A brow lift, otherwise known as a forehead lift, is a cosmetic procedure proudly offered at The Mack Cosmetic Center in Tampa, FL. It is one of our most popular anti-aging procedures because the upper face is one of the first areas to reveal signs of aging. Today, we are taking a closer look at this procedure, including what results you can expect, to help you decide if it is right for you.
What Should You Expect From a Brow Lift?
There is a wide range of benefits you can turn to a brow lift for. Sometimes, people get this procedure to improve their peripheral vision because drooping eyebrows can decrease the field of view significantly. However, it is usually used to reverse the signs of aging. For example, forehead folds and other upper face lines will be smoothed out. Furthermore, excess skin and fat can be excised.
Other Frequently Asked Questions Answered
How Should I Prepare for My Procedure?
The most important preparation step you will need to take prior to surgery is to attend an initial consultation with a board-certified surgeon. During this consultation, we will advise you on all of the preparation steps you will need to take to ensure that your procedure and recovery go as smoothly as possible. One essential preparation step to take is to avoid the consumption of blood-thinners, anticoagulants, alcohol, and tobacco for two weeks pre-op.
It is also very important that you are hydrated, well-nourished, and well-rested when you come in for your procedure. Before your procedure begins, we will administer twilight anesthesia. To get twilight anesthesia, your stomach must be empty, so you must avoid eating for six hours prior to surgery. Additionally, you should not drink anything for two hours pre-op. Therefore, you should hydrate and eat nutritiously diligently in the days leading up to your procedure.
What Will I Need To Do To Prepare for My Recovery?
One of the most important steps to take to ensure your recovery goes as smoothly as possible is to get your prescriptions filled. You will be prescribed a course of antibiotics and analgesics. You should take one antibiotic prior to surgery and the rest of the prescription exactly as directed on the bottle. Another important preparation step to take to ensure your post-op experience goes smoothly is to arrange for a ride home from your procedure.
You will not be able to drive within 24 hours of getting very strong medications, like twilight anesthesia. Similarly, you will not be able to drive within 24 hours of taking analgesics that may cause drowsiness. Therefore, you should strongly consider that you have plenty of healthy foods and hydrating beverages in the house. You also should find someone to stay home with you and help you care for yourself and your home for one to three days post-op.
How Long Will My Recovery Take?
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to need a week or two to recover from an endoscopic brow lift. During the first day or two after your procedure, you will need to use cold therapy to aid your recovery process. Furthermore, you will need to avoid strenuous activity and bending over for a week after surgery. During your initial consultation, we will advise you on everything you will need to do and avoid during your recovery.
What Can I Do To Shorten My Recovery Period?
If you want your recovery period to go as smoothly as possible, it is crucial that you follow all of the aftercare guidelines. For example, you will need to avoid drinking alcohol or smoking for two weeks post-op. Furthermore, it is essential that you rest as much as possible if you want to recover from surgery as quickly as possible. You should aim to sleep nine hours nightly. However, if you can’t sleep for nine consecutive hours, you should nap during the day.
Another highly effective step you can take to shorten your recovery period is to eat nutritiously. You should get plenty of zinc, vitamin C, protein, and water in your diet. This will help your skin produce collagen so it can heal itself. Additionally, depending on what analgesics you take during your recovery, you may want to increase your soluble fiber intake temporarily.
How Long Will My Procedure Take?
If you are only getting an endoscopic brow lift, your procedure should only take approximately an hour to complete. However, you should bear in mind that there are many factors affecting how long your procedure will take. For example, your procedure may take a little longer if you have several severe concerns. Additionally, your upper facial rejuvenation process may take approximately two hours if you are also getting upper blepharoplasty.
How Long Will the Results of My Procedure Last?
The results of this procedure are extremely long-lasting. The fat removal results of this procedure will last a lifetime because your body cannot grow new fat cells once it is fully developed. Similarly, as a general rule of thumb, you can expect your skin removal results to last a lifetime. Furthermore, you can generally expect to enjoy your skin tightening results last for 10 to 12 years.
What Can I Do To Extend the Longevity of My Results?
To keep your skin looking smooth for as long as possible, you should keep it hydrated and moisturized. Drinking around half a gallon of hydrating fluids daily usually suffices in maintaining hydration. Generally, to keep your skin moisturized, you should apply moisturizer once per day. However, you should moisturize your skin twice daily if you have dry skin. You also need to minimize sun exposure because UV damage is the leading cause of premature skin aging.
You can also help to keep your skin looking smooth longer by eating right. You should limit your intake of alcohol and foods that are known to cause premature skin aging, and you should aim to get your RDA of essential micronutrients each day. You also should try to eat or drink bioavailable protein with every meal. Furthermore, you can help to extend the longevity of your results by getting anti-aging injections, like BOTOX or Dysport.
Am I a Good Candidate for Upper Blepharoplasty?
During your initial forehead lift consultation, we will discuss all of your concerns and goals. If you are concerned about the appearance of your upper eyelids then there is a good chance that you will be considered a good candidate for surgery. However, we need to discuss your health thoroughly to ensure that this procedure will be safe for you. While this procedure is safe for most adults, there are contraindications.
For example, you will be considered a poor fit for surgery if you have heart disease, poorly controlled diabetes, or hypertension. Furthermore, you will not be considered a good fit for this procedure if you suffer from hemophilia or another bleeding disorder. Additionally, you will not be able to undergo surgery if you have an active infection in the upper eyelid area at the time of your procedure or if you are suffering from an acute illness negatively affecting your overall health.
What Results Can I Expect From Upper Blepharoplasty?
We will advise you on what results you can realistically expect from upper eyelid surgery during your initial consultation. During this procedure, we can excise excess fat and skin. Furthermore, sagging tissues will be lifted and tightened, opening up the eyes. After surgery, you will no longer look tired all the time, and you may find that your field of vision improves significantly.
What Happens During Upper Eyelid Surgery?
Before your procedure begins, we will sanitize the upper eyelid area and administer medication to ensure your safety and comfort. Then, we will make incisions in the natural creases of your upper eyelids. Through these incisions, excess skin will be removed to eliminate hooding and sagging muscle and skin tissue will be lifted. Then, we will close the incisions will be closed with sutures. Afterward, someone can drive you home so you can recover.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today
After your brow lift, you can expect forehead folds and other upper facial wrinkles to be smoothed out. Additionally, drooping eyebrows can be lifted, improving peripheral vision significantly, and excess tissue can be removed. To find out if this procedure is right for you, schedule a consultation with us today at The Mack Cosmetic Center in Tampa, FL.