Traditional Brow Lift

Incorporating an incision running along the top of the head, or at the hairline, dissection of the forehead tissues to the upper eyes is performed, and the tissues are elevated towards the crown of the head.  Excess tissue is then trimmed, and the incision closed.  This approach offers dramatic results to the forehead and eyebrow regions.

Endoscopic Brow Lift

Using small incisions along the hairline, a camera is used to assist in dissection of the same tissues as in the traditional procedure.  The tissues are similarly elevated and affixed.  An endoscopic brow lift can be used to address both forehead and eyebrow rejuvenation.

Lateral Brow Lift

This approach uses an incision in a patient’s temporal hairline in order to dissect towards the lateral eyebrow.  The outer one-third to one-half of the eyebrow is then elevated and repositioned for a more youthful appearance.  This approach does not affect a patient’s forehead region.

Eyebrow Pexy

Often used in conjunction with an upper eyelid lift, a minimally drooped eyebrow can be repositioned using the same incision that is used to remove the excess skin in a upper eyelid lift. This approach will not affect a patient’s forehead region.

Initial discomfort from a browlift will last for approximately a week, but most people can return to work in a few days.  Swelling and bruising to the forehead and eyes may occur, and can be treated with cold compresses in the first few days after surgery.  It is also important that one maintains their head elevated while sleeping, by placing one or two extra pillows underneath their head and neck.

Patients are seen in the office within a week of surgery to assess healing, and to remove any sutures.  Final results will take weeks to months from the surgery, as swelling and bruising resolve, and scars begin to fade.

We believe in being preemptive to avoid any risks associated with surgery, but occasionally the following may occur:

Numbness: Some patients will have temporary numbness of their forehead and scalp.  This usually resolves spontaneously in a matter of weeks, but in rare instances, this can be permanent.

Poor Cosmesis: This includes asymmetries between the right and left eyes; additionally, the incisions may have poor wound healing with a widened scar, irregularity of the scar contour, or partial wound separation.  This may require additional surgery to correct.

Alopecia: When an incision is made into the hairline, some of the hair follicles may be irreversibly damaged, resulting in a small area of hair loss along the edges of the scar.

Infection:  A brow lift has a small risk of infection, but if one occurs, it may require oral, or intravenous, antibiotics.

Can I have just a brow lift, or do I have to have a facelift too?

Each procedure targets a different part of the face for rejuvenation.  A brow lift offers a change to the upper face – the forehead and eyebrows.  It can help smooth wrinkles, and reposition tissues into a more elevated, and youthful position.  A facelift aims at improving the mid-face – the cheeks and lower eyes, as well as the lower face –the jawline to create a shapelier contour.

Will I have that “surprised” look?

One of the keys to a successful aesthetic surgery procedure is proper preoperative counseling and results expectations.  Dr. Castillo encourages a thorough conversation to detail the goals you wish to obtain with surgery in order to avoid an unwanted brow lift result.