Eyebrows are one of the defining features of your face, and if yours aren’t, they should be. Genetics, the aging process, and gravity all play a part in pulling the brow downwards. At The Mack Cosmetic Center in Tampa, FL, we have a way to defy aging, genetics, and gravity with an Endoscopic Brow Lift. This procedure can raise the entire eyebrow area, smooth wrinkles, and help redefine your brows and enhance your facial features.
Are You a Candidate for an Endoscopic Brow Lift?
The Endoscopic Brow Lift is the most popular method used to lift the brows because it is a simple procedure, the incisions are very small and easy to hide, and the recovery process is much quicker than with other methods. Many patients qualify as a candidate for this procedure, but for different reasons.
For some, their goals are simply cosmetic and they want to improve their appearance. For others, their eyebrows have begun to both obstruct their vision and negatively impact their appearance.
Patients With Cosmetic Concerns
Individuals who want to address cosmetic concerns seek out this procedure primarily to lift the brow, but also to the smooth lines and wrinkles on the forehead, and approve their appearance by doing so. If you want to contour your eyebrows, address skin laxity that has resulted from the aging process, smooth lines and wrinkles, and feel more confident about your appearance, you will make a good candidate for a brow lift.
Patients With Functional Concerns
Sometimes the brows begin to droop to the point that they can partially obstruct the vision. Those with drooping brows may feel as though their brows feel heavy and have become one with their upper eyelids. Gravity, genetics, and aging can all work together to cause a drooping brow.
If you are more concerned about the functional aspects of a drooping brow as opposed to cosmetic ones, you are a good candidate for this procedure. As a bonus, those who schedule this procedure to resolve their functional concerns will also get cosmetic benefits.
What Is an Endoscopic Brow Lift?
An Endoscopic Brow Lift is a procedure that lifts the eyebrows to address cosmetic and functional concerns. Not only can it restore clarity by improving the eyesight by pulling the brows upward, but it can also smooth wrinkles and restore youth to the entire eyebrow and surrounding areas.
There are many different methods by which brow lifts are performed, but at The Mack Cosmetic Center, we use the Endoscopic Lift to perform the procedure because of its many benefits.
How Does It Work?
Your Consultation
This process begins with an initial consultation where you will meet with our surgeon to discuss your goals, concerns and learn more about the procedure in general. We will review your health history, analyze your problem areas, and confirm that you are a good candidate for this procedure during this consultation. Then we will schedule your procedure and provide you with a complete list of directives on how you should prepare in the days leading up to your procedure.
Preparing for Your Procedure
It’s important that you follow some directives in the days leading up to your appointment to prepare your body for your procedure. This will help ensure that you get the best results possible. You may be asked to:
- Avoid drinking food or water for a certain amount of time the night before your procedure
- Temporarily avoid tobacco and alcohol
- Avoid using vitamin E supplements
- Avoid blood-thinning supplements and over-the-counter medications
Enlisting Help
You should also have someone who can help you on the day of your procedure since you will need a ride to and from the office. If you plan on washing your hair, do it before your appointment so you won’t have to worry about it after your recovery begins. If you wear contact lenses, do not wear them to your procedure. You can also plan on wearing loose clothing to the procedure to stay as comfortable as possible.
Your Procedure
When you arrive for your appointment, we will administer your anesthesia. Then, your surgeon will create tiny incisions behind your hairline. The endoscope will insert into these tiny incisions to help the surgeon’s accuracy, precision, and progress.
While your hairline will not change as a result of this procedure, your forehead will achieve a more smooth appearance, and your eyebrows will become elevated. You can rest assured that you will look completely natural once your procedure is over, just with an improved appearance.
Your Recovery
Once your procedure is complete, you will begin your recovery. We will provide you with a complete list of directives once the procedure is over so that you know exactly how to take care of your treatment site when you arrive home. The endoscopic process allows for a minimally invasive procedure that will help you heal quickly and enjoy your results that much sooner. You can expect to spend approximately one to two weeks recovering.
You may be asked to:
- Avoid washing your hair for a few days
- Keep your head in an elevated position as directed
- Avoid excess sun exposure
- Avoid lifting, bending, or straining during the first week of your recovery
Frequently Asked Questions
What Causes Drooping Brows?
Both genetics and the aging process can contribute to the development of drooping brows. As your age, your body produces less collagen and elastin, two proteins that are essential for youthful skin.
At the same time, facial muscles begin to lose their tone, which combined with skin laxity, also known as loose skin, can give gravity even more of an advantage. As your skin begins to droop, it begins to fall down towards your eyes and eyebrow area and can start to cover the eyelids leading to vision impairment and wrinkles.
Lines and Wrinkles
Additionally, repetitive expressions over time like eyebrow-raising and frowning can further advance the signs of aging in this area and contribute to the formation of lines between the eyebrows, also known as glabellar lines. Glabellar lines, or frown lines, can make you look old or angry. In addition, eyebrow-raising as a way to lift the brow subconsciously can lead to deep forehead lines and wrinkles.
How Long Can I Expect My Results to Last?
Once you undergo a brow lift, you can expect the results to last ten years or longer. Results do vary among patients based on the severity of their condition at the time of their treatment. When you come in for your initial consultation, we can provide you with a better idea of what kind of results you can expect based on your problem areas and your procedure.
Can an Eye Lift Resolve My Brow Concerns?
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, effectively addresses drooping and sagging eyelids on both upper and lower eyelids. However, eyelid surgery does not address the brow, and often those who undergo this procedure are still left with a heavy and drooping brow. If your brow is beginning to droop, then the brow is the primary problem. If that’s the case, a brow lift is a procedure that will help correct this issue and help restore your youthful appearance.
Will I Look Different Post-Procedure?
The goal of this procedure is not to make you look like a different person. It’s not to make you look unnatural or plastic. The goal is to restore your facial structure to what it once was by lifting the brow and smoothing the lines and wrinkles often associated with this issue. Our goal is to make you look like yourself, just improved, younger, and restored.
When Will I See Results?
Your results will be evident immediately, but you will not notice the final outcome of the procedure until the healing process is complete. For most, this occurs within a couple of weeks of their procedure. You will see an immediate difference in the appearance of your brow and the surrounding area, which will look and feel more youthful.
What About Botox?
Botox can temporarily smooth frown lines and forehead lines, and while it is often used to lift the brows, it can fail to correct the severely drooping brows. Patients who can’t find the results they’re looking for from neurotoxins like Botox or other similar products make good candidates for this procedure because not only does it address the root cause of a drooping brow, but it also delivers long-lasting results.
Botox works on a muscular level and temporarily impairs communication between the muscles and nerve signals. Still, this procedure will pull the skin up so that you get long-lasting results that last for a decade or longer, not just three to four months. Many patients continue to use Botox to further complement their skincare regime after undergoing this procedure to obtain the most youthful appearance possible.
Will I Have to Plan on an Overnight Stay?
All of our procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. When you schedule your procedure, you can expect to return home the same day and sleep in your own bed. This is one of the advantages of this procedure; you won’t have to plan around a hospital stay or lengthy recovery outside your home.
How Long Before I Can Apply Makeup?
After undergoing this procedure, you can typically wear makeup three weeks after your procedure. This will help protect the incisions and the surrounding area from any product that could cause irritation.
When Can I Begin My Skincare Routine Again?
You can wash your face shortly after your procedure as long as you avoid getting the sutures wet. We will provide you with complete instructions on how to carefully wash your face after your procedure so that you can keep your skin clean and fresh without affecting the healing process. Regarding facials and other skincare treatments, you can resume your skincare routine within three to four weeks after your procedure.
Can I Combine Procedures?
During your initial consultation with Dr. Mack, he will evaluate your brow and any other problem areas you would like to address. Once he confirms you are a good candidate for this particular procedure, he can review other procedures with you as well.
Rejuvenate Your Entire Appearance
If a drooping brow has made you feel self-conscious about your appearance or has begun to impede your vision, we have a solution that can help you feel more like your younger self again. Contact us today at The Mack Cosmetic Center in Tampa, FL, to schedule your initial consultation and find out more about this effective procedure and how it can rejuvenate your face.