Brow Lift
Plastic Surgery in Atlanta, GA
As we age, our tissues begin to sag, including our eyebrows, creating a heavily furrowed forehead. As skin and soft tissues lose elasticity, the distance between the eyebrows and eyelashes also shortens. The lower position of the eyebrows can make you look tired, angry, or sad. This can be frustrating, especially if you feel your brows are portraying emotions that you are not feeling.
A brow lift or brow contouring/reshaping procedure is a great option to help boost your self-confidence. It can be done alone or with other facial procedures, such as eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), facelift, rhinoplasty, or other facial surgeries. Our Atlanta office is 12 minutes from Brookhaven and 15 minutes from Buckhead.
What is a Brow Lift?
The eyes are often the first and only area we look at when engaging in conversations with others. The skin around the eyes also happens to be the thinnest on our face, so the eyes typically are the first area to show early signs of aging or a tired look. Along with our eyelids, causing signs of fatigue, our eyebrows and forehead are affected.
A brow lift, also known as a brow contouring / reshaping procedure or forehead lift or forehead rejuvenation, is a cosmetic procedure to reshape the brows by raising them naturally. A brow lift improves the appearance of the forehead, makes your forehead look less heavy, puts less strain on the upper part of your face, and gently reshapes your eyebrow into a more youthful appearance.
You might choose to have a brow lift if you have a low, sagging brow or brow asymmetry to restore a refreshed, more pleasing appearance. Some individuals may also be genetically prone to have thicker and heavier brows. Others simply want the tail of the brow elevated (temporal brow lift), even if young and not descended.
Types
What Types of Brow Lifts are There?
There are many different approaches to brow lift surgery. The decision as to what approach is most appropriate is customized to each client and depends on patient factors, anatomical considerations such as high versus low hairline, and surgeon preference. A detailed consultation and discussion with Dr. Walker is necessary to determine the most appropriate approach for you.
Temporal Brow Lift
This procedure has gained in popularity in recent years and is the most commonly performed browlift by Dr. Thomas Walker. A lateral or temporal brow lift utilizes an incision hidden in the hairline at each temple. Through these two small incisions, an endoscopic-style browlift can be performed that minimally raises the central brows in addition to the outer brows. The eyebrow attachments are released, and the muscles are treated to create a more favorable and elevated natural brow position as well as shape. Once released, the lifted eyebrows are suspended. At the end of the procedure, the hidden incisions are closed, and a dressing is often applied. After recovering from anesthesia and ensuring your comfort, you will be able to go home the day of surgery. In other cases, through the same two small incisions, an even more limited browlift is performed where only the outermost portion of the brow gets raised, along with the hooded skin, without lifting the inner (medial) portion of the eyebrows. It is commonly performed in conjunction with upper eyelid surgery and can be performed under local anesthesia in the office in some cases. A temporal brow lift also helps improve the appearance of crow’s feet.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
This procedure has an excellent safety record, quick recovery, beautiful results, and minimal downtime. Through the endoscopic approach, a few short (approx. 2 cm) vertical incisions are made behind the hairline so that visible scars are avoided. Using an endoscope attached to a camera, the eyebrow attachments are released, and the muscles are treated to create a more favorable and elevated natural brow position as well as shape. Once released, the lifted eyebrows are typically suspended and secured. At the end of the procedure, the hidden incisions are closed, and a dressing is applied. After recovering from anesthesia and ensuring your comfort, you will be able to go home the day of surgery.
Coronal Brow Lift
This traditional technique places the incision at the top of the head behind the hairline. The coronal approach conceals scarring well and achieves some lifting during the procedure. The hairline will be raised accordingly with this technique. This open approach works well for those with a sagging brow, low hairline, and deep frown lines, although it is rarely used anymore, given more contemporary, less invasive alternatives. This is the ideal incision, though, if you are at risk for having a receding hairline.
Trichophytic Brow Lift
The incision is placed right along the hairline, typically in a zig-zag fashion for better scar concealment. It allows for a significant amount of lifting of the eyebrows for patients who have a dense hairline with little to no risk of recession.
Direct Brow Lift
This procedure is usually reserved for older men or any individual with deep horizontal forehead creases, in which an incision would be placed to excise extra forehead skin to lift each eyebrow individually. This technique is the best approach to address significant eyebrow asymmetries, but at the expense of a more visible scar on the forehead, somewhere above the eyebrow.
Non-Surgical Brow Lift
Through the administration of BOTOX®, Dysport®, or other neuromodulators, the eyebrow depressor muscles that constantly pull down the eyebrows can be relaxed in order to achieve slight brow elevation. Results are shorter-lived, and the amount of possible elevation is limited when compared to any surgical technique.
What Are the Benefits of a Brow Lift?
Benefits include less forehead strain, a more relaxed appearance of the brows and forehead, and may include smoother forehead lines, lifted brows that no longer droop over the eyes, and an overall brighter and more youthful appearance. Many patients find that their eyes look more open, reducing the “tired” or “angry” look that often comes with brow descent.
Who Are the Best Candidates For a Brow Lift?
Brow lift surgery is not the appropriate procedure of choice for everyone. Dr. Walker will discuss your goals and expectations to help determine if this procedure will be appropriate for you. In general, these are the characteristics of good candidates for browlifts:
- Anyone who wants a different eyebrow contour.
- Eyebrows that rest below the upper orbital rim.
- A lower and denser hairline (better for scar camouflage).
- Relatively flat forehead.
- Thinner skin.
- Good general health.
- Non-smoker.
- Reasonable expectations of what the procedure will and won’t be able to accomplish.
What’s the First Step?
During your consultation, Dr. Walker will not only thoroughly examine your entire face, including your eyebrows, but also listen to your goals, possible concerns, and tolerability for downtime. Once all factors are taken into consideration, a treatment recommendation and treatment plan will be formulated with your input. He will go over the various surgical techniques you may be a candidate for to help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of each. Some of the factors that may influence your decision are your hairline position, scar concealment, the degree of eyebrow descent, the depth of forehead creases, and the amount of time you can dedicate to recovery.
What to Expect on the Day of Brow Lift Surgery
There are many different approaches to brow lift surgery as outlined above. The decision as to what approach is most appropriate is customized to each individual and depends on client, anatomical, and surgeon factors. A detailed consultation and discussion are necessary to decide on the most appropriate procedure for you. The incision placement is what differentiates the various techniques from each other, with pros and cons for each approach. There is typically a best technique of choice for a given individual, depending on the severity of tissue laxity, brow asymmetry, depth of forehead creases, and the position of the hairline.
- Anesthesia
Brow lifting requires some form of sedation, either twilight anesthesia (IV sedation) or general anesthesia. Dr. Walker will discuss the options with you and help you make a choice based on your personal wishes.
- Surgical Technique
In temporal browlifts, two small incisions (approximately 3-4cm in length) are made behind your hairline in the temples. In endoscopic brow or forehead lifts, five small vertical incisions (each 2 cm in length) are made behind the hairline so that visible scars are avoided. In either procedure, the eyebrow attachments are released from the orbital rim (eye socket), and the muscles are treated to create a more favorable and elevated natural brow position as well as eyebrow shape. Once released, the lifted eyebrows are suspended. At the end of the procedure, the hidden incisions are closed, and a dressing may be applied. After recovering from anesthesia and confirming your comfort, you will be able to go home the day of surgery.
Brow Lift Recovery
The dressing, if present, is removed the day after surgery. Some bruising, swelling, and temporary forehead numbness are to be expected following this procedure. A cool compress, head elevation, and avoiding strenuous activity may help minimize swelling. For a short period, there might be tightness, headache, and nausea, all of which are treated with medications as necessary. After about one week, all sutures are removed, and most bruising and swelling have subsided. The overall recovery after surgery varies among clients and is mostly based on which approach was used.
However, most people are able to go back to work 10-14 days after a browlift, possibly sooner. Normal activities may be resumed after two weeks, with the exception of heavy lifting and strenuous physical activities. Hair coloring should be postponed until approximately six weeks after surgery, but may be performed shortly before the surgery. Patients flying in for the procedure should make arrangements to stay in town for at least one week. Full healing and recovery may take several weeks, with swelling and final brow position improving during the first 3-4 weeks.
How Much Does a Brow Lift Cost in Atlanta, GA?
The cost of brow lifts in Atlanta varies and depends on multiple factors, including the type of brow lift performed, the location of surgery, and other factors. The average cost of a brow lift in Atlanta is in the $5,000 – 8,000 range. When your treatment plan has been decided during your consultation with Dr. Walker, a team member will go over the estimated costs with you. Although finances are important, you should focus on finding a skilled and caring surgeon you trust rather than on the cost associated with your procedure. Dr. Walker’s team will be happy to go over financing options with you as well.
Why Choose Dr. Walker?
Dr. Thomas Walker is a double board-certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who dedicates his expertise exclusively to the face. With memberships in prestigious organizations including the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), the American College of Surgeons (FACS), the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), and the American Medical Association (AMA), Dr. Walker is widely recognized for his precision and commitment to patient safety.
Patients choose WalkerMD in Atlanta, GA, for the combination of advanced surgical skill, natural-looking results, state-of-the-art facilities, and a personalized approach that ensures every treatment plan is tailored to the individual’s goals and anatomy.
Schedule Your
Consultation
Thinking about a brow lift? At WalkerMD in Atlanta, we’re here to help you refresh your appearance and feel your best. Schedule your consultation today and take the first step toward a more youthful, vibrant you!
WalkerMD Facial Plastic Surgery is conveniently located 10 minutes from Buckhead, 12 minutes from Brookhaven, 20 minutes from downtown Atlanta, and 30 minutes from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport – the world’s busiest airport by passenger count.
Brow Lift FAQ’S
Schedule a Consultation
To discuss your facial plastic surgery options with Dr. Walker, please schedule a consultation. For your comfort and safety, if you are unable to meet in out Atlanta office, we are currently offering secure telehealth appointments.