As we age, the tissues on the upper face descend and the eyebrows start drooping. Patients often feel they look tired or cross, and a brow lift is a surgical procedure to rejuvenate the brow, opening up the eye area and restoring a more youthful, rested appearance.
There are several types of brow lift procedures. During your consultation with Dr Nick Koutroumanos he will advise you on the optimal approach, considering your current eyebrow position, facial structure, hairline and desired results.
As a qualified Ophthalmologist and triple-fellowship trained Oculoplastic Surgeon, Dr Koutroumanos specialises in treating the forehead and eye area, making him well qualified for performing a natural enhancement of the brow.
Who is an ideal candidate for a brow lift?
A good candidate for a brow lift is experiencing lowered brows or a flattening of the brow’s natural arch. They will typically have loose, elastic skin on the forehead and deep lines across the brow or between the eyebrows.
Typically, patients are aged between 40 and 65, but younger patients that genetically have a lower, heavy brow may benefit from this procedure. A brow lift can also address brow ptosis caused by illness or injury.
As an oculoplastic surgeon, Dr Koutroumanos has extensive knowledge of the structure and features of the upper face, so he can advise you whether a brow lift should be performed in conjunction with a blepharoplasty, known as an eyelid lift.
Types of brow lift
We offer several brow lift techniques:
A browpexy is a minimally invasive procedure to elevate and stabilise the brow. Dr Nick Koutroumanos performs this procedure from within the blepharoplasty incision (a hidden incision within the eyelid fold), using internal sutures to suspend the central and outer portions of the brow to the underlying bone.
Appropriate patient selection is critical to ensure satisfaction post-procedure. It is recommended for patients with drooping of the outer eyelid and brow but no extensive sagging of the brow tissues. It is also often combined with a blepharoplasty to achieve a youthful look on the upper third of the face.
Recovery is usually quick after an internal brow lift. There is typically some bruising and swelling that lasts for approximately two weeks. There is no external scarring.
A pretrichial brow lift offers longevity and versatility. An incision is made just behind the hairline, allowing your surgeon to lift the skin and underlying tissues of the brow and lower the hairline to shorten a high forehead if required.
It is recommended for patients with an intact hairline experiencing moderate to severe brow sagging. It is also an excellent solution for patients with a high hairline, as it can shorten the height of the forehead.
Recovery is similar to a direct brow lift, and you will experience bruising and swelling lasting approximately two weeks. The scar is well hidden when fully healed.
A non-surgical alternative to the brow lift is using muscle relaxing injectables to smooth out forehead lines and create a slight lift to the brow by reducing the pull of the muscles that cause the eyebrows to descend.
A series of tiny injections are made to the brow area. The injections temporarily block nerve signals to our facial muscles, relaxing them and smoothing the dynamic wrinkles across the forehead, between the eyebrows and around the eyes.
The frontalis muscle that applies an upward pull is strengthened by strategically injecting toxin into the depressor muscles, which apply downward force on the eyebrows. The eyebrow arch is lifted into a higher position.
Muscle relaxing injections have been used safely in aesthetic treatments for many years. Any discomfort is managed by applying local anaesthetic numbing cream before your treatment. You can return to normal activities immediately after treatment. The results are temporary and last between three and six months.
Making the decision to proceed with brow lift surgery
During your brow lift consultation, Dr Nick Koutroumanos will carefully explain the risks you must consider and the outcome you can expect before you make an informed decision on whether to proceed with brow rejuvenation. We use photography and mirrors to clearly define your expectations and objectives and only move forward if these are fully aligned with what the procedure can offer.
