A brow lift can take years off your appearance or correct such things as drooping eyelids, deep forehead creases and frown lines. But there are some important things to remember before opting for a surgical treatment of this or any kind.
My 65 year old mother jokes that she’s going to start duct taping her eyebrows up so people stop asking her what she’s so angry about. Of course,
I dissuaded her from doing this. Tape leaves a sticky goo on your skin. Don’t ask me how I know this.
A lot of people, yes mostly women, go through procedures that make them look, well, perpetually surprised. Getting to a certain age myself I started looking into one of the most popular procedures. A brow lift can reduce the creases that appear on the forehead or between the eyebrows. It can help a sagging brow or deep frown lines, too.
But the first step is to decide for yourself if this is something you really want to do. Are aspects of your appearance really bothering you and hampering how you enjoy your life? If so, then a surgery might be worth investigating. If you decide you’d like to look into the procedure, here are some tips.
Talk to friends who’ve had this procedure done. Do you like how they look? What do they report about their overall experience? Would they recommend their surgeon?
When you’ve decided on a surgeon… don’t be afraid to check them out. He or she should definitely be board certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), meaning they’ve got a medical degree and have passed the ASPS’s stringent written and oral requirements. And they should have at least five years experience doing this sort of thing. According to the ASPS, they should also have continuing medical training, including patient safety training, every year. And their surgical facility should be accredited, state licensed or Medicare certified. Look at before and after pictures of your surgeon’s work.
Next, as with any surgical procedure, talk to your surgeon about any concerns you might have – do not be afraid to ask questions. Ask about how they’ll conduct the procedure itself (whether traditionally or endoscopically), what kind of anesthetic they will use, how you should prepare for the procedure and the follow up afterward. Talk about your expectations for the brow lift, which should be realistic. No one’s going to come out looking like Julia Roberts… unless, of course, you’re Julia Roberts.
You should make sure your overall health is strong enough to accommodate an elective procedure. Plus, it’s recommended you don’t smoke or quit smoking well before your procedure. Be mindful of all the precautions. After all, it is surgery. A brow lift is essentially a surgical manipulation or removal of muscles in the forehead that can cause drooping eyes, deep creases on the forehead or between the brows or frown lines around the eyes.
The surgery itself usually takes about two hours and can be done in a hospital or an office surgical facility. You’ll be able to go home the same day. Your surgeon will explain to you the particulars of recovery, but generally it’s about two weeks.
Lastly, thousands of people have had this procedure done with very positive results and minimal risk. A brow lift can subtract years from your appearance, resulting in a more positive self image. We all want to look younger, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make a mature decision about how to do it.
