Your eyebrows and eyelids succumb to the downward pull of gravity because the soft tissue loses elasticity as a normal part of the aging process. Drooping brows and lids can make you look older than you feel plus they can make you look tired when you're well-rested and angry when you're in a good mood. A brow lift addresses this issue surgically as it lifts the brow back to its youthful position—above the orbital rim for women and just at the brow bone for men. However, a separate procedure called blepharoplasty, or eyelid lift, can also reverse the effects of gravity by removing excess skin on the eyelid.
The decision between a brow lift and a blepharoplasty comes down to determining the location of excess skin. Is the sagging skin coming from the forehead? In this case, the right choice could be a brow lift. Removing extra skin on the forehead has the added benefit of opening up the eye. Other times, the brow is still in a youthful position, but the eyelid has enough extra skin to warrant a blepharoplasty. And sometimes, a patient, depending on the severity of the sagging, benefits from both surgeries to improve the position of the brow and remove excess skin on the eyelid.
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Kevin Sadati considers several techniques for a brow lift procedure. The location and size of the incision depend on your anatomy, unique aging process, and your desired outcome. Often the best approach is an endoscopic brow lift where small incisions are made just behind the hairline. For other patients, a thin ear to ear incision hidden inside the hairline gives the best outcome, especially if you also need to remove forehead wrinkles and significantly lift the brows.
Try looking into the mirror and gently pulling the lateral forehead skin up toward your hairline with your hands. This quickly simulates the lifting effect of a brow lift, and if the improvement is noticeable. Were eyebrows below your brow bone lifted just above the brow bone if you're a woman and just at the brow bone if you're a man? If so, you may be a good candidate for a brow lift.
Your Blepharoplasty procedure is performed using local anesthesia and twilight sedation. This makes for a safer and faster recovery than general anesthesia. Your eyelid is measured, and tissue laxity is marked to remove the exact amount of excess skin. An incision is then made in the natural fold of the lid to cut out excess skin, tighten muscles, and remove or reposition fat deposits. The incision is closed with hair-thin sutures that carefully run along the inside edges of the skin.
Plastic surgery of the eyelid helps remove epicanthic folds, sagging tissue, or wrinkles around the eyes. Epicanthic folds are standard for people of Asian descent. But sometimes, blepharoplasty is sought to remove this fold on the upper eyelid that covers the inner corner of the eye. Sagging tissue is another indication for an eyelid lift, especially if it impairs your vision. Also, if the aging process has left you with more wrinkles around the eye than you want, you could be a good candidate for a blepharoplasty.
Brow lifts and blepharoplasty are outpatient surgeries. You'll need to spend some time in the recovery room to regain alertness and apply a cold compress. A friend or family member can take you home about 30-minutes after surgery. The stitches are removed about one week after surgery and the scar usually fades in four to six weeks. Most patients return to work and social activities after one week.
A consultation is the best way to determine what surgery is best for you. Reach out to our Newport Beach plastic surgery practice for more information.
359 San Miguel Dr, Suite 200 Newport Beach CA 92660
Clients from around the globe travel to see Dr. Sadati for his surgical expertise. He and his surgical team provide the highest standard of patient care, from the initial consultation, to complete recovery and conclusion of your care. Our friendly staff is available to accommodate you in any way that we can.