INTRODUCTION TO THE CALIFORNIA BROW LIFT
A brow lift is an elective cosmetic surgery procedure performed to elevate the brow, which has descended due to aging. Often, the first signs of aging are in the brow and forehead, where the skin has lost elasticity, resulting in frown lines, wrinkling across the forehead and heaviness in the eyebrows. Even younger patients in their 30’s can have faces that appear older than their true age and can benefit from a brow lift. California plastic surgeon, Dr. Vip Dev, has performed many brow lifts and is considered to be among the finest facial surgeons in the US.
There are two types of brow lifts: coronal and endoscopic. Based on your aging pattern, the correct procedure will be chosen during your consultation at Dr. Dev’s Bakersfield plastic surgery office. The coronal lift was the original technique. It involves an incision across the top of the head from ear to ear. This large incision is then closed with tiny sutures and hidden in the hairline. For obvious reasons, this is not used on patients with little or no scalp hair, and for most patients, the endoscopic brow lift will create the most satisfactory result with the least amount of incisions. The endoscopic forehead or brow lift, like its name implies, uses an endoscope, a small device with a tiny camera on the end to facilitate Dr. Dev’s view of the inside of the forehead. Used with small incisions, it results in a wonderful lifted result and scars which are tiny and hidden in the hair.
Although there are patients whose brow drooping is resolved with eyelid rejuvenation, called a blepharoplasty, those with significant drooping as well as forehead wrinkling, may need a forehead lift to obtain the best results. Again, this will be confirmed during your consultation. A brow lift or forehead lift can be combined with other facial procedures such as a face lift.
GOOD CANDIDATES FOR A BROW LIFT
Men or women over the age of 18 who are otherwise in good health with reasonable expectations for improvement are likely to be good candidates for brow rejuvenation. Reasons for forehead or brow lift include the following:
- Drooping of the brow due to aging or genetics
- Excessive wrinkling in the brow
- Drooping in the upper eye area that will not be sufficiently improved with blepharoplasty alone
HOW BAKERSFIELD BROW LIFT IS DONE
A brow lift is performed on an outpatient basis at a Bakersfield hospital or state-of-the-art surgical unit while the patient is asleep under a general anesthesia. The endoscopic forehead lift can be done under local anesthesia plus sedation if it is not combined with another facial procedure requiring general anesthesia. Once anesthesia is induced, the appropriate incisions are made, depending on which procedure has been chosen. The muscles and other tissues are tightened, sutured, and the skin redraped. The excess skin is excised and the area is closed with tiny sutures.
Surgery typically lasts from 1 to 2 hours, depending upon whether the forehead lift is combined with other facial surgery procedures or done alone. You will need a friend or family member to drive you home after your breast augmentation procedure, as you will still be recovering from anesthesia.
RECOVERY FROM BAKERSFIELD BROW LIFT
Generally, post-operative instructions call for rest and limited movement in order to speed up the healing process and recovery time. Sometimes bandages are applied right after surgery to aid the healing process and to minimize movement of the forehead area. Although some patients report minor pain associated with a forehead lift, this discomfort can be treated effectively with oral medication; some find that ice packs are also effective. You may find it most comfortable to sleep in a chair the first 2-3 nights after your procedure, to decrease swelling and to avoid accidentally sleeping in a position that will aggravate the brow area. While complications are rare, you can minimize potential problems by carefully following the directions given by Dr. Dev after surgery.
The brow or forehead lift is a well-known facial rejuvenation procedure, which can create a more youthful and rested appearance when performed by an expert such as Dr. Vip Dev. Call us today to schedule your consultation to learn if a brow or forehead lift is right for you.
