Austin Brow Lift Procedure

You may have seen brow lift patients whose results look surprised, clownish, pulled too tight, or overly operated on. This is not how we do brow lift surgery at Austin Face & Body. We achieve beautifully natural looking results that leave our patients with a rejuvenated appearance that looks refreshed and youthful. 

What is a brow lift?

A brow lift in Austin, or forehead lift, is a plastic surgery procedure that elevates the eyebrows and soft tissues of the forehead while at the same time tightening excess forehead skin and eliminating both horizontal and vertical forehead wrinkles between the eyebrows. This treatment elevates the outer eyebrow to give patients a youthful, beautifully arching eyebrow. Elevating the outer eyebrow helps smooth the soft tissues and skin of the outer eyes as well. This, along with a smoothing of the forehead wrinkles, leaves patients looking younger, more alert, and more energetic.

Woman running hand through her hair

CUSTOMIZED PROCEDURE PLANS

Surgeons Dr. Paul and Dr. Gay perform every type of brow lift—from non-surgical BOTOX® brow lifts to endoscopic brow lifts to indirect and direct brow lifts—depending on the patient’s unique needs and aesthetic goals. 

They are not cookie-cutter surgeons, and they do not perform the same surgery the same way on everyone. Patients undergoing a brow lift in Austin with us will be carefully examined, and will have an in-depth discussion to determine their ideal treatment plan. Each patient will receive a tailor-made brow lift surgery to fit their individual anatomy and needs.

Person describing a brow lift at Austin Face & Body

Austin Brow Lift Procedure by Austin Face and Body

An endoscopic forehead lift

An endoscopic forehead lift is an option if you have a sagging brow or deep furrows between the eyes. This procedure is frequently performed in association with an upper eyelid blepharoplasty to elevate the eyebrows and reduce the amount of skin that needs to be removed from the upper eyelids. Several small incisions are made behind the hairline, and an endoscope (small camera) is used for visualization to remove the muscles that produce the frown lines and reposition the eyebrows at a higher level.

An indirect brow lift 

The indirect brow lift is performed through an upper eyelid incision which is made at the natural crease of the eyelid. The brow area is accessed through that same incision. Once the eyebrow area is reached, the tissue is raised to the desired height and sutures are placed to firmly secure it into place.

The browpexy procedure

Less degree of brow elevation and softening of the vertical frown lines between the eyes can sometimes be accomplished through an upper blepharoplasty incision, which is known as a browpexy. This procedure has limited applications, and is designed to elevate and stabilize the eyebrow. It is commonly performed in combination with upper lid blepharoplasty

An internal browpexy uses the blepharoplasty incision. The eyebrow is anchored to the forehead at a higher level. This procedure doesn’t lift the entire forehead, only the eyebrow.

An external browpexy uses a tiny incision just above, or right at, the brow hairs. The brow is positioned and set in place using sutures that go to the lining of the brow bone. 

A browpexy is typically recommended for younger patients who do not have significant forehead wrinkles. It is not useful in addressing the forehead, or in patients with excessive brow ptosis. 

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A direct brow lift

A direct brow lift is a procedure that restores a more youthful, refreshed look to the area above the eyes. The procedure corrects drooping or sagging eyebrows and improves the horizontal lines and furrows that can make a person appear angry, sad, or tired. Brow lift surgery works by removing tissues that cause the brow to droop, allowing the brow lift to create a smoother looking forehead. 

This is accomplished by making a small incision above the brow hairs. The incision will be camouflaged in the wrinkle lines above the brow, or within the brow hairs itself. This type of brow lifting surgery works by utilizing an incision in the eyelid crease, tunneling underneath the eyebrow, and securing the brow in an elevated position, thus enhancing the brow height while minimizing external scarring.

Temporal brow lift 

A temporal brow lift or lateral brow lift improves the forehead area while lifting the eyebrows at the same time. This procedure is less invasive than some brow lifts, and raises only the outside corner, of the brow, which is located on the temple. This means that this treatment does not change the middle of the brow or the forehead area at all. With a temporal lift, a bilateral temporal incision is made underneath the hair above the ear so that the scar is hidden. The tissue is then raised upwards and tightened, the skin is then tightened, and any excess is excised and closed with sutures. 

Woman looking to the side and touching her face

Who is a good candidate?

If you’re considering a brow lift in Austin, you may be an excellent candidate. Almost any patient with horizontal forehead wrinkles, vertical wrinkles between the brows, flat or drooping eyebrows, and/or lateral upper eyelid hooding or fullness may be a candidate for a surgical or non-surgical brow lift procedure. Patients will need to have realistic goals for their expected results.

Who is not a good candidate?

To ensure the safest and best results possible, brow lift patients must have all medical problems fully addressed and appropriately managed before proceeding with surgery. Patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, or bleeding and/or blood clotting disorders are not a candidate for forehead lift surgery. If you are a smoker, you are not an ideal candidate.

Recovery from brow lift surgery

After brow lift surgery at Austin Face & Body, a firm dressing will be placed around the forehead to reduce post-operative swelling, and is then left in place for 24 to 48 hours. Antibiotics and analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication may be recommended. Patients can usually return to work in three to five days, and stitches are removed in seven to ten days. 

All information below is based on an average patient, including two standard deviations. Some patients fall outside these descriptions and will have a better or worse recovery than the average patient, for different reasons.

Bruising/Swelling

Interestingly, bruising on a brow lift appears in the most dependent areas. As a result, any bleeding usually collects below the eyelids and bruises the lower lids, even if the lower lids were not operated on. Bruising is usually maximized on the third to fifth day and resolves over two to three weeks. Maximum swelling occurs 48 to 72 hours post-surgery and begins to subside on the fourth or fifth day after surgery.

Pain 

Pain is not typically a significant problem in brow lifts. There is, however, some discomfort and tightness from ear to ear, across the top of the head, and across the brow.

Social Return 

Most patients feel very comfortable in returning to work a few days after an isolated brow lift. The social aspect of it, however, is a different matter. You may have to keep your schedule clear for two to three weeks if you don’t want anyone to notice anything different. The average patient can return to work within ten days with the help of makeup. There may be some mild residual bruising. If bruising is minimal, the return to work and social engagements can be even earlier.

Driving 

You will most definitely need a ride to and from your brow lift surgery. You can resume driving when you are able to drive at the same level you were able to drive at pre-operatively. This is your call. You’ve got to be able to brake and respond quickly, as well as quickly and easily turn to eliminate your blind spot. When these conditions are met, you may resume driving. For most patients, it’s the second or third week post-surgery.

Numbness 

Sensory nerves run close to and within the muscular layer that’s eliminated during a brow lift. As a result, some partial numbness may be present for several weeks post-surgery. Total numbness behind the incision in an open brow lift—whether in the hairline or a standard incision is done—will usually be present for 9 to 12 months post-surgery, or slightly longer in rare instances.

Botox recovery

As with any Botox® injection, a non-surgical Botox brow lift takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and requires just a few injections. Rarely will patients have bruising or swelling, and are simply advised to avoid rubbing the areas injected and strenuous exercise for one day post procedure.

What are scars like after surgery?

Dr. Paul and Dr. Gay perform each forehead and brow lift using the smallest scar possible to allow the most effective results.

Risks and complications

Despite advances in brow lift surgery and a transition to less and less invasive procedures, brow lift complications cannot be completely eliminated. Fortunately, the most common complications of a brow lift are relatively benign. Occasionally, patients may experience hair loss where scars have been placed on the scalp, or numbness of the scalp following a forehead lift. There can also be minor brow asymmetries following a brow lift that resolve over time, require temporary treatment with Botox, or could potentially require minor revision surgery.

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Results and what to expect

The goal with a brow lift is to give a permanent improvement in the transverse lines and frown lines. Gravity will take its toll as aging continues, but portions of the brow lift (with regard to the wrinkle lines in the brow and the frown line area) should never be as severe again, and may return only mildly over the years.

However, once the brow is elevated, it will continue to descend each year, as gravity continues to naturally take hold of the tissue. The average brow elevation patient can expect the effects of the procedure to visibly last at least six to ten years on average. However, when this procedure is coupled with the long-lasting effect of elimination of forehead and frown line wrinkles, the longevity of the brow life appears to be overall extremely long-lasting.

Choose a reputable surgeon

It goes without saying, but don’t trust your face to just anyone. Only plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery should be considered to perform your Austin brow lift or forehead lift surgery. Dr. Sean Paul and Dr. David Gay are both board certified plastic surgeons who offer both advanced and minimally invasive forehead lift surgery, including the indirect and direct brow lift, endoscopic brow lift, and non-surgical Botox brow lift, to patients.

Dr. Sean Paul

Providers who perform a Brow Lift at Austin Face & Body

Schedule a consultation with us

If you’re interested in brow lift in Austin, please schedule a consultation with us at Austin Face & Body. We are an aesthetic plastic surgery practice that brings together top surgeons and innovators from all over the country to Austin, Texas to provide the highest level of patient care. You will receive warm and professional service, attention to detail, outstanding communication, and incredible results. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, please call 512-559-3544 or contact us online.

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