Browlift / Temporal Lift / Brow Lift

Significant number of patients that come to our office presents primary concerns about the appearance of their upper face. The common complain is that they are often told, that they look tired, sad or even angry when they don’t feel these emotions. These people usually attribute this negative emotional state with the appearance of their upper eye lids and will usually request for upper blepharoplasty. This false perception of psychological pessimism of the face is due to the appearance of the upper eye lid which is affected by the brow position.

The eyebrow which is a distinguishing portion of our forehead, contain hair follicles. The human eye, that includes the eyebrow and eyelid, is responsible for expressing one’s non verbal emotions. The contour, shape and position of the eyebrow can suggest sadness, anger, confusion and alertness. The eyebrows droop down as a person ages, this causes fullness and hooding of the upper eye lid. This change of the brow position is often accompanied by deep transverse lines of the forehead, vertical lines at the glabelar area and crow's feet at the lateral side of the eyes.

The eyebrows’ position can be altered surgically to help change the patient's facial expression; this is called forehead lift or brow lift. It can be lifted by excising the excess skin of the forehead through an incision behind or just along the hairline. But for some patients who heal easily, especially Caucasians, the incision can be placed just above the eyebrows. The contour and shape of the eyebrows can also be altered by lifting the lateral half of eyebrow, to raise the brow upward and back for a more youthful position which executed through an incision at the temple area of the scalp. This procedure is called temporal lift. All of these procedures also improve or soften the deep transverse lines at the forehead, crow’s feet at the sides of the eyes and frown lines over the glabelar area. Thus resulting, in a younger and relaxed look.

I often perform this as out patient procedure in our fully equipped ambulatory surgical facility or patients may be admitted for a day or two, if they prefer comfortability and relaxation immediately after the surgery. Whether the procedure will be performed as an Out-Patient or as a Hospital procedure, preoperative laboratory and medical clearance is required. The procedure will last for 60 to 90 min. Forehead lift or temporal lift can be done under deep sedation with local anesthesia or general anesthesia. Patients are required to wear tight dressing or compression garment for 1 to 2 week, for this will help the skin redrape to the muscle of the face, assist in controlling swelling and also prevent fluid to accumulation under the skin. There will be some swelling and mild bruising of the face that will last for 2 to 3 weeks. Sutures are removed 7 days after the surgery.

Any patient planning to have this procedure will require 10 to 14 days for the initial consultation, laboratory, medical clearance, surgery; follow up, suture removal and early recuperation. After this patient is safe to travel since wounds are dried and healed.

Possible risks and complications: •Unfavorable scarring •Bleeding (hematoma) •Infection •Poor wound healing •Anesthesia risks •Blood clots •Correctable hair loss at the incisions •Elevated hairline •Facial nerve injury with weakness or paralysis •Facial asymmetry •Skin loss •Numbness or other changes in skin sensation or intense itching •Changes in skin sensation •Eye irritation or dryness •Eyelid disorders that involve abnormal position of the upper eyelids (eyelid ptosis), loose eyelid skin, or abnormal laxness of the lower eyelid (ectropion) can coexist with sagging forehead and eyebrow structures; brow lift surgery will not correct these disorders; additional surgery may be required •Fluid accumulation •Pain, which may persist •Skin contour irregularities •Skin discoloration and swelling •Sutures may spontaneously surface through the skin, become visible or produce irritation that require removal •Possibility of revisional surgery

For more information you may visit www.philippinecosmetic.com or www.cosmeticplasticsurgeryphil.com

Author: Dr Peregrino R Lorenzo VII Plastic Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgeon Certified and fully trained Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon, with 6 years of formal training in the field of Aesthetic, Reconstructive and Burn Plastic Surgery.

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