Brow Lift

Is Brow Lift Recovery Painful?

Beauty woman healthy skin fresh clean beautiful face The upper areas of the face have come into the limelight in the last year and a half. With many people wearing masks when they go out of the home, we’ve become much more aware of how our eyes affect our appearance. Problems like undereye bags make us look tired. Issues with the upper eyelids, such as hooding and heaviness, can make us appear sad or angry. The upper eye area is influenced not only by thinning eyelid tissue but also by the position of the eyebrows on the forehead. This is why a plastic surgeon may recommend a brow lift instead of an eyelid lift. Some of our patients choose a combination of the two.

A brow lift focuses on lifting and repositioning the tissue on the forehead. The procedure can release the muscles that form frown lines and place the brow line back along the upper orbital rim, where it belongs. This procedure smoothes horizontal forehead lines and can also improve the symmetry of the eyebrows. Here, we discuss what patients often want to know about this procedure, what it’s like to recover from a brow lift.

Brow Lift Recovery

Fortunately, the majority of patients who have a brow lift experience very little postoperative pain. The recovery timeframe is 10 to 14 days, but patients can expect comfort to improve significantly within the first week. Patients are advised to set aside the first two days after their brow lift to simply rest and sleep as much as needed. The procedure may be performed with general anesthesia or a local anesthetic and sedation. If general anesthesia is involved, nausea may occur during the early postop phase. The surgical team may be able to recommend an antinausea medication to ease this side effect. A light dressing is placed over the brow area after surgery. Sometimes, the surgeon will place a drain tube to prevent the buildup of excess fluid beneath the skin. These are usually removed in a day or two. Pain is usually minimal after the effects of anesthesia wear off. Patients can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen to manage their comfort.

After brow lift surgery, patients should sleep with the head elevated on two or more pillows. It may be helpful to sleep in a recliner with soft pillows on each side and a neck pillow for support. Elevation helps fluid drain more efficiently away from the surgical site, so can keep swelling and bruising to a minimum. It is possible to shower and wash hair beginning two to three days after surgery. Knowing this, patients should bathe and wash their hair the day before surgery. Strenuous activity must be avoided for a few weeks. The doctor can discuss when normal activities can resume during the post-op visit. This usually occurs about one week after surgery. For the most part, patients generally return to work after two weeks and gradually ease into exercise and other activities three to four weeks post-op.

Some degree of residual swelling and bruising may remain after two weeks. This is typically mild enough to cover with makeup. The final outcome of the brow lift continues to settle in for two to three months. However, patients enjoy beautiful results well before that time.

Learn more about brow lift surgery and what it can do for you. Contact our Cincinnati office at 513.985.0850 for a consultation with Dr. Donna Krummen.

Raise Eyebrows with Your Rejuvenated Appearance

Have you begun to notice that your eyes look different as you’ve gotten older? Have others? Maybe you’re asked more often than you’d like, “are you ok?” When we think of aging, we may consider how creases and wrinkles make us look older. We usually don’t think about the way changing musculature and skin volume might cause the eyebrows to descend over the eyes. This area of the face is not immune from aging. The various tissue-changes that occur can not only cause the eyebrows to droop but usually also cause the face to take on a certain vibe. That could be tired, angry, sad, or worried. None of these perpetual expressions are appealing to most people. A brow lift could be the ideal solution.

What Happens to the Forehead and Brows?

Aging doesn’t just affect the skin; it affects subcutaneous tissue, muscle, and the very bone structure that gives the face a contoured foundation. When it comes to the upper third of the face, there are multiple muscles at play. One set of muscles pulls the eyebrows upward toward. Another pulls them down and together. Each person makes unique facial expressions throughout their life, which results in a particular pattern of upper face creases. Facial expressions may also dictate which part of the brow line droops. In addition to the weakening and contractions of muscles across the forehead, the eyebrows are affected by thinning skin and the loss of volume in the fat pads that plump all areas of the face.

Lifting the Aging Brow Line

In recent years, Botox has become one of the most popular methods of correcting a sagging brow. Nonsurgical lifts are ideal in some cases but they do have their drawbacks. For more impressive results that last for years, some patients choose a surgical brow lift. There are a few common techniques that a surgeon may use.

A coronal brow lift accesses muscle and other tissue through an “open” incision. This runs from ear to ear across the top of the head. The incision sits behind the hair line, where the resulting scar cannot be seen. After making the incision, the surgeon lifts the skin and repositions muscle and fatty tissue to correct laxity. The skin is draped so that the eyebrows sit appropriately along the upper orbital rim, the bony ridge over the eye. Skin is trimmed and incisions are closed.

An endoscopic brow lift is performed through multiple small incisions, also hidden behind the hair line. Through one incision, the surgeon inserts a tube with a camera on the end. This endoscope provides visualization of the surgical field. Through other incisions, tiny instruments are inserted. These reposition muscle and other tissue to correct brow ptosis. Incisions are closed with stitches.

Regardless of technique, brow lift surgery can achieve outstanding results that last many years. To learn more about this procedure, call our Cincinnati office at 513.985.0850.

A Brow Lift May Look Very Different Than You Imagine

Aging affects every part of the face. Usually, we see the signs of aging around the eyes first. When the eyes start to look droopy and heavy, the natural tendency is to use the muscles of the forehead to lift the eyebrows. Doing this makes the eyes appear more open and energetic. We may do all of this without really even thinking about it. Over time, the persistent lifting of the forehead leads to even more lines and creases. To end this vicious cycle, many people think they need a brow or forehead lift. We might disagree.

Brow Lift Surgery

A forehead or brow lift is a surgical procedure in which the brow position is corrected. This upper facelift requires the manual lifting and tightening of the forehead skin and underlying tissue. The loose skin on this part of the face is often referred to as excess. It’s not; it’s just skin that has lost its elasticity and firmness. The appearance of droopiness around the eyes is worsened by a loss of width and fullness in the temple area. Removing tissue does not address this issue.

Dermal Fillers as an Alternative to a Brow Lift

Many people find the idea of nonsurgical facial rejuvenation appealing even though these treatments do necessitate periodic touch-ups. With dermal fillers as a liquid brow lift technique, there is no risk of causing a surprised appearance that cannot be reversed. Using dermal fillers, it also becomes possible to correct the narrowing of the temple that ages the eyes.

Dermal fillers work by increasing the volume of the tissue beneath the skin. Products like Juvéderm achieve this by inserting hyaluronic acid into the dermis where the acid particles bind to water molecules. It’s a simple chemical process that has been proven safe and effective through years of clinical use. To lift the brow line and smooth wrinkles on the forehead, dermal filler is inserted at the temples, along the brow, and directly beneath horizontal creases. The hyaluronic acid is gently massaged to create even, natural-looking volume in the upper face that lasts for up to 12 months.

Refresh your brow and forehead area with proven injectable solutions. Contact our Cincinnati office at 513.985.0850 to schedule your consultation and treatment.

What is Better for a Drooping Brow, Botox or Brow Lift?

Browlift, Cincinnati, OH A drooping brow can dramatically alter the friendly and youthful appearance of the face, and yet this is a problem that gets far less attention than concerns like undereye bags and nasolabial folds. Because the eyes are an area that cannot be hidden at all times, no matter how stylish your sunglasses, there are good reasons to consider how one of the two popular brow lift techniques may help reinstate your freshest face. Here, we discuss what can be achieved with a Botox brow lift and what is possible with a surgical brow lift.

Botox for your Brows

Botox is the injectable drug that is widely known for its ability to erase frown lines and worry lines on the forehead. Botox is also used to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, to upturn the corners of the mouth, and also to decrease visible neck bands. The magic of Botox is its ability to relax muscles that have become tight. The consistency with which most people make facial expressions eventually causes certain muscles to become toned. This is something we like when it happens to our thighs or our stomach, but not so much on the face.

When we inject Botox into the muscles between the eyebrows, the downward, inward pull is released. Botox can also be injected at the outer brow to restore proper height and curvature. What patients tend to appreciate about this approach is that it is:

  • Minimally invasive. A Botox brow lift takes a few injections only. No downtime.
  • To lift the brows with Botox, we need less than 15 minutes in most cases.
  • While there is a need to repeat treatment periodically, patients find the low cost of each Botox session appealing.

The Surgical Brow Lift

A surgical brow lift may be better described as a forehead lift because the procedure addresses tissue from the eyebrows on up to the hairline, including the temple area if necessary. Brow lift surgery used to involve an ear-to-ear incision hidden in the hairline. More frequently, the procedure is now performed endoscopically. An endoscopic brow lift requires a few short incisions made behind the hairline in strategical locations that allow the best access to lift tissue according to facial contours. Brow lift surgery accomplishes more dramatic results than what is possible with Botox and those results last several years.

Improvements achieved with a surgical brow lift include:

  • Reduction or elimination or worry lines, horizontal lines on the forehead.
  • Reduction or elimination of frown lines between the brows.
  • Smoother, tighter appearance of the upper eyelids.
  • Open, younger looking eyes due to a reduction in upper eyelid hooding.
  • Rejuvenated eyes make the face appear friendlier in general.

Learn more about the best brow lift for you. Call our Cincinnati office at 513.985.0850.

Could Cosmetic Treatment be the Key to a Happier New Year?

Facial Rejuvenation Cincinnati, OH For many years now, the question regarding cosmetic improvement and overall happiness has been well-studied. While the only claim that can be made about the various surgical and non-surgical treatments frequently sought today is that they can correct cosmetic concerns, there is mounting evidence that a positive change in appearance can and often does provoke positive emotional change, as well.

In one European study of more than 1,500 patients, some who had undergone elective cosmetic surgery and some who had not, the patients who underwent various procedures self-reported positive psychological and social effects. These patients used terms like “less anxious,” “more attractive,” “whole,” and “healthier” to describe their general feelings after cosmetic surgery.

The European study confirmed findings that had been revealed in a previous study out of Cornell University. In this 2008 study, 95% of participants who had undergone breast lift surgery stated a sensation of improved well-being after their procedure. Patients who had undergone facial cosmetic treatments reported feeling more satisfied with their appearance and less anxious in general. Observation of 105 patients who had undergone various surgical procedures to improve appearance found that the majority of them reported massive improvement in the quality of life, including better relationships and social success, six months after surgery.

Cause and Effect

Numerous studies have indicated that facial expression is the basis for much of human interaction. Just by observing a person’s face, we develop a perception of their character and personality. Research in which images revealing specific facial characteristics were observed confirmed that most people perceive heavy eyelids, drooping brows, and downturned corners of the mouth as unfriendly or angry.  Regardless of the natural cause for these characteristics, facial aging, the effect is that people may be less likely to approach someone who appears angry, tired, and generally unapproachable.

We often assume that facial rejuvenation procedures such as blepharoplasty, brow lift surgery, and even injectable treatments are all about looking younger. Not so. When you visit our Cincinnati office, we can also help you bring more friendliness to your face.

Contact us to learn more about surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation at 513.985.0850.

Is Now the Time to Raise the Bar on your Brow?

Brow Lift Surgery Cincinnati OH Raising the bar. It’s something that a lot of people like to do as often as possible. We might refer to them as Type A personalities; the ones who “get things done.” Raising the bar can mean a lot of things. To us, it means striving for the ultimate quality of service for patients of our Cincinnati cosmetic surgery practice. To our patients, raising the bar means improving an aspect of their appearance that they are no longer satisfied with. One of the common ways to raise the bar on facial appearance is to raise the brow.

The Aging Brow

The loss of collagen does a doozy on the upper parts of the face. And the lower. But what we have seen from recent research is that many people express a substantial increase in satisfaction and confidence when they resolve age-related laxity around the eyes. This may be because it’s incredibly difficult to ignore the way that age changes our very expression. If laxity and gravity work to pull the outermost edges of the brow line down, a person may appear as though she lacks confidence or is perpetually sad. The downward pull of the innermost edges of the brow line sends a person into the realm of unfriendliness or anger. Neither end of this spectrum does much for human interaction, nor for a personal sense of confidence. That is why brow lift surgery is so valuable.

Which Treatment is the Right Treatment for a Sagging Brow?

Seeing the need for change is one thing. The problem that many of our patients have is that they recognize this need, but don’t know what to do about it. With the multitude of non-surgical treatments that are available today, discerning whether or not surgery is needed can be quite difficult. The good news is that, in most cases, there is no rush to schedule a surgical brow lift. If you are starting to notice that your eyes appear heavy and tired, talk with us about treatment options. In many cases, BOTOX and dermal fillers can restore youthfulness to the eyes. It is when these treatments either don’t give you the lift you want, or they do not produce results that last as long as you’d like, when surgery may make the most sense.

Schedule a Consultation

Facial rejuvenation is a very personal journey that we can help you with. To learn more about eyelid rejuvenation, contact our Cincinnati office at 513.985.0850 today.

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Holiday Closure Notice

Our office will be closed beginning on December 23rd through January 2nd. We will re-open on January 3rd.
During our closure, we will have limited hours on December 28th from 10am-3pm for limited patient appointments.
Have a happy and healthy holiday season!

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