Many people have heard of a brow lift, but not browpexy. Though they sound similar, the two procedures are not the same. A brow lift is used to reposition the skin and soft tissues of the forehead and brow to diminish forehead wrinkles and sagging of the brow. Creases and furrows between eyebrows can also be addressed with a brow lift. Browpexy simply raises the patient’s eyebrows to make them more aesthetically pleasing, but has no effect on the forehead.
Browlift
There are several techniques for performing a brow lift, including endoscopic, coronal, pretrichial, mid-forhead, and direct. Each technique has specific indications, benefits, and risks. In the endoscopic browlift, the surgeon makes four to six tiny incisions within the patient’s hairline and inserts an endoscope. This is a rigid tube equipped with a light and a camera that connects with a monitor that helps guide the surgeon. Other miniaturized surgical instruments are placed within the other incisions to allow the physician to work within a pocket created beneath the skin and muscle of the forehead and brow using the endoscope for visualization. The surgeon then repositions and suspends the skin and soft tissues of the forehead and brow to reduce wrinkles, furrows, and brow hooding. There is typically very little skin that is removed in an endoscopic brow lift. This procedure simply repositions and suspends the forehead and brow to a higher position.
The other brow lift techniques involve longer incisions that allow undermining the skin and soft tissues of the forehead and brow. In the coronal brow lift, the incision is made across the top of the head. In the pretrichial brow lift, the incision is made within the edge of the frontal hairline. In the midforehead brow lift, the incision is made within a natural forehead crease. In the direct brow lift, the incision is made along the top edge of the brow. These procedures are especially useful in reducing horizontal lines in the forehead, while elevating the position of the brow. The surgeon removes a trip of skin and muscle that’s about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide then sutures the free edges back together. The benefit of these excisional brow lift procedures is that they involve removal of excess, redundant skin and may provide a longer lasting result.
Brow lift procedures can be performed very safely using local anesthesia with, or without, some light sedation. The procedure typically takes 30-60 minutes of procedure time, depending on technique. Visible signs of surgery (bruising and swelling) typically resolve within 1-2 weeks. Most people can return to normal activities within 1 week.
Browpexy
Browpexy is often done in conjunction with a cosmetic surgery called upper eyelid blepharoplasty, which is done to remove sagging or puffiness from around the upper eyelid. In browpexy, the area above the eyelid is raised, and the eyebrow is fastened with internal sutures to a place a little higher than the brow ridge. In a variant of the treatment, the eyebrow is held on a device that is implanted into the brow ridge. Both types of browpexy give the patient a fresh, youthful and alert aspect.
Browpexy is an outpatient procedure that is performed under local anesthesia. The procedure takes about a half an hour or so. As with most cosmetic surgeries, the patient should have someone drive them home and stay with them overnight to make sure there are no complications. Complications with browpexy are rare.
The recovery from browpexy is a bit shorter than the recovery period from a brow lift. During your consultation the doctor will review your desired outcome and discuss which procedure is right for you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!
