Browlift San Francisco
The eyebrows can tell a lot about a person. Although a seemingly subtle feature of the face, the eyebrows play a meaningful role in communicating whether a person is happy or sad, carefree or worried, or calm or angry. In addition to conveying emotions, the position of the eyebrow can give a suggestion of someone’s age or how tired they are. Heavy, drooping eyebrows can push down on the upper eyelids making the eyes appear smaller and more fatigued. Laxity, descent, and loss of volume of the facial soft tissues cause the brows to sit lower on the brow bone. For many, the beautiful “sparkle” of the eyes they once knew in their youth becomes hidden by excess skin folds and the weight of the forehead skin. The natural delicate arch of the lateral brow thereby becomes obscured.
What can a browlift do for me?
A browlift is an excellent procedure for improving any of the following conditions:
- Heavy, lowset eyebrow position
- Angry, tight, or worried looking eyebrow position
- Redundant upper eyelid skin, that is worsened by the descent of the brows
- Asymmetric brows
- Deep horizontal forehead furrows
Endoscopic Brow lift
The endoscopic brow lift is a minimally invasive technique using highly specialized cameras, magnifying telescopes and long-handled instruments to perform your surgery in a precise manner through very small incisions. Freeing the soft tissue ligaments around the eyebrows and weakening the muscles that usually pull the eyebrows down puts the eyebrows in a more relaxed and elevated, yet natural-appearing position. Most patients are good candidates for an endoscopic brow lift.
Hairline Incision (Trichophytic) Browlift
The trichophytic or hairline incision browlift is excellent for patients with very tall foreheads and high hairlines. A high forehead is not preferred by most people, both men and women, since it suggests hairline recession or hair loss, and advanced age.The major advantage of the trichophytic approach is that the hairline can be lowered. With meticulous technique and tiny stitches, the incision typically heals very well and is rarely noticed by others.
Mini or Lateral Browlift
The lateral browlift is a modification of the endoscopic browlift. Small incisions are made in the temple region behind the hairline. The corners of the brow are gently elevated with this technique. This establishes the pleasantly arched shape of the eyebrow for a woman.
With Dr. Chiu-Collins’s intimate understanding of the facial structure and anatomy, she is able to restore for her patients the refreshed and healthy appearance of their eyes— all while aiming to achieve only the most natural look.
Am I a candidate for browlift or forehead lift surgery?
Every person’s anatomy is different. Gender, skin laxity, skin texture, hairline, forehead height, brow shape and brow position are just a few things that determine candidacy for a particular browlift procedure. If you are interested in a facial analysis and an assessment of your candidacy for surgical browlifting, we invite you to our office for a consultation with Dr. Chiu-Collins. She will custom-formulate a plan that is unique to only you, and take the time to help you understand the issues, rationale, pros/cons, and expected recovery.
Browlift or Forehead Lift Surgery
Browlift surgery lasts anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on what needs to be done. Browlifts are usually performed under IV sedation, or general anesthesia. They can even be performed under local anesthesia in the right patient. Browlifts may be performed during the same surgical sitting as other complimenting procedures, like eyelid surgery, facelift or fat transfer. The decision for anesthesia is based on patient preference, health status, and the duration of surgery.
Recovery from Browlift or Forehead Lift Surgery
The first 2 days are typically spent with the patient taking it easy at home. The more extensive the surgery, the more time is needed for recovery. Bruising and swelling may last for several days and most patients can return to work by 7-10 days. Soreness and swelling may be worse in the morning, and are significantly reduced by sleeping with the head of bed elevated on extra pillows. Pain relievers help with post-operative soreness.
Always A Team Approach
When you come in for your consultation, Dr. Chiu-Collins will walk you through every step of the process, from education and facial analysis, to pretreatment instructions, the treatment itself, and what to expect afterwards.
If you’re interested in learning more about Browlift or Forehead Lift, call or email Union Square Facial Plastic Surgery for a consultation: 415-702-3000, info@unionsquareFPS.com