Endoscopic forehead lift and endoscopic brow lift

A forehead lift, also sometimes referred to as a brow lift entails the stretching of skin into the hairline to eliminate brow furrows and raise the eyebrows. This often results in a more wide-awake, youthful look. It is especially beneficial for individuals whose eyebrows or furrows give them a chronic angry, tired or sad facial expression.

There are basically two types of forehead lifts available: the classic forehead lift and the endoscopic forehead lift. The classic forehead lift is much more surgically invasive and involves a full incision made across the top of the hairline. The endoscopic forehead lift involves the use of a wand with an endoscope that allows the plastic surgeon to only make small incisions and pull up the skin through a few well-targeted spots. In both cases the scars from the incisions are concealed beneath the hairline.

If you do not have a hairline to conceal the incisions beneath because you are bald, then the plastic surgeon will probably use endoscopic surgery and find some other way to conceal or minimize the appearance of the incision. If you are bald or have thinning hair, your surgeon may recommend a mid-scalp incision so that the scar is hidden in the natural seams where bone plates meet in your skull.

A forehead lift can be performed on anyone, but it is usually not necessary for anyone younger than forty. If you have extreme furrowing between the brows due to squinting or other factors, a forehead lift can help give you a less strained looking appearance.

The ideal candidate for a forehead lift is one that has high self-esteem, a positive attitude and no history of depression or mental illness. As with any type of major plastic surgery, you will not be considered to be a good candidate for a forehead lift if you have a history of psychological instability or are suffering from an autoimmune disorder.

The operation is also commonly performed in conjunction with a face-lift or eyelid surgery. Sometimes a forehead lift is all that a patient needs to correct skin drooping over the eyelids so if you have pouches hanging above your eyes try getting a forehead lift first to correct the situation.

Like all plastic surgery, a forehead lift can come with complications. Complications that are specific to a forehead lift by be an injury to the nerves in the eyebrows or forehead thus limiting your facial expressions. If you are a smoker or have a history of not healing well you also run the risk of ending up with a broad flat scar that is not concealed by the hairline. This type of problem might be corrected after the surgery with dermabrasion or some other type of scar removal technique.

In your initial consultation with your plastic surgeon he will be sure to go through this and other risks so that you are understand what the potential side effects are in your particular case. Your surgeon will help you decide which surgical approach will best achieve your cosmetic goals: the classic or the endoscopic forehead lift. He might also suggest that you grow out your hair so there is a place to hide the incision scars.

This is usually an outpatient procedure done under local anesthesia. A sedative or twilight anesthesia might also be administered to calm you down.

If you are getting a classic forehead lift your hair will be tied up and hair over the incision area will be trimmed. The incision will stretch from one ear up along the forehead and across the hairline to the other ear. The plastic surgeon then lifts the skin of the forehead, trims it and then closes the wound with stitches or clips.

If you are getting an endoscopic forehead lift the plastic surgeon will make up to five small incisions (less than an inch in length) from the ear. An endoscope is inserted through one of the incisions, allowing the surgeon to have a clear view of the muscles and tissues beneath the skin. He will then use the images he sees on a television monitor to guide his scalpel to the appropriate areas to remove excess flesh. These wounds are then closed with stitches or temporary screws.

After either operation it is quite common for people to experience numbness along the hairline. You may also be more prone to migraines and headaches than usual. The area may also itch. Any swelling that appears over the eyes and cheeks usually disappears within a few days.

Most people who have a forehead lift are back to work within ten days. However you may not be able to wash your hair for about two weeks. The scars from this relatively simple operation usually disappear in one to three weeks which is also about the time that doctors say it is okay for women to wear foundation make up again.

Although a forehead lift does not reverse the hands of time it can definitely make you appear better rested, relaxed and youthful.