Unlike the endoscopic forehead lift, the eyebrow lift is an “open” surgical lift, in which minimal incisions are made in the temporal hairline.

Because the eyebrow lift is now carried out endoscopically this lift is usually performed in slightly older people with a very pronounced eyebrow droop over the eyes. The middle section of the forehead is not treated.

Plastic surgeon

The consultation is always held with the plastic surgeon who will be carrying out your procedure.
During this consultation, you can talk to the plastic surgeon about what bothers you the most with your sagging eyebrows and what you would like to have changed. Photos will be taken for your medical file, after which you will both discuss in front of a mirror what you would like to have done about the low position of your eyebrows. The plastic surgeon will then suggest the most suitable surgical technique for you and discuss it with you. They may suggest that you combine the eyebrow lift with an eyelid correction. This combination is quite common. The difference between an eyebrow lift and an endoscopic forehead lift will also be explained. In front of a mirror, you will be shown what this technique will entail and what you can expect in terms of end results. The expected recovery period and any risks and complications will be talked through with you.

You will then be in a position to make a well-informed decision. The plastic surgeon will show you before and after photos of an eyebrow lift. A summary of your consultation will then be set out in a treatment plan, and the overall costs will be discussed with you directly. The aim of the consultation is to inform you as clearly and fully as possible.

Consultants

Following on from your first consultation with your plastic surgeon, you will have an appointment with your consultant. The aim of this appointment is to tell you about the general aspects to be arranged with respect to your eyebrow lift. 

You are expected to arrive at the Boerhaave clinic half an hour before your eyebrow lift. 

The eyebrow lift is performed under local sedation, and takes approximately 1 hour. Before the treatment, your plastic surgeon will again talk the procedure through with you. They will carefully mark your face in accordance with the operation plan. They will then remove a strip of skin in the hairline above the temple. Depending on the surgical technique adopted by the plastic surgeon, they may also remove a strip of skin just above the eyebrow on the outer edge of the brow. The wound is closed using absorbable stitches. The incision area is covered with a plaster and possibly a hairband as well.

If your treatment is carried out under local sedation, you will be free to go home half an hour after the eyebrow lift. If your eyebrow lift is combined with an upper and lower eyelid correction, which means it is carried out under general anaesthetic, you will usually stay in the clinic for a further 3 to 4 hours after your treatment. You will not be free to go home until the nursing staff and anaesthetist give their approval for you to leave.

Post-procedure pain

You may have a slight burning feeling in your face after the treatment. In the first few days after the eyebrow lift, additional swelling may occur, which will start to go down again after day 3. There is generally almost no pain after an eyebrow lift.

Recovery

You generally need 4 to 7 days to recover from an eyebrow lift. After the treatment, the skin around your temples will feel quite tight. You may also have some swelling and bruising around the treated area. This is a natural reaction of your body and is not generally worrying. You may have blurred vision, especially with a combined upper and lower eyelid correction. This may last for a couple of weeks, and will disappear over the course of time.

Scar cream

At your first check-up, you will be given a scar care cream to take home with you. Once the wound has closed and the scabs have disappeared, you can start applying the scar cream. If you apply this cream to the closed wound twice a day, you increase the chance of the wound healing nicely.

The results will be visible really quickly. After a couple of weeks, the incisions in your hairline will have healed, and you can enjoy your youthful appearance.

You will not see the final results of your treatment until after 6 to 12 months. The effects of gravity and aging will continue to take their toll, but the results of your eyebrow lift will last. You can also help maintain the results of your eyebrow lift by protecting your face from the sun and sticking to a healthy lifestyle.

It is important you are aware that every surgical intervention can entail risks and complications. Plastic surgery procedures are in principle carried out on healthy people, so the risks and chances of complications are low. We make sure any risks are reduced to an absolute minimum, by providing plenty of information, taking a thorough medical history (noting your case history, including medication, any problems experienced in previous operations, allergies, etc.) and applying our professional procedures.

Eyebrow lifts are successfully performed each year at the Boerhaave Medical Centre. The chances of any complications arising are luckily rare. You can help reduce certain risks by carefully reading through the instructions you are given prior to your eyebrow lift.

Possible complications of an eyebrow lift may be:

• Haematoma (blood clot under the skin which has to be removed)
• Adverse reaction to the sedation
• Haemorrhaging
• Infection
• Change in sensitivity
• Permanent scars
• Damage to underlying structures
• Unsatisfactory aesthetic result.

Smoking

Patients who smoke or use tobacco or nicotine products (such as nicotine patches and chewing gum) at the time of their surgery have a greater risk of complications, such as skin loss and impaired wound healing. People who are exposed to passive smoking may also have an increased risk of complications such as these. What’s more, smoking may have a negative effect on the anaesthesia, which may in turn lead to an increased risk of bleeding. People who are not exposed to tobacco smoke or nicotine-containing products have a significantly lower risk of such complications. It is important not to smoke for at least 2 weeks prior to the operation and to keep this up for the entire recovery process.