Brow Lift Pittsburgh
Introduction to
Brow Lift Pittsburgh
One of the earliest signs of aging is drooping of the eyebrows. Loose skin and the loss of fat around the brow, forehead and temples contribute to this. A brow lift, sometimes called a forehead lift, is a procedure designed to raise the eyebrows, smooth the forehead and reduce signs of aging. A brow lift is similar to a face lift and can improve the overall appearance of the face. The result of this type of plastic surgery is a more aesthetically pleasing, refreshed appearance.
Brow Lift Procedures
Endoscopic Brow Lift
During an “endoscopic” brow lift, an endoscope is inserted beneath the skin through three small incisions in order to lift and restore the position of the brow, creating an “unoperated” look with less scarring.
Gliding Brow Lift
The gliding browlift has four small incisions, each about half a cm long, and can lift just the arch, the middle or the whole brow. This is a simple surgery to elevate the brows and/or change the shape (like adding more of an arch to the lateral brow). I say simple because it involves no special equipment, like an endoscope or fancy instruments, and the fixation relies on the body’s natural healing mechanisms instead of screws, plates, or absorbable tacks. It can be done under local anesthesia with sedation alone or in combination with other facial procedures. This type of lift can be tailored to address just the lateral brow, just the medial brow, or the whole brow. Forehead wrinkles are not eliminated totally, but very much improved.
The forehead is prepped with a cleansing agent, and A LOT of dilute local anesthetic is slowly injected under the skin. The fluid injection helps “hydro dissect” the skin from the muscle layer. Then, through 4 small incisions made at the hairline, a rounded solid cannula (similar to a rounded knitting needle) is inserted right under the skin, and with a gentle side-to-side and forward and backward motion, the skin is separated from the underlying muscle. This dissection goes all the way down to beneath the eyebrows and to the temple. With the skin separated from the underlying forehead muscle, the brows can be “glided” higher and, if desired, arched to change the shape. The pull is done with little hooks that engage the skin to allow pull from above. The brow and forehead skin is then fixed into place with about a 20% overcorrection (to accommodate inevitable relaxing.) The fixation is what is unique about this procedure. A suture is woven through the skin and muscle sandwich and gently compressed ALONG MULTIPLE AREAS, and this continuous suture is known as a Hemostatic net. The body forms an adhesion between the muscle and skin, and this allows for the lift to stay. The sutures stay in for 2-3 days and are removed in the office. The overcorrection settles in about 6 weeks.
Dr. Pautler Explains Her Signature Gliding Brow Lift Technique
Gliding Brow Lift Recovery
The recovery time is usually 2-3 weeks, mostly to allow for bruising to resolve.
Patients who have a low brow, want an arched brow, or have multiple horizontal wrinkles and want them smoother are all good candidates. A very thick brow or bald people may not be suitable candidates.
There is always a little swelling and bruising, as with any facial surgery. The entire forehead feels numb for about 6-8 weeks, and this can be a little disturbing. The numbness resolves, and as it does, there is often itching, but that resolves too. As with any surgery, infection is possible, as is a nerve injury. Nerve injuries are most often short-lived because the instruments are blunt: they don’t cut anything, but they can bump or bruise a nerve. Smokers must stop for 6-8 weeks to minimize skin slough, another potential complication. People with olive skin tones may develop post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or suture marks, and post-operative skin bleaching may need to be used.
Both of these brow lift plastic surgery procedures effectively smooth foreheads, open up heavy lids, and make for a relaxed and refreshed look to the upper face. Even excessively high foreheads can be shortened with the brow lift plastic surgery procedure. For more information on the brow lift, contact our plastic surgery practice near Pittsburgh.
Brow Lift Photos
See the results for yourself
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