Eyebrow lift
An eyebrow lift is a very effective surgical method for rejuvenating the eye area and lifting the eyebrows.
As we age, the skin and soft tissues around the eyes begin to increase, sag and eventually reduce your field of vision.
Common complaints that patients report to me are A tired and fatigued appearance, drooping skin of the upper eyelids, soft tissues above the eye negatively affect the visual axis.
It is particularly important for patients to know that the upper eyelid must be considered and analyzed as an aesthetic and functional unit as a whole.
Unfortunately, lifting the eyebrow without adequately recognizing possible problems of the eyelids or the eyelid lifting muscle can very likely end in a surgical, medical, psychological and costly adventure.
The brow lift in detail
Designation
Eyebrow lift (synonym: brow lift, brow lift)
Description
Lifting of the eyebrows with 4 different incisions, depending on the findings. Often in conjunction with blepharoplasty.
Operation
approx. 1 – 3 hours
Anesthesia
Local anesthesia with twilight sleep if necessary
Stay
Outpatient
Scars
barely visible
Aftercare
Cooling in the first 24 hours without contact with water
Socially acceptable
approx. 5 days after the operation
Sport & Leisure
4 Wo. no heavy lifting or sport. Light exercises after 2 – 4 weeks. No sun on scars for 3 months, normal movement possible, showers and baths after approx. 5 days
Miscellaneous
Diagnosis with eyelid muscle and eyelids important.
Contents
- Experience
- Methods
- Requirements
- Procedure of the surgery
- Costs
- Healing process
- Reasons
- Conclusion
Experience
Particularly important in the preliminary examination:
Analytical assessment of the eyebrows.
Examination of the muscle that lifts the eyelid
Many patients who come to our practice for upper blepharoplasty also have problems with their eyebrows and occasionally also with the eyelid lifting muscle.
Occasionally it is indicated that an eyelid lift with or without correction of the eyelid lift weakness can achieve an excellent aesthetic and functional result. However, it is also very possible that the cause of your discomfort is a lowering of the eyebrows.
Men in particular generally have heavier eyebrows than women. However, there is often a combination of age-related conditions of the eyelids, eyebrows and other structures for a multifactorial genesis of the changes in these patients.
Eyebrow lifting methods
During the consultation, you will have the opportunity to discuss the procedure in detail with Dr. Scholz. Here you will be informed in detail and we will be happy to show you before and after pictures on request.
There are many different methods of eyebrow lift as described above. Depending on the degree and severity of the signs of ageing and the pathological changes, a very individual surgical treatment plan must always be drawn up.
The methods used are also very different and these are discussed in great detail in advance. Factors that influence the method are
Ethnic origin
Existing hair fullness
Where are the cuts?
In the eyebrow lift, the incisions are in different places. There are 4 different incisions, which are also performed differently depending on the surgical technique.
1. just above the eyebrows
A well-placed incision directly on the upper eyebrow line so that the incisions are almost invisible.
2. mid-forehead
Depending on the extent of horizontal forehead wrinkles, these wrinkles are available so that incisions can be integrated almost invisibly into the wrinkles.
3. pretrichial (pretrichial)
The pretrichial brow lift uses wave-shaped incisions, which are placed along the hairline above the forehead in a specific way so that these scars are not visible.
4 Endoscopic
Several small vertical incisions are made beyond the hairline, between the hairs of the hairy scalp.
Which incisions and which surgical techniques are advisable for you will be discussed with you in great detail during your consultation with Dr. Scholz. Here, too, there are a variety of different procedures and surgical plans, which can be very individual and different in each case.
Are there scars?
As the surgical incisions are made in very discreet places around the eyebrows or at or beyond the hairline, scarring is minimal and usually almost invisible.
The scars fade over time until only wafer-thin lines are visible, which are almost invisible to the naked eye.
People who are prone to excessive scarring (keloids) should discuss this with their surgeon. There are treatment options that can be used prophylactically before surgery.
In addition, these patients require special attention in the postoperative course in order to carry out appropriate scar care and scar treatments, which can prevent the formation of wide scars or excessive scars.
Eyebrow lift or eyelid lift
It is very important to understand that an eyelid surgery without analyzing and, if necessary, treating the eyebrows can result in a major avoidable problem for the patient.
For this reason, it is not uncommon for patients to come to me for blepharoplasty but actually need a correction of the eyebrows (including in conjunction with an eyelid lift).
I will be happy to personally show you options that will not only help you look fantastic but also feel fantastic.
Procedure of the surgery
You will arrive at the clinic on the day of the operation approximately 1 to 2 hours before the actual operation. If necessary, examinations are carried out here.
The operation usually takes between one and three hours, is performed under local anesthesia with or without twilight sleep, or under general anesthesia and does not require an overnight stay in the clinic.
The operation begins with small incisions directly above the eyebrow, at mid-level of the forehead, at the level of the hairline or, in the case of minimally invasive endoscopic treatment, beyond the hairline.
The excess skin is then removed, the underlying muscle is partially tightened, the soft tissue is repositioned, any additional procedures are performed (e.g. eyelid lift) and finally the incisions are closed with dissolvable sutures.
This means that the stitches, most of which are covered by plasters, do not have to be removed.
You will then remain in the clinic until you have fully recovered from the procedure. You will be discharged from the clinic after consultation with the surgeon and anesthetist. An inpatient stay is possible on request, but discharge on the day of the operation is usual.
We recommend that our international patients stay in Munich for a further week after the operation. Our specially trained team will be happy to help you plan your stay in Munich at any time.
Costs
Prices and costs for an eyebrow lift vary depending on the complexity of the procedure. Patients often confuse an eyelid correction with an eyebrow lift or need both.
In any case, with our cost estimate you will receive serious and comprehensive medical care with a top experienced plastic surgeon with the best references.
Dr. Thomas Scholz - Your expert for eyebrow lifts
Healing process
Cooling the eyebrows and forehead is very helpful and supports the early phase of wound healing (within the first 24 hours). However, care should be taken to ensure that very cold cooling units or ice cubes do not come into direct contact with the skin so as not to injure the tissue.
A mild to moderate degree of swelling can be expected in the area of the eyebrows and forehead on the first day.
Follow-up checks are carried out at regular intervals after the operation. Wound healing is a process that takes at least 1 to 1 1/2 years. For this reason, long-term follow-up checks are a matter of course for our patients, medically sensible and, in our eyes, an absolute service and a great pleasure for us to analyze the long-term results together with you.
We want to make sure that you still love your esthetic result decades later as much as you did on the first day.
Side effects
Pain
The sensation of pain is a completely individual variable. While sensitive people complain of pain, less sensitive people can easily cope with the pain. However, as this is a surgical procedure, post-operative pain and soreness must be controlled with medication.
Nowadays, there are a variety of very intelligent pain medications that allow a quick return to normal daily activities.
Swelling
The swelling usually goes down from the 4th day after the operation. After about 2 weeks, 80% of the swelling has disappeared.
The remaining 20% of the swelling will then persist for up to a further 4 weeks until it has completely resolved.
Scars
We discuss this topic in more detail above. In general, scars will be barely visible. People who are prone to scarring (keloids) require special treatment and are an exception.
Reasons
The most common reasons for having this operation performed are
Heavy, tired-looking eyelids
asymmetrical eyelids
visual field restrictions
age-related appearance of the eyelids and upper facial region
drooping eyelids with or without visual field restrictions
Misalignment of the eyelids with dry eyes
inflamed eyes
watery eyes or red eyes
A purely cosmetic eyelid lift is generally not recommended for younger patients who do not yet have any signs of the ageing process on their eyelids.
As your cosmetic surgeon will have access to your medical records, they will be able to tell you whether or not the procedure is suitable for you. All patients, regardless of age, undergo a health assessment.
Conclusion
The eyebrow lift requires the plastic surgeon to have flair and experience, as well as in-depth knowledge of the surrounding structures. In addition, the doctor must understand the patient’s face aesthetically and have surgical techniques for visually harmonious symmetries.
Long discussions and analyses with the patient are required, which Dr. Scholz sees as an important factor in the patient-doctor relationship.
Dr. Scholz Munich
- Plastic, Aesthetic, and Reconstructive Surgeon, University of California, USA
- German specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery
- Swiss specialist certification for plastic and aesthetic surgery
Picture credits © Christof Arnold
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