Sum T. Tran, MD

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Forehead Lift

Forehead lifts or browlift are most commonly performed on men and women in the 40-60 year old age range. A forehead lift can smooth the forehead, correct the sagging or low position of the eyebrows and soften the frown lines that come with age. It can also produce good results for younger adults who have inherited stress-related conditions, such as low eyebrows or furrows above the nose.

You may be a good candidate for a forehead lift if you have any of the following types of conditions:

• sagging or low position of the eyebrows, creating a tired or sad appearance
• deep horizontal creases across the forehead
• frown lines, or furrows, between the eyebrows providing an angry or upset look

A personal consultation is the first step for every patient considering a forehead lift. During this meeting, Dr Tran will assess your medical history, physical and emotional health and discuss your specific goals for the surgical procedure.

During your physical evaluation, Dr Tran will assess your bone structure and the underlying tissues of the face. The thickness, texture and elasticity of your skin and the muscle activity of your entire forehead and upper-eyelid region will be evaluated. In developing your surgical plan, these factors will be considered as they relate to the position of your eyebrows, the amount of excess upper-eyelid skin and the height of your hairline. Sometimes, patients who are bothered by excess skin in their upper eyelids don't realize that a sagging brow is contributing to that appearance.

You may be required to have additional procedures that can be performed along with a
browlift to meet your appearance goals. For example, a brow lift is frequently combined with: a facelift, which removes excess skin and tightens muscles in the mid and lower face and neck, or eyelid surgery, which can correct excessive skin overhang in the upper eyelids and minimize puffy bags beneath the eyes.

Dr Tran will provide you with specific instructions for the days immediately before and after your surgery. Forehead lift surgery may be performed in a hospital, an outpatient surgery center or an office-based surgical suite. Medications are administered to keep you comfortable during the procedure. Most of these procedure could be performed under local anesthesia and oral sedation. However, for some patients, general anesthesia may be the best choice.

The technique chosen for your surgery depends on your features and your desired results. There are several variations to the forehead lift procedure to obtain the best outcome for you. . Working through this incision, your plastic surgeon can modify or remove parts of the muscles that cause wrinkling and frown lines, remove excess skin and lift your eyebrows to a more pleasing level.

One common method is Endoscopy. One such technique uses an endoscope, a long, thin tube with a light on the end, which is attached to a video camera and a TV set. The endoscope is inserted through several small incisions in the scalp and allows the plastic surgeon to see and work on the internal structures of the forehead.

The other common, more extensive is coronal incision technique. Using this technique, an incision is made across the top of the scalp, beginning above the ears and concealed within the hair. Sometimes, the incision may be placed at the front of the hairline. The incision is designed to be inconspicuous when healed.

In selected patients, instead of the endoscopy or coronal incision technique, a limited-incision technique can be used.  This technique, becoming more popular, uses incisions near the temples or upper-eyelid incisions (blepharoplasty) to lift or reposition the drooping eyebrows.

Each year, thousands of men and women undergo forehead lifts and experience no major complications. However, it is important for you to be informed of the risks as well as the benefits. One of the most important parts of your consultation is the discussion that you and Dr Tran will have about the possible complications of forehead lift surgery. Remember, by carefully following your surgeon's advice and instructions - both before and after surgery - you can do your part to minimize some of the risks.

In the recovery area, you may find that a head dressing or headband has been placed around your forehead and scalp to minimize swelling. Sometimes, a small drainage tube is placed beneath the skin to drain away fluids that might otherwise accumulate and increase bruising. Discomfort is usually minimal, but any pain you feel can be controlled with medication.

Although everyone heals at a different rate, you can expect that your recovery will follow this general time line:

The first day

• In this early stage of healing, you should rest quietly with your head elevated. One rule of thumb is to always keep your head higher than your heart.

Within the first week

• Swelling and puffiness, which may affect the eyelid and cheek areas, reaches its peak, and then begins to subside.
• Bandages and drain tubes (if used) are removed and you may shower.
• You may resume light activity.

Within two weeks

• Most of the bruising will disappear.
• Stitches or clips will be removed.
• You can wear makeup to conceal any discoloration.
• You may resume many of your normal activities, including light exercise.

After three weeks

• You may resume more strenuous activity and exercise.
• Swelling and puffiness will continue to subside.
• Numbness and itching of the scalp will diminish as the nerves continue to heal.

Throughout the healing period, you should avoid exposure to direct sunlight and, for the long term, be conscientious about using sun block lotion to protect your skin.

If you're like most people who have a forehead lift, you'll be very pleased with your refreshed and rejuvenated appearance. Although it may take several months to see your final result, you will probably agree that your new appearance was worth the wait.

A number of factors, including your heredity and your lifestyle, play a role in how long the results of your forehead lift will last. Remember, even though your "aging clock" will be turned back several years, that clock will continue to run. However, at any point in the future, you will still look better than you would have looked without surgery.

Patients are usually happy with their appearance for many years following a forehead lift.