Brow Lift

The position of the eyebrow is very important. Eyebrows contain powerful facial expression qualities. Brows too low can give an expression of anger. Brows too high can give an expression of surprise. The fine details of brow position are often overlooked by many. Another ongoing and possibly worsening issue with the eye brow, is that in an attempt to have a more pleasing shape and height of the brow, patients have adjusted the height and shape with plucking. This can certainly give a good appearance…however over time the true eyebrow sinks, and the remaining eyebrow results in a thinned out appearance. They can also have a new bulky fullness and heavy like appearance to the brow and upper eyelid skin. In these situations, patients often come in desiring an upper blepharoplasty, but it’s actually the brow position which needs the most correction. I have answered some common brow lift questions below. ~Dr Papillion

Why Choose Dr. Paul Papillion

Dr. Paul Papillion is a double board-certified plastic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of General Surgery. He completed a three-year plastic and reconstructive fellowship at Vanderbilt Medical Center and a six-year general surgery residency at UT Chattanooga.

Beyond residency, Dr. Papillion trained alongside world-renowned plastic surgeons and ENT facial specialists. This expanded his technical perspective and informs his approach to facial procedures at his practice serving Nashville, Brentwood, and Franklin.

What is an endoscopic browlift?

For an endoscopic browlift, I make 5 small incisions in the hairline. From these incisions, small instruments are used to free up the brows and place them in a new position. The endoscopic procedure allows for a faster recovery and smaller scars than the traditional long scar browlift.

How many types of browlifts are there?

There is the endoscopic lift as discussed above. There is a limited endoscopic browlift. In this case, the scars are slightly larger in the hair line and direct vision is used to perform parts of the procedure. There is a direct browlift where skin is removed just above the eyebrow and the scar hidden along the brow edge. This is mostly used in men, where the hairline has receded and there is no place to hide a scar. It’s also used in women, where shaping of the brow is desired with minimal lifting. There is the coronal browlift. This is the traditional method, where you have a long scar that runs across the top of the scalp. The entire forehead is elevated along with the brows. It has been mostly abandoned in favor of less invasive methods, but is still helpful from time to time depending on what the patient needs.

Am I a Candidate for a Brow Lift?

Good candidates for brow lift surgery are patients who experience a gradual descent of the brow, creating a heavy, tired, or angry appearance. Candidates should be in good overall health, non-smokers, and have realistic expectations for their results. Patients with significant skin laxity or asymmetry in the brow region are often well-suited for this procedure. Dr. Papillion evaluates each patient individually to confirm candidacy and recommend the most appropriate technique.

How do I know if I need a browlift or an upper blepharoplasty?

You will need a consultation. During the consultation we will look at the relationship of your eyebrows to your orbital bone and also look at how much excessive upper lid skin you may have. After these assessments are made, I will be able to optimize your plan for the best outcome.

What does recovery look like?

After the browlift, you go home wrapped in a gauze dressing fully wrapped around your head. You will leave this wrapping on for 2 days. After removing the wrap, you can shower and wash your hair. The first week you need to keep your head elevated as much as possible. You can walk as much as you want at a slow pace. You will see me in the clinic a week after surgery. You can return to desk type activity after the first week. You can expect eye swelling the first week that usually subsides over 2 weeks. Your activity will increase as your swelling subsides, as doing too much too early will prolong swelling.

View Browlift Post-Operative Instructions

Frequently Asked Questions

Browlift Nashville TN
These were a couple of the most common questions asked about the brow lift. To see what plan is going to be best for you, schedule a consultation with Double board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Papillion today!