When it comes to plastic surgery, we’ve come a long way in terms of both safety and results in recent years. Once, invasive procedures and “cookie cutter” results were the standard. Today, new techniques and surgical approaches developed in the last few decades are creating more natural-looking outcomes. Many procedures can be customized to exactly suit the patient’s needs. One example of this is the forehead lift or brow lift, which has evolved a lot with the development of new tools and surgical methods. These days, there are several different forehead lift techniques that a surgeon may recommend, depending on the situation.
Here’s your guide to the different approaches to brow lifting so you can know what to expect during your procedure.
What is a Forehead Lift?
Like other lifting procedures, brow lift or forehead lift surgery is performed to make the patient look younger. With age, the brow starts to droop and sag. By lifting the tissues and tightening the skin of the forehead, surgeons can create a refreshed and youthful appearance. The brow is often one of the earliest areas to show signs of aging, making the brow lift a popular first plastic surgery for some patients.
The different forehead lift techniques vary in terms of invasiveness and results. Some approaches are more in-depth and create more scars but may lift the brow a little higher overall. Less invasive approaches carry fewer risks, but may not create dramatic results. Let’s take a look at the different options patients have for brow lift approaches.
Endoscopic Forehead Lift
This approach is the least invasive of the forehead lift techniques. Several small incisions are made in the hairline in order to conceal any scarring. Through these incisions, the surgeon inserts a small, flexible tube with a camera attached, a device known as an endoscope. This camera allows the doctor to have the visibility that is necessary to lift the brow. Though the incisions are usually less than an inch long apiece, the surgeon will be able to manipulate the tissues and tighten and lift the forehead. This technique allows for faster healing, natural-looking results, and fewer complications overall.
Temporal or Limited Incision Forehead Lift
The limited incision method is slightly more in-depth than the endoscopic lift. It is often used when the patient wishes to combine a brow lift with eyelid surgery. Incisions about one inch in length are made in the hairline at each temple. The surgeon then tightens and lifts the brow tissues. This is a less invasive procedure than the classic forehead lift, but not nearly as popular as the endoscopic method.
Open Forehead Lift
This is often known as a “traditional” or “coronal” brow lift. While it used to be the only option available, it has begun to fall out of favor. This is because out of all the forehead lift techniques, the open approach involves the largest incision. Only one incision is made, but it extends across the entire forehead. Placement varies, sometimes behind the hairline and sometimes in the middle of the brow. This technique gives the surgeon excellent visibility and access to lift the brow, but there are major downsides. Recovery takes longer and complications are more likely to develop due to the invasive incision.
Which Technique is Best?
Today, the endoscopic approach is the most popular of the three forehead lift techniques. While it doesn’t produce quite the amount of lift as the classic forehead lift, the results are still excellent. In fact, the results of an endoscopic forehead lift tend to look more subtle and natural than the results of an open lift. Scarring is less of a concern and patients are less likely to experience long-term numbness and other side effects. In rare cases, one of the other two approaches may be a better fit for a patient’s needs, however.
Dr. Buckingham almost exclusively uses the endoscopic method for his brow lift patients. His years of experience allow him to lift the brow enough to meet patients’ goals while cutting down on recovery time. Patients look rested, youthful, and relaxed once they have healed from endoscopic forehead lift surgery.
Design Your Ideal Forehead Lift
Great forehead lift results start with a board-certified plastic surgeon. If you’ve started to notice sagging and wrinkling in the brow area, then it might be time to meet with expert facial plastic surgeon Dr. Edward Buckingham in Austin, TX to discuss your expectations. Dr. Buckingham customizes each forehead lift procedure to meet his patients’ individual needs and will be able to advise you on the best treatment plan for meeting your goals. To schedule a consultation so you can start designing your ideal procedure, call Buckingham Center at 512.401.2500 today.
