Brow Rejuvenation
- Procedure Time: 1-2 hours
- Recovery Time: 1-2 weeks
- Surgery Type: Outpatient
Dr. Gadaleta is a board-certified Facial Plastic surgeon with extensive experience in performing around-the-eye rejuvenation. He is often sought out for his warm bedside manner and natural looking results.
What is a Brow Lift?
The eyes are often the first area of the face to show signs of aging. Aging around the eyes is often a result of a combination of factors. These can include excess skin of the eyelids, fat bags under the eyes, and heavy, droopy eyebrows AKA brow ptosis. These changes can lead to a person having a chronically tired or even angry appearance. A browlift is a procedure that aims to rejuvenate the eyebrow and restore its youthful contour. In addition, a browlift can also improve vertical and horizontal forehead wrinkles. Browlifts can be performed in isolation or in combination with other facial rejuvenating procedures, such as a facelift or upper and lower eyelid surgery. When performed correctly, a browlift has the ability to restore the eyes to a youthful gaze and provide a refreshed look. The procedure can be customized to address the entire eyebrow or just the lateral aspector the “tail” of the eyebrow. Brow rejuvenation surgery is an outpatient procedure, meaning patients go home after the procedure is completed
How is it Performed?
For brow rejuvenation, the goal is to lift and secure the eyebrows to a more youthful position. The goal is to elevate the brows just a few millimeters to ensure a natural result. If elevated too high, the patient will be left with a surprised or startled look. Although there are several different methods for lifting the brows, Dr. Gadaleta prefers an endoscopic, minimally-invasive approach due to its safety profile, ability to create natural results, and the fact that it allows for much smaller incisions than older techniques. This approach relies on 2-4 small incisions that are all made within hair-bearing scalp. The location of these incisions ensures that the scars heal inconceivably within the hair. Dr. Gadaleta often performs brow lifts with numbing medication and light sedation. The procedure is comfortable and takes about an 1-2 hours from start to finish. This procedure is often performed in combination with other rejuvenating procedures, such as eyelid surgery, face and neck lifts.
Recovery
The bulk of the recovery occurs within the first 1-2 weeks following surgery. Typically, patients will experience bruising and swelling, most notably around the eyes. A drain is left in place for the first night after surgery to help reduce swelling and bruising. This will be removed by Dr. Gadaleta the following day in the clinic. Some patients will feel well enough to return to work or school within a week of their brow lift procedure, but those who desire more privacy may wait 2 weeks, when residual bruising can be covered with makeup. Patients will use ointment on the incisions twice a day for the first week to promote healing. It is normal to feel uncomfortable for the first few days following surgery; however, severe pain is uncommon. Sutures and staples will be removed between 4-8 days after surgery. Patients who wear contact lenses may resume wearing them after about one week. By week 3, the majority of the swelling resolves, and a patient can start appreciating the changes made during surgery. Light exercise activities can be re-introduced at this point and, by week 6, all normal physical activities can be resumed. Improvements will be appreciated throughout the year following surgery as healing progresses.
Schedule a Brow Rejuvenation Consultation
Reach out today to schedule a blepharoplasty consultation in Palo Alto, San Mateo or Menlo Park with Dr. Dominick Gadaleta. As a board-certified San Mateo facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Gadaleta’s practice focuses exclusively on surgery of the face and neck. Please contact us using the form below, or call the office most convenient to you.