Brow Lift Surgery Sydney

Dr John Flood performs Brow Lift Surgery Sydney. There are a number of techniques available to perform a brow lift.

Consultation Appointments Are Available

Contact Dr John Flood to schedule your appointment.

Phone: (02) 9476 8066

MED0001132610 - Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Find more information here.

Open Brow Lift

Open brow lifting involves making an extended incision hidden within the hair-bearing scalp. The dissection is then performed on the skull bone extending beneath the forehead skin and muscles down to the eyebrows. Removal or partial division of the muscles which cause frowning of the eyebrows can then be performed. At the same time, partial removal or incisions of the frontalis muscle that cause the horizontal frown lines of the forehead can also be removed. The forehead flap is then elevated and redundant scalp skin can then be excised and the suture line stitched and hidden within the hair-bearing scalp.

This procedure can be performed as a day surgery procedure under general anaesthetic. Sutures are removed after 10 days. Most patients do experience some swelling and bruising around the eyes during this period of time. Return to work is usually at two weeks, and return to heavy gym work three weeks.

The procedure can address the muscles under direct vision. In patients who have redundant forehead and scalp tissue, this may be re-draped over a large plane and excised.

The disadvantage of this technique is that it requires a fairly extended incision. At times, scar alopecia can occur. Post-operative recovery tends to be longer than other techniques. Another important complication that is associated with this technique is disaesthesia of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves, leading to the sensation of a persistent itchiness of the forehead. This has been reported in approximately one in 200 cases.

Endoscopic Brown Lift

Endoscopic brow lifting is a technique aimed at elevating the brows through minimal incisions in the hair bearing scalp. In the case of patients seeking eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), the effect of the brow on the upper eyelids should be assessed. At times, patients who are undergoing an upper blepharoplasty may be suitable candidates for a combined endoscopic brow lift. Indeed, at times, endoscopic brow lifting procedures alone may obviate the need for an upper blepharoplasty.

The use of an endoscope through keyhole incisions has simplified brow-lifting procedures. A telescope is inserted through the incisions in the hair-bearing scalp. Between three and five small incisions less than one cm in length are used hidden in the hair bearing scalp. The telescope and surgical instruments are inserted through these incisions to help elevate the forehead soft tissues from the underlying forehead bone. Divisional or partial removal of muscles that contribute to the frown lines can be performed as well. Following this technique the soft tissues are elevated at a higher position, using an approach that is suitable for the needs of each patient. Eyebrows can be elevated between 4-7 mm higher. Usually, the inner eyebrow (medial) is not as elevated as much as the outer (lateral) eyebrow. The elevation of the outer aspect of the eyebrow helps with reducing the amount of skin that has to be excised at the time of a combined blepharoplasty.

The procedure needs to be performed in a hospital as a day surgery procedure. The operation is performed under general anaesthetic. The operation takes between 90-120 minutes to perform.

Patients may experience discomfort usually in their incision lines for a period of 24 hours after the surgery. Minor tightness and swelling of the forehead lasts for seven days. Patients can return to work ten days post-operatively and return to heavy gym activity three weeks post-operatively.

Importantly endoscopic brow lifting should be considered in all patients who are enquiring about an upper blepharoplasty. At times it is the poor position of the eyebrow (forehead tissues) that is contributing to the appearance of and the feeling of heaviness in one’s upper eyelids. Only after an appropriate assessment can the right advice be provided to the patient whether the patient requires an endoscopic brow lift alone, blepharoplasty alone, or a combined brow lift and blepharoplasty procedure.