Brow Lift Surgery Chicago

Age and gravity can cause the skin and soft tissues of the forehead and brows to droop, making you look more tired or angry than you feel. Brow lift addresses these concerns by elevating the brow line and forehead, as well as smoothing crinkles and creases that develop around the eyes. The result is a younger and fresher looking face.

Brow Lift Candidates

Your candidacy for brow lift will be determined during a surgical consultation with our team. You may be a suitable candidate if you are in good health and have specific goals for surgery — examples could include raising a sagging brow, smoothing vertical creases between the eyebrows and/or minimizing creases on the forehead. Our surgeons will want to examine you and discuss why you want surgery, as well as your desired outcome. In some instances, brow lift surgery may be performed simultaneously with eyelid lift surgery.

Preparing for Brow Lift

Our plastic surgeons will explain how to prepare for a brow lift during your surgical consultation. In general, if you are a smoker, you will need to quit prior to your surgery. You may also need to stop taking certain medications, herbal supplements or vitamins that can interfere with your healing or increase the risk of complications (e.g., aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications). Our surgeons may also ask you to have some lab tests performed before your surgery.

The Surgical Procedure

A brow lift is an outpatient procedure performed under anesthesia for your comfort. Surgical incisions are made within the hairline and around the temples. Through these incisions, our plastic surgeons reposition the tissue and muscle to elevate the brow line into a more aesthetically pleasing position, and then suture it into place. The surgeons also smooth any “frown lines” that appear between the eyebrows. Additional incisions may be made within the crease of the upper eyelids or above the bridge of the nose.

In coronal brow lift cases, the surgeons make an incision from ear to ear to essentially lift the forehead; excess skin is trimmed from the scalp for a smoother look.

Endoscopic brow lift is a less invasive variation of brow lift in which a small video device (called an endoscope) is placed through short incisions in the hairline. The endoscope projects images onto a screen in the operating room, allowing the surgeon to visualize the entire forehead through the small incisions.

Once the necessary alterations have been made, the incisions are closed with sutures, and surgical dressings are applied.

Recovering from a Brow Lift

Your eye area and forehead will feel sore and swollen after surgery. You will need to be escorted home by a companion who can look after you for the first 24 hours after surgery. During your recovery, you should not bend, lift, strain or engage in any rigorous activities.  Full recovery can take up to a few weeks, and you will meet with our surgical team for several follow-up appointments to check the progress of your healing.

Brow Lift Risks

A brow lift is a safe procedure when performed by a qualified, plastic surgeon. However, with any surgery there are risks. Potential brow lift risks include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Anesthesia-related complications
• Facial nerve injury leading to weakness or paralysis
• Skin loss
• Eye irritation or dryness
• Skin contour irregularities
• The need for revision surgery

If you are concerned about brow lift risks, our surgeons can discuss them in greater detail during your initial consultation.

Other Considerations

A brow lift may be combined with another procedure for comprehensive facial rejuvenation. For example, many brow lift candidates are interested in eyelid surgery, which lifts and tightens the upper and lower eyelids for a refreshed and rested appearance. Facelift is another great option to address sagging in the middle and lower face, as well as the neck.