood, emotion and tone when interacting with others. But every raised eyebrow puts wear and tear on the tiny muscles that control facial expression, which can cause deep wrinkles or grooves to develop over time. It can also cause sagging that makes the brows droop lower than usual, giving you a tired or angry appearance no matter how you’re feeling.
Some people choose to address these concerns with dermal fillers or Botox®, but a brow lift provides a more permanent solution for rejuvenating the forehead and brows. If you’ve been considering this procedure and want to learn more about how it works, one of Vancouver’s leading facial plastic surgeons, Dr. Ritchie Younger, has put together some information to help you get started.
Keep reading to find out everything you’ve been wanting to know about brow lifts and whether this procedure is right for you.
What is a Brow Lift?
A brow lift is an aesthetic surgery that minimizes the signs of aging in the forehead and brows to restore a more relaxed, rejuvenated appearance. Compared to the facelift, a brow lift is less invasive and only adjusts the skin, muscles and tissues of the forehead. This makes it a great option for men and women with sagging brows but otherwise youthful features, or those who have had prior facial surgeries but desire more comprehensive results. Depending on your needs, brow lifts can be performed as a standalone procedure or as part of a more detailed surgical plan to help you reach your goals.
How Invasive is a Brow Lift?
In the past, brow lifts were performed by mobilizing and adjusting the entire forehead, which was a substantial surgical procedure with a high risk of scarring. Today, the brow lift is much less invasive and uses an endoscope (small camera) to better identify the internal structures of the forehead and minimize trauma, scarring and other complications.
During an endoscopic brow lift, Dr. Younger makes a small incision to insert the endoscope and gain a view of the underlying tissues and muscles that need correcting. Then, he carefully releases, elevates and anchors these tissues into place to give the brow a smoother, lifted appearance. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia, allowing patients to return home the same day with minimal downtime.
Other brow lift techniques can also be performed, which Dr. Younger may recommend depending on your needs and concerns. In some cases, certain patients may benefit more from upper eyelid surgery, which can remove excess skin that contributes to a tired appearance. Treatment options can be discussed in more detail during the consultation process to help you decide which approach is best for you.
Can a Brow Lift Help with Hooded Eyes?
A brow lift is a fantastic solution for low eyebrows that make you look stressed, worried or grumpy. It works by raising the brows to a more youthful position and eliminating deep wrinkles or furrows. For some patients, it can also help with upper eyelid sagging that’s attributable to more than just excess skin or tissue. In this scenario, a heavy, descending brow can weigh down the eyes and cause the skin to hang over the eyelid crease. This often requires more than skin excision alone to address since the size, height and angle of the crease would remain the same. A brow lift elevates the tissues to open up the eyes and reduce eyelid hooding, creating an alert and rejuvenated appearance.
A brow lift can also eliminate forehead wrinkles, sagging, worry lines and crow’s feet. Depending on your concerns and the amount of correction needed, Dr. Younger might recommend combining your procedure with blepharoplasty. Both procedures are relatively low-risk and can transform your facial appearance with dramatic and lasting results.
What About a Nonsurgical Brow Lift?
If you’re not ready to undergo a brow lift or prefer minimally invasive treatments, you can delay or replace surgery with injectables that can lift, tighten and rejuvenate sagging brows. This usually entails the use of either dermal fillers or Botox®, which provide a satisfactory but temporary solution for the signs of aging. These can be used together or separately based on your needs, goals and concerns.
Dermal fillers contain hyaluronic acid, a naturally-occurring substance that keeps the skin plump and hydrated. As we age, we produce less hyaluronic acid and lose volume around the face and eyes, but replacing it with dermal fillers can lift treated areas and restore a more youthful appearance. In contrast, Botox® works by freezing the facial muscles to smooth out lines and wrinkles. Since it works on the muscles that pull the brows downward, it also has a temporary lifting effect that lasts for three to six months.
Dr. Younger offers both surgical and nonsurgical brow lifts. During your consultation, he will review the pros and cons of each to help you decide which technique is best for you.
Ideal Brow Lift Candidates
Brow lifts are ideal for both men and women between the ages of 40 to 60, but they can be performed on anyone who wants to rejuvenate their overall appearance. The procedure is an effective way to reduce the signs of aging around the eyes, forehead and brows, delivering permanent results that won’t fade with time. If you experience any of the following concerns, a brow lift may be right for you:
- Low or heavy brows that make the eyes look smaller
- Drooping or hooded eyelids that can’t be corrected with blepharoplasty
- Eyes or eyebrows that turn downward at the sides
- Deep forehead wrinkles or furrowed brows
- Worry lines (“elevens”) between the eyebrows
Brow lift candidates should be healthy and have realistic expectations about what surgery can accomplish. Dr. Younger works closely with each individual and will thoroughly explain the risks, benefits and outcomes of the procedure so you can feel certain about moving forward. In some cases, he might recommend combining a brow lift with blepharoplasty to reach your goals, however this will be based on his 30+ years of experience as a facial plastic surgeon rather than a desire to provide unnecessary services.
Schedule a Consultation
While often overlooked, the brows are an important feature that can transform your whole look. If you’d like to learn more about the brow lift and how it can help rejuvenate your appearance, don’t hesitate to contact the Younger Facial Surgery Centre in Vancouver today. Dr. Ritichie Younger is one of Canada’s leading facial plastic surgeons, with decades of experience in helping patients just like you. You can reach us by clicking here or calling 604-265-9730 to schedule a consultation.
