The position of the eyebrows play an important role in the appearance of the periocular area. The brow can be likened to a curtain rod – by raising and lowering the brow, the amount of skin that rests over the lid changes and in effect plays a role in the amount of lid platform that is visible. If the brow, or rod, is lower then there is more skin hanging down and if it is higher then there is more lid platform visible. It is sometimes necessary to address this at the time of upper lid surgery whether it is an upper lid blepharoplasty or ptosis repair.
Eyebrow position, symmetry, and contour are predominant in the evaluation of the eyelids and face, as the eyebrows dramatically influence facial appearance and convey the physical and emotional state of patients. For decades surgeons have sought to improve eyebrow appearance through various approaches.
There are several types of techniques and the type that bests suits the patient will be selected by Dr. Parbhu in conjunction with her patient, depending on the patient’s current brow position, underlying facial structure, age, health status, gender, and overall goals or desires of the patient.
A few of our approaches include:
Non-Surgical Brow Lift
Botox® cosmetic can be used to lift the temporal brows. It is temporary, lasting three to four months in most patients. It does not achieve as dramatic of a lift as surgical options do. It is a great option for patients that want to improve their appearance with minimal downtime and do not require a significant lift.
Internal Browpexy
Through an upper lid blepharoplasty or ptosis incision, the brow can be supported internally by suture fixation or other fixation device.
This is a nice technique to use in patients that do not require a large lift and are already undergoing upper eyelid surgery as it does not require an additional incision. It also does not increase recovery time.
Direct Brow Lift
The direct brow lift is a very effective technique in raising the brows and is performed by excising skin above the brow. The best candidates for this procedure are males who already have deep forehead wrinkles as the scar can be blend in with these lines.
Lateral Direct Brow Lift
The lateral direct brow lift is utilized to treat patients that have a lot of lateral hooding. In this technique, skin is excised at the hairline near the temples. Suture or fixation devices can be used with this technique. This is usually done in older patients in which there is lateral hooding that cannot be sufficiently addressed with a blepharoplasty.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
The endoscopic brow lift is performed by making small incisions behind the hair line. An endoscope is placed through these incisions for visualization. In this technique, Dr. Parbhu utilizes the Endontine bioabsorbable implant to serve as a fixation device. This is a technique that is utilized when a minimally invasive approach is preferred while achieving an effective lift of the brows.
Coronal Brow Lift
With a coronal brow lift, an incision is made behind the hairline extending close to one ear to the other ear. Excess scalp is removed to elevate the brow. The muscles that cause forehead wrinkles can be removed to help smooth these lines with this technique.
How do you know what procedure suits you best?...
Dr. Parbhu is fellowship trained through the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery so she has an added level of expertise in her approach to surgery of the upper half of the face. This specialized training allows her to assess the eyelids and brows to help develop the optimal surgical plan. Some patients may also benefit from a lower eyelid blepharoplasty at the same time as well.
Some procedures are performed in our office procedure room under local anesthesia, while others are performed at associated surgical centers by our physician.
Dr. Parbhu takes an individualized approach to each patient to assess their needs and desires. She develops a customized surgical plan to help you see better and look better.
We recommend that any interested patient come in for a cosmetic consultation or request a referral from their Primary eye doctor as occasionally some plans can help cover related expenses.