Forehead Lift

People whose eyebrow level descends as they age, and those whose eyebrows are structurally low, are candidates for such operations. Some patients come with the complaint of heaviness only in the upper eyelid, but on examination it may be found that the problem is due to low eyebrows. In such patients, performing eyelid surgery without addressing the eyebrows may shorten the brow-eye distance even further and give an inadequate aesthetic result.

Many techniques have been described for brow lifting. The shape and position of the eyebrows, the patient's anatomical structure and the patient's wishes determine which method will be chosen.

In patients who want to reduce the heaviness at the corner of the eye and slightly lift the tails of the eyebrows, filler may be sufficient.

In somewhat more advanced cases, thread suspensions can be performed. The eyebrows are suspended with threads passed through the hair, but long-lasting results should not be expected from such procedures.

A more lasting technique for lifting the tails of the eyebrows and reducing the heaviness at the corners of the eyes is the temporal lift procedure. In this method it is carried out through a short incision made within the hair-bearing scalp.

Forehead lift procedures can be performed in people whose forehead skin has loosened, whose horizontal forehead wrinkles have increased, whose eyebrow level has descended and whose brow-eye distance has narrowed. The forehead lift is most often carried out through short incisions made within the hair and with the help of an endoscope (camera). The whole forehead, the eyebrows and the corners of the eyes are released from beneath the bone membrane (periosteum). This procedure is called a subperiosteal endoscopic forehead lift. After the release, fixation to the skull bones is performed. During the endoscopic forehead lift, if deemed necessary, the muscles that allow us to frown are also cut, and frowning can be stopped permanently. This is the most effective and lasting method for forehead lift and brow lift.

During upper eyelid operations, the eyebrow can be suspended upwards by entering through the incision in the eyelid. This method may be preferred especially in male patients whose hair has fallen out.

As in all operations, in brow lift/forehead lift surgery it is necessary to stop aspirin and smoking 3 weeks before the operation. In the last 1 week it is necessary to stay away from medicines and similar substances that may thin the blood.

Things that should not be used:

Painkillers such as Apranax, Voltaren, Vermidon (when a painkiller is needed, Minoset, Novalgin can be used),

Multivitamin pills containing substances such as ginseng, ginkgo biloba, coenzyme Q,

Herbal products such as green tea, flaxseed, cherry stalk, tomato seed

All slimming products

Brow suspensions and temporal lift procedures can be carried out under local anaesthesia. The endoscopic forehead lift procedure, on the other hand, is carried out in an operating theatre setting, under general anaesthesia or deep sedation.

Brow suspensions take about 30 minutes, a temporal lift 1 hour and an endoscopic forehead lift about 1-1.5 hours. The operation takes 1-2 hours depending on the procedure to be performed.

Suspension procedures and temporal lift are painless. After endoscopic forehead lift procedures patients may feel a sense of tightness and pain, but this can easily be controlled with painkillers.

Suspension procedures are most often carried out in office conditions and patients can go home immediately. Three hours after temporal and forehead lift procedures, the patient can eat and get up. Usually the patient is discharged from hospital after 6 hours. The patient frequently has an elastic bandage on the forehead. The next day the bandage is removed and the patient can shower. Swelling and bruising are not expected after brow suspensions and temporal lift procedures. However, after endoscopic forehead lifts there is swelling around the eyes and this may sometimes last 20 days. As after all facial operations, after brow and forehead lift procedures the patient needs to protect themselves from direct sun for 3 months.

The most important problem with brow suspensions is that their duration of effect is short. Long-lasting swelling after an endoscopic forehead lift may worry patients, but this is also temporary. After forehead and temporal lifts there may be temporary paralysis of eyebrow movements. Although rare, permanent eyebrow paralysis may occur. When such a problem arises, an attempt is made to create symmetry by applying filler to the other side. Problems such as over-elevation and asymmetry of the eyebrows may also be encountered.

The effect of brow suspensions may last 1-2 years depending on the thickness of the skin and the level of the eyebrows. The results of the temporal lift procedure last longer, but there is some descent in those with thick and heavy skin. The results of endoscopic forehead lift procedures, on the other hand, are permanent.