The brow and forehead lift is one of the most popular aesthetic facial plastic surgeries worldwide. It is a fact that the position and shape of the eyebrows are vital, both in women and men, and represent a feature synonymous with youth and attractiveness.
Additionally, the shape and size of the forehead determine masculinity or femininity and play a significant role in the overall facial proportions. Ideally, the forehead should occupy an equal third of the face, just like the midface and lower third.
In men, we generally expect an increase in forehead size over the years due to the hairline shifting backward, while in women, a disproportionately large forehead gives more masculine features, which, combined with sagging in the lower part of the face, contributes over time to a more pronounced inverted triangle appearance.
Finally, forehead wrinkles give an expression of fatigue and sadness, which is a multifactorial process that occurs over the years due to drooping eyebrows and eyelids. Thanks to advances in aesthetic surgery, all of the above can now be corrected with a good forehead lift by a plastic surgeon.
What can a brow and forehead lift offer you?
The lifting of the eyebrows and forehead carries equal importance to the lifting of the rest of the face and should not be overlooked. This can be performed individually or together with a face lift, with the specific technique chosen based on the issue at hand.
There is no age restriction, as the position and shape of the eyebrows are affected by aging but are mainly determined by anatomical and genetic factors. Thus, we increasingly see younger individuals seeking a forehead and brow lift to achieve a better eyebrow arch and a more elevated eye angle, known as cat eye and foxy eye.
Besides the eyebrow, some forehead lift techniques can significantly lower the hairline to achieve a real improvement in facial proportions (hairline advancement).
Finally, forehead and brow lifting significantly impacts the appearance of the upper eyelids, greatly improving sagging and ptosis, and some extended forehead lift techniques can also enhance the midface.
Brow lift and forehead lift techniques
There is a wide variety of procedures that can be applied within the scope of forehead and brow lifting. The procedures that I have established and routinely perform are the following:
- Endoscopic forehead and brow lift (Endo brow lift)
- Open forehead lift with hairline advancement (Hairline advancement forehead lift)
- Mini temporal lift
- Gliding forehead lift (Gliding Brow lift)
- Direct brow lift
Below we will analyze each specific method, when each is appropriate for a given case, and what results they can offer you if chosen.
Show off your confidence.
Brow and face lifting is tailored to your individual needs, respecting the physiology and aesthetics of your body.
Endoscopic forehead lift
The endoscopic forehead lift is a “gold standard” and can be performed either alone or in combination with other lifts, such as deep plane face lifting. The major advantage of this method is that it leaves no visible scars, is performed with the aid of an endoscopic camera in a subperiosteal bloodless plane, and can be modified or extended to include the midface (extended endoscopic brow lift or ponytail lift).
It has a very significant impact on the position and shape of the eyebrows, the eye angle, and the upper eyelid; however, it does not change the hairline nor shorten the height of the forehead.
This specific forehead lift is usually performed under general anesthesia, does not require an overnight stay in the clinic, and recovery is relatively easy. The high precision of the procedure and the long-lasting results are what make this method timeless and fully reliable.
Open forehead lift
The open forehead lift is also a well-established method that has the advantage of being able to lower the hairline and shorten the forehead while simultaneously lifting the eyebrow arch.
The disadvantage of this method, however, is the scar along the hairline at the upper part of the forehead. This scar is temporary and disappears after a few months. In some cases, when necessary, interventions on the orbital and forehead bones can also be performed.
This forehead lift method is performed either under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation and does not require an overnight stay in the clinic.
Mini temporal lift
The mini temporal lift is a smaller variation of the open lift, with more limited incisions located either hidden within the temples or along the hairline on both sides of the forehead. It is performed almost exclusively under local anesthesia and is a short-duration, minimally invasive procedure.
It exclusively targets the lifting of the outer part of the eyebrow and improvement of the arch. Variations of the procedure allow us to also address the eye angle, including canthopexy or lifting of the outer portion of the upper eyelid and eye area.
Gliding brow lift
The Gliding Brow Lift is a relatively new technique and is essentially a variation of the mini temporal lift, with the difference that it leaves no visible scars.
It is based on subcutaneous skin detachment and new support with external sutures in a new position, using the haemostatic net technique. The advantage of this method is that it leaves no marks and provides results comparable to the temporal lift.
The longevity of this technique has not been extensively tested over time; however, initial studies show that it lasts for more than 7 years.
See your gaze renewed
With FaceTouchUp, you can see for free how your face will look after a brow and forehead lift simply by uploading a photo. Explore the before-and-after easily and quickly, before making any decision.
Direct brow lift
Finally, the direct brow lift is a technique that is more suitable for men, who due to hair loss do not have a location to adequately hide the scars of a forehead lift.
It is performed under local anesthesia with an incision just above the upper edge of the eyebrows, where a sufficient amount of skin is removed to lift the entire brow and upper eyelid.
The advantage is the simplicity of the method and the relatively well-hidden scar; however, it cannot correct the eye angle or lift the temples, as the other techniques can.
Recovery after forehead lift
Recovery after a forehead lift depends on the type of technique used. In general, stitches are removed after 5–7 days, along with the dressing. Bruising can range from minimal to none, and moderate bruising of the upper eyelids is rare.
The scar marks are either hidden within the hair from the start or take a few months to become almost invisible along the hairline. Rarely, there may be temporary mild forehead muscle dysfunction due to frontal nerve weakness, which resolves within a few days to a few weeks.
If you are interested in learning more about forehead lifting in Thessaloniki, contact us!
Forehead lift results
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The forehead lift technique with the shortest recovery time
Dr. Prodromos Papaioannou
He completed his specialization in plastic surgery in Germany, at Pirmasens Hospital, at the Asklepios Wandsbek hospitals in Hamburg, at the University Hospital of Magdeburg, and at the Braunschweig Clinic. He worked as a specialist-deputy director at the Braunschweig Clinic (specializing in breast reconstruction after cancer and aesthetic surgery). He also participated in scientific research and completed his doctoral dissertation (Dr. Med.) at the Magdeburg Clinic.