Doctors Edward Buckingham and Erin Smith offer Forehead Lift solutions for patients in Austin & Sunset Valley, TX. As we age, our facial tissues begin to sag and droop. This is a process that happens gradually, and many people don’t notice it has begun until they start getting comments from others that they look tired or irritated when they happen to be feeling fine. One of the first areas to show signs of aging, such as sagging skin and wrinkles, is the forehead. The forehead and eye regions are high-movement areas of the face that tend to start showing signs of age early, sometimes as early as the late 20s and early 30s. A sagging and drooping forehead can change the resting facial expression, causing a constant appearance of exhaustion. Dr. Edward Buckingham offers minimally invasive forehead and brow lifts at Buckingham Center in Austin, TX, to help patients achieve a naturally rested and youthful appearance.
Forehead Lift Before and After Photos
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
What is a Brow or Forehead Lift Surgery?
Aging skin begins to sag and wrinkle due to the loss of collagen and elastin that occurs over time. A brow lift is a surgical procedure that is performed to lift and rejuvenate sagging tissues in the forehead, creating a more youthful appearance and improve your expression. While some patients can get their desired results with a simple blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), others need the drooping tissues of the brow lifted in order to open up the eyes.
This procedure once involved a long incision that extended from ear to ear across the scalp, which could cause scarring, hair loss, and persistent numbness in the area, side effects that deterred many patients from gaining the benefits of an elevated brow.
Today, the minimally-invasive endoscopic approach is the most common Forehead lift technique, which results in a shorter recovery time, and beautiful, natural-looking results. Instead of one long incision, the procedure involves several smaller incisions and utilizing special instruments that result in reduced scarring, hair loss, and numbness.
The Benefits of an Endoscopic Brow Lift
Dr. Buckingham uses the endoscopic approach for forehead lifts because he believes that this technique offers patients the biggest benefits. Patients who choose the endoscopic brow lift can expect some or all of the following results:
- A more awake, alert expression
- Reduced lines and furrows in the brow
- A more youthful, rejuvenated appearance
- Improved self-confidence
The endoscopic brow lift also has the benefit of reduced swelling, bruising, and recovery time when compared to traditional forehead lift procedures.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Because there are several different options for surgical facial rejuvenation, it is important to know the different options and choose the procedure that suits your individual needs. Good candidates for a brow lift are men and women who have begun to notice the effects of drooping skin and muscles in the forehead. Because it can be difficult to determine whether a forehead lift or a blepharoplasty is the best option for rejuvenating the eye and forehead area, it is important to get an expert opinion from a plastic surgeon about which treatment is more appropriate.
Patients who wish to undergo an endoscopic brow lift should be in general good health and have realistic expectations for the procedure. Smokers must quit some weeks before the surgery since safety and proper healing can be compromised by smoking. Individual candidacy for the procedure will be determined during the initial consultation with Dr. Buckingham.
The Brow Lift Procedure
Endoscopic brow lift procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, and patients can be driven home shortly after the procedure is complete. Before the surgery, patients will be given anesthesia. Typically, this will include a local anesthetic and sedation to ensure safety and comfort throughout the surgery.
Once the anesthesia has been administered, Dr. Buckingham will make several short incisions in discreet locations, allowing him to access the tissues of the forehead with his instruments. Dr. Buckingham will then release the attachments of the brow and allow for natural elevation to occur. Once this process is complete, the incisions will be closed.
Your Brow Lift Consultation
Before you can schedule a brow lift procedure at Buckingham Center in Austin, you will need to meet with Dr. Buckingham to ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure and help you decide whether or not you would like to move forward with the procedure.
During this consultation, Dr. Buckingham will discuss your goals for plastic surgery with you. He will perform an examination of the forehead and eye area, and will recommend a plan of action to help you reach your goals. He may suggest a different procedure, or a combination of treatments if he feels it will be the best option for your individual needs.
Because your safety is the top priority at Buckingham Center, Dr. Buckingham will go over your health history and ensure you are a good candidate for an endoscopic brow lift. You should come to your consultation prepared to ask questions and address any concerns you may have. Dr. Buckingham will give you everything you need to make an informed decision.
Recovery and Downtime
After the procedure, patients should plan to take about a week off from normal activities, although some patients feel well enough to return to work in 8-10 days and normal routines in 14 days. Bruising and swelling are to be expected, although any discomfort can be controlled with medication and by following Dr. Buckingham’s postoperative instructions. Some activities will be restricted during the initial recovery period, including strenuous exercise. Patients should follow all instructions closely to promote optimal results and rapid healing.
After your surgery
Some forehead swelling and bruising are normally present after forehead and brow lift surgery, but the degree of each varies widely from patient to patient. Do not be concerned if you have more or less than others who have undergone the same operation. Generally, most patients appear quite socially acceptable within 10 to 14 days after surgery.
Some numbness around the incisions is normal and will resolve in the first few weeks following your procedure. Do not let this worry you, but always ask if you are concerned. It is very important to your well being that you follow completely all instructions given you by this office, and that we check your progress regularly following surgery.
Why to Choose Buckingham Center
About Dr. Buckingham
- B.B.A. in Accounting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
- Completed his pre-medical coursework achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average at the University of Texas in Austin.
- Received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
- He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society as a junior medical student and served as the organization’s vice-president and later president.
- Graduating medical school in the top 2% of the class with highest honors, Dr. Buckingham received the Donald Duncan Memorial Scholarship in Anatomy, the Edward Randall Medal for Academic Excellence, and the Merck Manual Award.
- He then performed a general surgery internship and Otolaryngology residency at UTMB and was a nominee for the UTMB overall-outstanding resident.
- Additionally, he served as president of the UTMB House Officer Association and served two years on the Graduate Medical Education Advisory Committee and Executive Committee.
About Dr. Smith
- Dr. Smith completed her undergraduate education at the University of Mississippi with a double major in Biochemistry and Psychology.
- She completed a Masters in Science in Neuroscience from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA.
- Received her Medical Degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, where she graduated in the top 5%.
- She then went on to complete a rigorous 5-year Head & Neck Surgery residency program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where she served as Chair of the Chief Resident Council.
- Also, she was appointed as the resident member of the Facial Plastic and Reconstruction Education Committee for the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Society.
- She treated patients from all over the world and gained expertise in facial paralysis surgery, primary and revision rhinoplasty, face and neck lift, lip lift, eyelid and eyebrow surgery, and skin cancer reconstruction.
- Dr. Smith has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal publications and book chapters and has presented her work at medical meetings across the country.
Brow Lift Surgery FAQ
One complication of the traditional forehead lift was often a “surprised” expression. This was an indication that the brow was lifted too high, producing an unnatural appearance. The endoscopic lift, when performed by a skilled plastic surgeon, produces a very natural expression and should avoid leaving the patient looking perpetually surprised.
While the traditional brow lift can lift the tissues more than an endoscopic lift can, this does not mean that the older techniques provide superior results. The results of an endoscopic lift are more natural, avoiding many of the aesthetic pitfalls of older techniques.
Before you can undergo a brow lift, an expert plastic surgeon needs to ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure and come up with a custom treatment plan. It is also important to get to know and trust your surgeon. The consultation is an opportunity to build rapport and make sure you feel comfortable with your surgeon.
No plastic surgery will not stop the aging process altogether. However, a brow lift can make you look years younger, and can effectively slow down the aging process. Depending on when you have the surgery and your lifestyle choices, you can enjoy the benefits of a brow lift for several years.
All surgery produces some scarring, but the incisions made during an endoscopic brow lift minimize scarring. They are strategically placed in the hair-bearing scalp to reduce visibility, and because they are shorter than the traditional incisions, they tend to fade better over time.
As with any surgery, an endoscopic brow lift does carry some risk, although the risk is very minimal when a board-certified plastic surgeon performs the procedure. Bleeding, infection, unfavorable scarring, hair loss, numbness, motor nerve injury, anesthesia complications, and a poor aesthetic outcome are all potential complications, but most of these are very rare.
You should choose an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon, plastic surgeon or oculoplastic surgeon to perform your procedure. Surgeons who specialize in facial procedures tend to have more experience, which helps to ensure good results.
Before-and-after photos from your surgeon’s past patients will give you a good idea of the kind of results you can expect. At home, you can get an idea of how a brow lift will help rejuvenate your face by lifting the skin at the sides of your forehead.
There is no “right age” for an endoscopic brow lift. Any healthy adult with signs of forehead aging is a potential candidate. However, most brow lift patients are in their 40s, or 50s or above. Everyone ages at a different rate, which is why it is important to consult with an expert plastic surgeon about what surgery is most appropriate for your needs.
During the procedure, anesthesia will ensure that patients feel no pain. During recovery, prescribed medications can control discomfort, which is typically minimal.
An endoscopic forehead lift, also known as a browlift, is a surgical procedure that targets such facial imperfections as drooping eyebrows, frown lines, furrowed forehead lines, forehead creases and hooding over the eyes. The endoscopic technique is less invasive than the traditional forehead lift, requiring smaller incisions and resulting in an easier and shorter recovery. During surgery, the skin around the eyes is gently lifted, restoring a more youthful and lively appearance to the forehead and brow area. A forehead lift can either be performed alone or in combination with other procedures such as an upper or midfacial lift.
Candidates for endoscopic forehead lifts are in good physical health and have realistic expectations for improving the appearance of the brow area. A private patient consultation with Dr. Buckingham is the best way to determine if an endoscopic forehead lift is right for you.
The private consultation with Dr. Buckingham held before the surgery includes a full facial analysis performed to find out whether this procedure is ideal for you or if another procedure can best help you to achieve your desired result. This consultation will also allow you to ask any other questions that you may have.
The endoscopic forehead lift is often performed in an outpatient surgery center.
The endoscopic forehead lift is often performed with a combination of local anesthesia and sedation.
For the endoscopic forehead lift, anesthesia is applied and then a few small incisions are made upon the part of the scalp that bears hair, making them easily hidden from view. Special instrumentation is then placed into one of the incisions, providing Dr. Buckingham with a detailed view in order to carefully remove excess tissue and gently tighten the forehead skin.
The patient can expect the endoscopic forehead lift procedure to last approximately one to one and a half hours.
An endoscopic forehead lift allows for a shorter recovery time than the traditional method. There is less swelling and bruising which usually fades in about one week. It is recommended that patients keep their heads elevated during the days following the surgery.
Most patients take about seven to ten days off from work after undergoing the endoscopic forehead lift.
Stitches or staples are typically taken out within a week after the endoscopic forehead lift is performed.
There are several different types of incisions for brow lift. Direct-just above the eyebrow which is not advised; mid-forehead- utilizing a forehead wrinkle line and is appropriate for men with a receding hairline and deep forehead rhytids; tricophytic-at the hairline which is appropriate for women with a high hairline; coronal- open incision in the hair; and endoscopic where the incisions are placed in the hair, are separated and smaller. Endoscopic is the most common procedure performed today. With a receding hairline either a mid-forehead of an endoscopic approach would be appropriate.
That is somewhat a matter of opinion. My opinion is yes. A “normal” forehead lift is usually one in which an open incision is created either in the middle of the forehead, at the hairline or behind the hairline. In each of those procedures there is a longer scar and in the latter two there is numbness created behind the scar. In the endoscopic approach the incisions are oriented vertically and are separated from one another. This does not create numbness, usually, and has less risk of visible scarring. The other forehead lifting procedures are still a good option for some patients, but we prefer the endoscopic approach.
Dr. Buckingham feels that successful facial plastic surgery results from the development and maintenance of good rapport between the patient, the surgeon, and his staff during the consultation and future appointments. The consultation will include a complete facial analysis to determine the best procedure to bring about the desired results and all questions relating to the patients specific concerns will be addressed.
Prospective patients are encouraged to call the office to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
Natural Rejuvenation in Austin
If you would like to look like a younger, more vibrant version of yourself, then an endoscopic brow lift might be the perfect solution for you. Dr. Edward Buckingham is double board-certified in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology, Dr. Erin Smith is a trained Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, and are dedicated to giving their patients beautiful, natural results. To schedule a brow lift consultation with Dr. Buckingham or Dr. Smith at Buckingham Center in Austin, TX, call 512.401.2500 today.
