The brow lift procedure elevates the brows to a more youthful position. In female patients, it as an arch shaped brow that sits above the boney rim of the eye socket. In a male patient the ideal brow position is along the boney rim. There are multiple options for brow lifting. I typically use a procedure called a subcutanous brow lift. In this approach the skin and underlying fatty layer is lifted off of the muscle from the hairline down to the lower edge of the hair bearing brow. The amount of excess skin, measured prior to the procedure, is removed and the incision closed. The height of the eyebrow and to some degree, shape of the eyebrow can be more directly controlled by this method. There is no need for anchoring plates, screws or drills holes in the skull in this type of lift.
The subcutaneous brow lift utilizes the transfollicular incision. This incision is placed just behind the hairline. It is made in a bevelled fashion to spare the underlying hair follicles. As the incision heals and fades, the buried hair follicles send new hair growth in front of the incision, further camouflaging the scar. The incision is also made in a broken line pattern, which further camouflages the scar.
The temple lift or temporal brow lift is a procedure used to raise the outer brows to a more normal position. As mentioned above, contraction of the orbicular oculi muscles can pull the outer edges of the brow down, creating a blank or detached facial appearance. The incision is usually place at the upper portion of the temple or outer portion of the forehead, on or behind the hairline depending on hair density and how much skin removal is planned. The approach is also subcutaneous, reducing the risk of nerve damage.