An aesthetic brow lift, also sometimes called a forehead lift, is a procedure that rejuvenates the eyebrows and forehead. It lifts drooping eyebrows, while also reducing frown lines, furrows, and horizontal forehead creases.
Minneapolis-based Dr. Timothy Schaefer utilizes specific techniques to optimize brow lift results while keeping recovery time to a minimum. He has focused on all aspects of facial cosmetic surgery to give patients like you a rejuvenated look.
Every brow lift is fully customized using the latest proven technology and techniques to help you achieve a more youthful look. Dr. Schaefer’s advanced brow lift techniques are also performed with a focus on reducing complications, addressing the root causes of sagging eyebrows, and creating outcomes that look natural.
Your Brow Lift Consultation
During consultation for a brow lift, Dr. Schaefer will listen to your expectations and concerns for your surgery. After performing a thorough physical examination to evaluate the structure and quality of your upper facial tissues, he will explain what he recommends for you and why. He will discuss the process of brow lift surgery, your unique facial anatomy, and what you can expect leading up to and during your procedure.
Since Dr. Schaefer believes informed patients are the best patients, he will answer all of your questions in detail so that you are comfortable with your decision. After your consultation, you will fully understand what can and cannot be done for your brow lift so that you have reasonable expectations of your results.
Suitable Candidates for a Brow Lift
Good candidates for a brow lift include:
- Healthy individuals with no medical conditions that can impair healing
- Non-smokers
- Individuals with a positive outlook and realistic goals
- Individuals without serious eye conditions
- Individuals who have not had recent eye surgery (within the last 6 months) such as LASIK
- Individuals who are not happy with their tired, aging appearance due to droopy eyebrows, frown lines, forehead creases, and/or furrows on the bridge of the nose
Dr. Schaefer will evaluate your facial anatomy thoroughly and discuss with you what procedures may be implemented to address your concerns. If you have droopy upper eyelids, for example, some of that condition might be corrected by a brow lift, but for significant drooping, eyelid surgery may be more effective.
What is a Brow Lift Like?
Your brow lift will be performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. The amount of time required for surgery varies depending on the techniques used, but most brow lift procedures take one to three hours.
Coronal Brow Lift
This classic technique requires an incision from ear to ear across the top of the head where the scar will be hidden by your hair. Dr. Schaefer then tightens the skin and adjusts the underlying muscles of the forehead to reduce wrinkles and lift sagging eyebrows. The hairline may also be raised slightly. This method is usually used on patients who have significant drooping of the brows.
Lateral Subcutaneous Brow Lift
In the lateral subcutaneous brow lift technique, an incision is made on each side of the forehead at the hairline but does not extend to the ears as in the coronal technique. Dr. Schaefer then lifts and tightens the skin, which elevates the lateral brows and smooths the lateral skin of the forehead.
This is a relatively quick procedure with little down-time that can provide a very positive result for patients.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
An endoscopic brow lift requires four to six small incisions just behind the hairline of the forehead. An endoscope, which is a tiny camera device, is inserted within each incision so that Dr. Schaefer can see how best to tighten the skin and adjust the muscles to achieve the lift and smoothing of the brows and forehead.
Dr. Schaefer now feels that using the endoscopic brow lift technique alone often leads to the inside portion of the brow being lifted too much. As a result, he often prefers to use the endoscopic technique on only a portion of the brow lift. (See the Combination Technique below.)
Small Incision Lateral Brow Lift
In this case, Dr. Schaefer uses endoscopically assisted brow lifts for the outer (lateral) part of the eyebrows because he has found that most patients need more elevation in this area. This approach takes longer than the subcutaneous brow lift, but it places the incisions in the scalp and not along the hairline. The tissues are lifted in a deeper plane than they are in the subcutaneous lift. The tissues are secured at a deeper level than the skin to maintain the lift. Many times, the medial brow does not need treatment. Other times, BOTOX® treatment may be enough, or the muscles of the medial brow can be adjusted through an upper eyelid incision.
Your Recovery
Your forehead may feel tight and sore after the anesthesia wears off. We will provide a pain medication prescription to control post-operative pain and discomfort. You may also apply an ice pack for 20 minutes every two hours for the first 72 hours.
You should keep your head elevated for the first few days of recovery. Bruising and swelling will subside gradually with a dramatic reduction within two weeks. Most, if not all, bruising and swelling should be gone within six months.
Sutures will be removed within a week, and scarring will diminish gradually, becoming more inconspicuous with time. After one year, your incisions should be fully healed and nearly completely hidden. In some cases with a brow lift, staples or screws are used to hold the skin and muscle in its new position during the healing process. If so, these will be removed as soon as possible.
You can read or watch TV after a couple of days. You might feel comfortable going out in public after ten days. By then, you may be able to wear makeup to hide any remaining bruising.
Your results will be subtle but long-lasting.
Your New Look
Dr. Schaefer’s goal is to make your change in appearance subtle to others, but dramatic for you. In short, it will be a rejuvenated version of you without changing your natural look. Others might just comment that you look great or more rested.
Although the aging process continues after surgery, there will be less of a chance of recurrence of the sagging eyebrow condition or forehead wrinkles after a brow lift. With this surgery, you will look more youthful, alert, and rested for many years to come.
Brow Lift Cost
Because of your unique facial anatomy, Dr. Schaefer customizes his brow lift for what is best for you. After your consultation, we can provide you with an accurate cost, as well as finance options available for your custom brow lift.
Call 952-920-2600 to make your consultation appointment today.
Choosing the Right Plastic Surgeon
A brow lift is a sophisticated, delicate procedure. When you’re looking for a plastic surgeon for your brow lift, it is vital that your surgeon has the right qualifications and credentials. These include board certification and a good standing with the various medical boards. It also includes education, experience, and satisfied patients.
You also want to be sure that your surgeon has professional, friendly, and caring support staff. These people will assist you while in the office and during your recovery, so it is essential to feel comfortable with the entire team.
Do your research to learn as much as possible about your surgeon. Then, arrive at your brow lift consultation prepared with questions, concerns, and your ultimate goals written down.
Why Dr. Schaefer?
Dr. Timothy Schaefer graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an M.S. in Engineering from Stanford University. He completed his medical school education at the prestigious Emory University in Atlanta, where he graduated in the top 5 of his class. He also completed his general surgery training and plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship at Emory University.
Dr. Schaefer has since expanded on his training to stay up to date on new methods that improve the safety and aesthetic results of traditional brow lift techniques. This allows him to customize his approach to create natural, balanced results.
Since he uses the latest and most advanced brow lift techniques and state-of-the-art equipment right here in Minneapolis, he can ensure his local and out-of-town patients that they are receiving the safest and most predictable results.
Dr. Schaefer is a board-certified plastic surgeon with the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He has been honored as a BEST DOCTOR and BEST DOCTOR FOR WOMEN by the Minnesota Monthly Magazine, and he was named a TOP DOCTOR FOR PLASTIC SURGERY by the Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine.
Schedule Your Consultation Appointment Today
With a brow lift by Dr. Schaefer, you have a chance to look younger and regain your self-confidence. To learn more about how he can restore a more youthful appearance with a brow lift, please contact our Minneapolis office today.
To schedule your consultation appointment at our Minneapolis office, please call 952-920-2600, or go to our Contact page and fill out the necessary information. We look forward to seeing you soon.
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