At some point, almost all men and women notice heaviness around the eye area. Sagging, drooping eyelids may be thought the primary problem in many cases. However, board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. John Lee explains to patients that the real culprit is often the brow. With specific technique, brow lift surgery can have a dramatic, positive effect on the appearance of the eyes – and the entire face.
Brow Lift Blepharoplasty & Ptosis Surgery paired with Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty (removal of excess eyelid skin) Surgery or Ptosis (droopy eyelid) Surgery is perhaps the most cosmetically affective procedures for maximum overall visual change. Many patients complain of droopy eyelids when the brow is actually the real issue. There are many techniques for raising the eyebrows in Brow Lift Surgery. Visit Dr. Lee in Bryn Mawr today to discuss your facial cosmetic surgery options. Read more about blepharoplasty and facial cosmetic surgery here, on John Lee, MD, FACS’s blog!
Brow lift surgery lifts the brows and the forehead. Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that focuses on the upper or lower eyelids. This procedure may be appropriate for those who have excess skin on the upper eyelid, but whose brows sit nicely on the forehead. If blepharoplasty is performed when the brows sit low on the forehead, the end result may be unsatisfactory. During your consultation with Dr. Lee, a thorough examination of brow position and skin laxity will help you determine which procedure is right for you. In some cases, the brow lift and blepharoplasty are complementary procedures.
Brow lift surgery may be performed in one of two ways, to either lift the lateral brow or lift the entire forehead, also called an upper facelift. The overall procedure typically takes no more than two hours to complete. Depending on the extent of your procedure, your brow lift may be performed in our Bryn Mawr office with local anesthetic and sedative medication, or in a surgery center. Anesthesia may not put you “out” for your procedure, but you will feel completely comfortable and calm. Any post-operative discomfort that you experience can be managed with pain-relieving medication prescribed by your physician.
Three different methods have been performed by Dr. Lee for his Brow Lift Surgery patients:
Dr. Lee is known for his suture brow lift that he invented over 15 years ago. He was tired of the very invasive nature of the endoscopic method that most surgeons have been performing for many decades. Dr. Lee worked on Bells Palsy, stroke and trauma patients to figure out a method that could lift the brow without having to completely dissect and deplane the forehead skin off the bone. His suture method is effective for moderate amount of lateral brow droop but is not appropriate for patients who desire to lift the entire forehead. The scar is well hidden in the scalp. A suture is passed from the scalp to the lateral brow and back to the scalp and then is tacked to the fascia tissue right under the muscle. This procedure achieves a natural lateral brow lift or arch and lifts the brow tissue that is commonly associated with brow heaviness especially on the outer sides of the upper lids area. This procedure takes approximately one hour and is usually performed in the office setting under local anesthetic injection. The recovery time is usually one to two weeks of swelling, numbness and discomfort. The cost for this less invasive option is $9000. **To achieve long-term results with the browlift surgery, Dr. Lee recommends ongoing Botox treatments to relax/weaken the pull-down muscles around the brows and eyes.
Second, an endoscopic brow lift is effective for elevating the entire forehead. An endoscopic brow lift elevates the entire forehead by lifting the forehead skin off the bone and elevating the entire tissue in a higher position and securing it to the skull/bone. This procedure is considered very invasive and there is very high likelihood of higher hair line, hair loss at incision site and nerve damage due to aggressive dissection to displace the skin off the bone. The procedure takes approximately two hours and is usually performed under general anesthesia in a hospital setting and recovery can take up to 3-6 months. **Dr. Lee no longer performs this method due to the potential high risks & complications associated with this method.
Lastly, a direct brow lift involves making an incision just above the eyebrow and removing an ellipse of tissue. Suturing the wound will result in elevating the eyebrow. Although this method is effective, it leaves a prominent and visible scar and is therefore used on patients who are not concerned about scarring. This procedure is often used for patients with facial paralysis or trauma.
The final outcome from brow lift surgery will become evident over the course of a few weeks. Initially, some swelling and bruising should be expected. This may be managed with gentle compression wrapping recommended by Dr. Lee, or with the periodic application of ice during the first few days after surgery. It is important to be patient with your recovery and to assess results only after swelling has subsided. A follow up visit is scheduled about a week after the brow lift in order to remove sutures, if necessary, and assess the progress of recovery. Within two weeks, most patients are able to fully resume their normal activities. If you want to lift a drooping brow, you have options. Some patients turn to Botox or dermal fillers to rejuvenate the eye area. Because facial aging occurs at a different rate in all people, there is no way to predict whether or not a repeat procedure may be needed years down the line. Ongoing Botox treatment performed by highly experienced and knowledgeable providers like Dr. Lee will maintain your brow lift results. Ongoing Botox treatments will weaken the expression muscles that caused the brows to fall in the first place. Dr. Lee also recommend that patients take good care of their skin and wear sunscreen every day to minimize the effects of sun damage and age, prolonging the results from precision surgical technique. A heavy brow can make you seem angry, tired, and unfriendly. Reveal your true self! Schedule your consultation for brow lift surgery with Dr. John Lee. Want to see our patient’s brow lift results? Please view John Lee, MD, FACS’s Before and After Gallery.
Contact Us! For more information on brow lifts and facial plastic surgery in Bryn Mawr and Philadelphia, please contact us at 610-789-6701 or schedule an appointment. To request a complimentary consult, please fill out our online form. **There is a $100 NON-REFUNDABLE fee for non-revision and $250 NON-REFUNDABLE fee for revision surgery consults. This fee can be applied toward any medspa services within one-year. This fee does not guarantee Dr. Lee will perform the procedure. This fee is for his time and his evaluation. Thank you!
