One of the most common requests we hear is "for the outward appearance to reflect the more youthful energy I feel inside." Many patients want to eliminate a tired or "angry" look in the brow area. Some want to elevate a "saggy" eyebrow over the upper eyelids and improve sagging in the lower eyelids. Other patients want to lower or maintain the same brow position but eliminate the frown lines between the eyes. Most of all, patients that want improvement in the brow area want to be reassured that they will not have a "surprised look."

An endoscopic browlift is performed to restore a more naturally youthful appearance and less fatigued look while maintaining or improving visual function. Many men and women are increasingly seeking browlift surgery to restore a younger look that softens frown lines and the perception of scowling.

"How do you determine if I need a browlift or just upper eyelid blepharoplasty (eyelid lift)." Depending on the position of the brow, a patient may need only a browlift, only upper eyelid lift (blepharoplasty) or a combination of both these procedures. (This and many more questions are addressed more thoroughly in our Browlift FAQs.)

Frequently patients ask us to explain the difference between an endoscopic browlift and a traditional forehead lift. Along with the advantage of smaller incisions, browlifts performed endoscopically have less chance of infection, fewer sensation changes (less numbness and itching), less wound care and fewer side effects following surgery. Also, with endoscopic browlifts there is no compromise to the hair. Not all surgeons are experienced in endoscopic browlifts. When evaluating a facial plastic surgeon, it's important to ask not just how many browlifts he or she has done - but, how many endoscopic browlifts have they performed.

A board certified facial plastic surgeon, trained to perform cosmetic surgery exclusively on faces, knows that his responsibility is to evaluate not only the areas of concern but also the motivation behind the requests. It goes without saying, a browlift won't save a failing marriage. Similarly some patients not ready for facial plastic surgery are better served with conservative measures, such as Botox for fine lines and wrinkles or Restylane for crows feet. Patients who educate themselves about facial plastic surgery know when and if the time is right to proceed for a procedure such as an endoscopic brow lift.

When discussing plastic surgery procedures the best place to start is by looking at before and after to see just what can be accomplished. As you will see in the photos, patients frequently ask to combine a browlift with a facelift or midface lift to elevate "laugh lines" from their downward position and achieve a smoother contour of the jowl area. This reduces jowling in the chin and neck area. One benefit of a simultaneous face lift is the ability to perform liposuction to obtain fat for patients who desire fat injections. The most common request combines blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) for improvements in bags under the eye lids with browlift. Chin implants, cheek implants, rhinoplasty (nasal surgery), otoplasty (ear surgery) and lip augmentation surgery can also be performed with a browlift.

Many patients seek information about improving superficial skin wrinkles. Although some improvement in facial wrinkles can be obtained from a browlift, it will not address all the superficial lines that come from premature aging, overexposure to weather and genetics. Browlifts address drooping brows; chemical peel and skin resurfacing address textural wrinkles and imperfections.

At your initial consultation, your board certified plastic surgeon will evaluate the bony and soft tissue architecture as well as the form and function of the head and neck. An overall assessment of the face provides the basis for what one may expect from a browlift. Skin type, ethnic background and age, along with the degree of deformity and function are important factors influencing the outcome of an operation.

As with all facial plastic surgery, a thorough health assessment and realistic expectations are prerequisites. Your understanding of cosmetic procedures and preoperative and postoperative routines is essential to a successful final result.

Copyright 2010 Quatela Center for Plastic Surgery