While it’s always best to consult with a qualified surgeon to determine whether a specific procedure is right for you, it’s still helpful to know a little bit about your cosmetic surgery options before your consultation.
Many patients who are considering anti-ageing procedures such as a facelift often want to know whether one procedure would be better for achieving their aesthetic goals than another. In some cases, one procedure is more ideal but in other instances, both procedures may be necessary.
By meeting with a plastic surgeon, you can discuss your specific goals with a professional and ask questions that will allow you to make an informed decision. Knowing more about the procedures you have in mind prior to your consultation will help jumpstart the conversation.
Today, we are looking at facelifts versus brow lifts.
Facelift 101: The Need-to-Know Basics
According to Dr Zacharia, facelifts are designed to address the most common and visible signs of facial ageing, including loss of volume and skin elasticity as well as facial contour changes. Patients who are living with unwanted features such as jowls and deep creases will only be able to correct the issues by considering a dramatic procedure such as a facelift.
Various areas of the face are impacted during the ageing process. For some, the cheeks and the jawline begin to sag, while others develop creases around the eyes and mouths. Facelifts are highly customizable, which means they are ideal for treating a variety of issues.
During a facelift, a small incision will be made along the hairline and around the temples. The incision may also continue behind the ears and extend to the lower scalp. Facial fat will be sculpted and transferred or excess fat will be removed. The neck and underlying facial tissues may also be moved before the skin is draped the new contours of your face. If there is any excess skin, that will be removed too.
A facelift is not the best procedure for everyone though. You will need to be in good health mentally and physically and ideally be a non-smoker to avoid complications during and after surgery.
It’s important to note that a facelift is very often paired with additional procedures in order to achieve the desired result, one of which could be a brow lift.
Brow Lift 101: The Need-to-Know Basics
While a facelift is capable of treating a wide variety of ageing concerns, it does not include the forehead. A brow lift focuses on the brow as well as the area above the cheekbones as this is where facial expressions really take their toll.
Think about how much your eyebrow and forehead areas move when you’re surprised, angry or sad. Over and above facial expressions, the general ageing process can also cause the brows to droop, resulting in a sullen or moody appearance.
A brow lift can be used to refresh your appearance by addressing issues such as drooping eyebrows, hooded eyelids and forehead furrows. This is done by removing excess tissue and skin, which will smooth out these areas. Brow lifts are recommended in the following instances:
- Sagging eyebrows have created hooded eyelids
- Wrinkles have appeared on the bridge of the nose
- Sagging eyebrows have created a moody or aged appearance
- Horizontal brow lines and vertical frown lines have appeared across the forehead
There are a few different brow lift methods that can be used to correct these common issues. In most instances, an endoscope will be used to clearly see the tissue and muscles of the forehead during the procedure.
To complete the procedure, a series of small incisions will be made on the scalp, after which the brow is lifted and the underlying muscles are tightened if necessary. Once sutures have been put in place, a bandaged will be applied.
A brow lift also isn’t for everyone, which is why you need to discuss your specific goals with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Whether you decide on a facelift or a brow lift, it will be an outpatient procedure and you will require a few days to recover before you’ll be able to return to work. Most patients will only feel like themselves again after several weeks.
Even though scarring is inevitable, they will fade and be minimally visible if you choose the right surgeon for your procedure.
Brow Lift vs. Facelift: Choose a Procedure
There really is no right or wrong answer here because it depends on what you want to achieve. You may even require both procedures to get the look you have in mind. The best course of action is to spend some time researching reputable surgeons in your area and scheduling a consultation with at least two of them before you make a final decision and schedule your surgery.
Along with checking your surgeon’s qualifications and experience, it’s important that you feel completely comfortable during your consultation and receive answers to all of your questions. Because these are both life-changing procedures, it’s important not to rush the surgical process.
