Brow lift at Edinburgh Hospital

As you age your skin begins to lose elasticity. Lines on the forehead can develop and increase over time. 

What happens during brow lift surgery?

Brow lifts can be performed several ways. Your consultant will assess your situation and recommend the right procedure. 

During your operation your surgeon will shorten the muscles in your brow through an incision in your hairline. The procedure lifts the forehead area and repositions your eye brows for a younger look. Any scar will be hidden in your hair.

You may have the option of keyhole surgery. In this case your surgeon will access the area through tiny incisions on your hairline. 

Brow lift surgery is usually performed under general anaesthetic and you may need to spend one night in hospital. You may have bandaging on your forehead to protect any incisions. There may be very thin tubes (drains) inserted in the wound to drain any excess fluid or blood. These will be removed in 2-3 days.

You may have bruising and swelling in your forehead and upper eyelid area. The area may be very sensitive but you will be given pain relief medication. You may be asked to remain upright and to avoid bending over or straining for the first fews days.

Going home after brow lift surgery

Your face may look and feel very swollen. This should diminish over the first two weeks. You will need to sleep upright propped up with pillows to minimise swelling. Any stitches will be removed 4-7 days after the procedure. If your surgeon uses dissolvable stitches they will disappear on their own. 

After a few days you will be able to remove any dressings. Be sure and discuss how soon you can wash your hair and when you can return to work with your surgeon. For the first three weeks following surgery you should not lift anything heavy or do anything strenuous.  

What are the complications of brow lift?

Every surgical procedure has a risk of complications. Be sure and discuss any concerns you might have about these risks with your surgeon.

General complications of any operation:

• Pain
• Bleeding
• Infection in a surgical wound
• Blood clots (DVT - deep vein thrombosis)
  

Specific complications of brow lift surgery:

• Temporary or permanent nerve damage
• Altered hairline
• Hair or skin loss
• Discomfort at night