A brow lift (also known as a forehead lift) improves facial expressions through natural-looking surgical rejuvenation while restoring vitality and youthfulness to your face. Drooping or lined foreheads result in a tired, sad and often angry appearance whether you are actually feeling those emotions or not! The brow lift procedure is typically performed on both male and female patients in an out-patient surgical setting whether the condition is the result of muscle activity or inherited conditions.
Brow Lift Consultation with Dr. Steinbrech
Dr. Steinbrech employs his advanced knowledge of facial aesthetics to help patients achieve beautiful, long-lasting results. Located in Manhattan between Madison and Park on E. 56th, Dr. Steinbrech and his staff welcome an opportunity to discuss your overall enhancement goals. If a brow lift is right for you, Dr. Steinbrech and his staff will work with you to develop a plan. Both the benefits and limitations of treatment during every brow lift consultation will be covered. Dr. Steinbrech believes it is important to fully inform his patients so they have a better understanding of what the procedure can accomplish and what it simply cannot. This frank discussion ultimately leads to high levels of postoperative satisfaction.
Brow lift procedures are typically performed as a minimally invasive, endoscopic procedure though in some instances the more traditional surgery may be required. The procedure is usually performed in an office-based facility or surgery center under local anesthesia and sedation. Dr. Steinbrech will discuss which option is better for you. If you decide to move forward with the procedure it will be scheduled at your convenience.
About Brow Lift Procedures
The three types of brow lift procedures are performed by either minimally invasive, endoscopic methods or less often by traditional surgical methods. The incision may be made along the hair line or for patients with thinning hair or who are bald the incision may be made along the skull bone joints to minimize visibility. Dr. Steinbrech will discuss each technique employed in brow lift procedures and together you will decide which is best based upon your enhancement goals, unique anatomy, and the extent of correction needed to achieve the desired results.
Brow lift surgery is an outpatient procedure. General anesthesia or intravenous sedation with local anesthesia is used. The duration of surgery depends on the type of brow lift and whether an election has been made to perform another procedure at the same time. You will be on your feet and able to wash your hair in a day or two. Many patients return to work or school in seven to ten days or less. Swelling and bruising should fade by the third week.
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
The endoscopic brow lift surgery is a less invasive procedure often achieving an equally desirable result as the historical invasive technique. A series of very short incisions about ¾ of an inch in length are made just behind the hairline. A special tiny camera and thin instruments are used to reposition the muscles. Dr. Steinbrech then lifts the underlying tissues of the forehead, removing excess fat and tissue as needed to create a naturally more youthful brow.
Endoscopic surgery patients may experience some numbness, discomfort and swelling around the incision area. Typically, the itching associated with endoscopic surgery is less noticeable than with traditional surgery. Stitches or staples are generally removed in a week. Temporary fixation screws are generally taken out within two weeks.
Temporal or Limited Incision Brow Lift
A temporal brow lift involves slightly longer incisions than an endoscopic brow lift and is most commonly performed in conjunction with eyelid surgery. Incisions about one inch in length are made just above each temple located behind the hairline. Through these incisions, tissues of the outer brow area will be lifted and repositioned. Through these incisions the area between the eyebrows is lifted to smooth out frown lines.
Classic or Coronal Brow Lift
The coronal brow lift is the historical brow lift procedure. In most cases a less invasive techniques will be used for Dr. Steinbrech’s patients. When coronal brow lift is necessary to achieve a patient’s desired results one long incision is made behind the hairline, running from ear-to-ear. The incision may be made along the skull bone joints to minimize visibility in patients with thinning hair or who are bald. Excess skin, fat and tissue are removed. Dr. Steinbrech then takes the remaining skin and brow muscles which are repositioned into a more youthful appearance.
Traditional-surgery patients may experience numbness and discomfort at the incision. Itching may occur after the numbness which will subside within six months. In order to reduce the swelling elevate your head for two to three days. You can expect to have the bandages removed in one to two days. The stitches or clips will be removed in two weeks. You may experience a thinning or loss of hair near the incision line but normal growth should return within weeks or a few months.
Reviews from Patients
Brow Lift Recovery
Making healthy choices and taking the right steps before and after the procedure will help each patient maximize the improvements and enhancements of a brow lift procedure.
Your incisions may be closed with sutures or staples. These are typically removed about one week after surgery. After a brow lift procedure it is common to feel slight discomfort. Throughout the forehead there may be a sensation of tightness. During the first ten days after surgery swelling and bruising which are generally resolved after about two weeks.
A brow lift procedure performed alone and not in conjunction with other procedure will have a faster recovery time than multiple procedures.
Typical recovery milestones following brow lift surgery:
- Day of surgery: be up an about and walk around your home
- One to two days after surgery: while showering and bathing is permitted it is important to take care around the surgical site
- One week after surgery: return to work if it is non-strenuous or a sedentary job. Consider a limited work schedule initially as you will likely tire more easily. Camouflage makeup that will completely cover the visible bruising may make you feel more comfortable during this transition time.
- One to two weeks after surgery: once you cease taking prescription pain medication you may resume driving.
- Two to four weeks after surgery: the return to exercise should be gradual as strength and stamina return.
Brow Lift vs. Eyelid Lift vs. Facelift
There are some generally accepted conceptions about each facial feature and associated enhancement procedures:
- Brow Lift: improves the forehead area above the eyebrows
- Eyelid Lift: improves the orbital area. This is the area around the eyes from the cheekbone to the brow bone.
- Facelift: improves the mid to lower face. This is the area located at the cheekbones descending to the chin and jawline.
- Neck Lift: improves the neck. This is the area located from the chin to the collar bone.
Frequent Brow Lift Questions
Do I need a brow lift?
By placing the palms of your hands to the sides of your eyes above the eyebrows you may be able to determine your personal impact of a brow lift procedure. Pull the skin back from the eyes, raising the forehead. This will give you an idea of the impact of the procedure. A brow lift can create a naturally refreshed appearance. Self-confidence can improve as your worried look from a furrowed brow vanishes.
Is a brow lift enough?
A number of facial changes occur with time and gravity. Generally, these changes include a loss of skin elasticity and a reduction in facial fat and volume. Custom-tailored procedures may meet the unique goals of each patient and reverse their facial aging concerns.
Are procedures combined?
The patient may option to combine the brow lift procedure others such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) and a facelift to the appearance of the orbital area and other areas of the face.
Neither the forehead region (the brow lift area) nor the eyes are directly affected by facelift surgery. Some patients opt to combine a brow lift procedure with facelift surgery. A facelift is one of the most comprehensive facial rejuvenation treatments resulting in a simultaneous enhancement of both the face and neck. Some patients with forehead lines, furrows between the brows, and drooping eyelids elect to undergo a brow lift procedure with a blepharoplasty and a facelift for an optimal result.
Some patients choose to combine a brow lift procedure with facial fat grafting. Facial fat grafting replenishes lost facial volume and attain the ‘apple’ shape of a youthful cheek. This additional procedure can aesthetically redistribute the patient’s own body fat creating more balanced and proportionate facial features. Facial fat grafting is also an effective method of lip augmentation.
How do I prepare for a procedure?
Dr. Steinbrech will carefully review pre-operative instructions to help patients minimize any potential complications and reduce recovery time. Any medication or herbal supplement with the potential to increase the risk of bleeding during surgery should be discontinued. These include among others aspirin, blood thinners, anti-inflammatory drugs also known as NSAIDs, gingko biloba, and vitamin E. Smoking is best stopped one month before surgery.
What about the scar?
In order to better camouflage the healing scar patients with very short hair may want to grow it before surgery. The scar will however, minimalize over time. Camouflage makeup will cover bruising and discoloration.
Will the results of brow lift surgery last?
The improvements and facial enhancements associated with brow lift surgery will last for many years. Unfortunately, the normal aging process will continue, brow lift surgery does not stop that. Your forehead tissues will continue to settle with time and gravity.
It is always important to live a healthy lifestyle which includes sunscreen daily, follow a healthy diet and do not smoke in order to keep your body healthy and skin looking its best.
Why Dr. Steinbrech as Your Cosmetic Surgeon?
Dr. Steinbrech has the proven ability to provide beautiful, natural results with brow lift procedures. His keen eye for aesthetic detail is matched by his trained surgical abilities which create results that respect a patient’s ethnicity, age, gender, and unique facial features. We are conveniently located in Manhattan between Madison and Park on E. 56th.
Will I have visible scars from a browlift?
Incisions are made along the eyelids in inconspicuous places (in the creases of the upper lids, and just below the lashes on the lower lids) to minimize scar visibility. If no skin needs to be removed during surgery, the surgeon will likely perform a transconjunctival blepharoplasty, where the incision is made inside the lower eyelid and there are no visible scars.
Board Certified
Dr. Douglas Steinbrech is a Plastic Surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons under the American Board of Medical Specialties. He specializes in Minimally Invasive Aesthetics incorporating this philosophy into all of his surgical and non-surgical techniques. He has been selected as one of America’s Top Plastic Surgeons by the Consumers’ Research Council of America.
Board certified cosmetic surgeons are fellowship trained in all aspects of cosmetic surgery, including brow lift techniques. American Board of Cosmetic Surgery surgeons use only accredited surgical facilities upholding the highest safety standards.
Surgical Training
Dr. Steinbrech underwent eight years of surgical training at New York University in General Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive surgery. He was trained in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the prestigious NYU Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. This included training at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital by the icons of the latter part of the 20th century including mentors McCarthy, Aston, Baker, Tabbal, and Pittman.
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