Forehead Lift or Brow Lift

The forehead and brow are often the first areas to show the effects of aging. Wrinkling across the forehead and heaviness in the brows can be caused by many different factors. Stress, sun, wind, the pull of gravity and excessive squinting all affect the face and cause you to look tired and older than you are.

To see what a forehead lift can do for your face, put your hands above your brows and outside the edges of your eyes and gently raise the skin upwards. Forehead lifts are an option if you have a heavy brow or deep furrows between the eyes.

A forehead lift or "browlift" is a procedure that restores a more youthful, refreshed look to the area above the eyes. The procedure corrects drooping brows and improves the horizontal lines and furrows that can make a person appear angry, sad or tired. In a forehead lift, the muscles and tissues that cause the furrowing or drooping are removed or altered to smooth the forehead, raise the eyebrows and minimize frown lines.

A forehead and brow lift can be combined with an eyelid surgery or facelift to improve the overall youthful appearance of your face. The surgical procedure the forehead lift procedure takes between one to two hours to perform. It is most commonly performed under IV sedation or twilight anesthesia. Incisions can be placed at the hairline, behind the hairline, or in some cases, in the brow or in the mid forehead. If your hair is very short, you may wish to let it grow out before surgery, so that it’s long enough to hide the scars while they heal.

What To Expect After Surgery

Patients may experience some numbness and temporary discomfort around the incision, with a certain amount of swelling and bruising in the 10 day period following surgery, which can be controlled with prescription medication. 

Most of the visible signs of surgery should fade completely within about three weeks. Minor swelling and bruising can be concealed with special camouflage makeup. Sutures are normally removed 7 to 10 days after surgery. Most patients can resume normal activities in two weeks, but still may be advised to avoid strenuous activities for longer periods.

Resumption of Physical Activity

Although you should be up and about in a day or two, plan on taking it easy for at least the first week after surgery. You should be able to shower and shampoo your hair within two days, or as soon as the bandage is removed.

Most patients are back to work or school in a week to 10 days. Vigorous physical activity should be limited for several weeks, including jogging, bending, heavy housework, sex, or any activity that increases your blood pressure. Prolonged exposure to heat or sun should be limited for several months.