Brow Lift

• To lift low lying brows to a higher position for aesthetic improvement of your upper face and to achieve a more youthful and alert look.
• To alleviate a tired and angry look
• To balance the position of outer and inner portions of your brows.
• To correct asymmetry between the brows
• To tighten sagging skin and muscles in the forehead.
• To remove excess forehead skin.
• To permanently reduce frown lines and this way reduce perpetual dependence on costly Botox® Cosmetic injections.
• To address your vision deficiency due to documented reduction of visual field secondary to hooding of your brows.

Dr. Rayham performs Brow Lift procedures in his offices or hospital setting in Manhattan/NYC, Brooklyn or Staten Island, New York. This procedure generally lasts from one to three hours. It is usually done under local anesthesia with twilight sedation. Sometimes general anesthesia is utilized, especially if brow lift is being performed in conjunction with other procedures and prolonged operative time is anticipated.

For Endoscopic Brow Lift procedure three or five small incisions are usually placed just inside the hairline. If substantial outer brow pull is to be performed, incisions in the temple areas of your hairline can be lengthened slightly. Camera is used to visualize the deep portion of the forehead and the area under the eyebrows. The forehead and brows are elevated and secured in a higher position using absorbable EndotineTM devices and sutures. The muscles causing excessive frowning are partially removed and weakened to prevent the frowning motion of your eyebrows. If asymmetry is present or a preferential lifting of outer or inner area of the eyebrows is needed, it is done and improved symmetry is achieved.

If coronal, direct or temporal Brow Lift approaches are used, excess skin is removed to tighten your forehead skin and “crow’s feet” lines around your eyes. If trans-blepharoplasty incision brow lift is to be performed, an incision in the natural fold of you upper eyelid is first created, and then muscles causing excessive frowning are partially removed and weakened. Brows are lifted and secured in a higher position. At that time excess skin and fat can be removed from upper eyelids as well. Again, the decision of whether an endoscopic, coronal, direct, temporal or trans-blepharoplasty approach will be utilized to perform your procedure will be dependent upon the complexity of the problem that needs to be addressed. Dr. Rayham will discuss with you all possible options and the best approach to reach your goals.

Small drain sometimes can be placed and removed the following morning. Small stitches are used to close the incisions. Metal clips or staples may also be utilized at the hairline.

Your procedure will usually last from one to three hours. Upon completion of your operation bandages will be placed around your arms to provide support and minimize the movement of the arms and the resultant discomfort. You may experience some pain associated with the surgery which is usually controlled well with pain medications. Upon discharge you will have prescriptions for pain medication that you will take as needed, and antibiotics that you will need to take for several days to decrease chances of infection. The sutures will be removed in about a week to ten days time period. You will go home with two tube drains, one in each arm, which will be removed within three to five days. Immediately after the surgery you should restrain from moving your arms above the shoulders. You should be able to resume your regular activities in about two weeks, although you should abstain from heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for several months. Upon completion of healing process maintaining proper diet and exercise routine should assure a long lasting result. The biggest drawback of this operation is possibility of forming visible scars on the inner side of your arms. Strict adherence to the instructions given to you post-operatively by Dr. Rayham should minimize the visibility of the scars and give you the best possible results.

Dr. Rayham encourages his patients to refrain from smoking for several weeks before and after the surgery. While complications are rare, Dr. Rayham will discuss the risks of your procedure with you prior to proceeding with surgery. If is important to be well-informed ahead of time. You can minimize potential problems by carefully following the directions given to you after surgery.

If you live in New York or nearby, you can either go home the day of your brachioplasty procedure or stay overnight in the hospital. Our out of town patients normally stay in New York, either in the hospital or in one of our recommended hotels, overnight and can be driven home the next day following their postoperative check-up with Dr. Rayham. If you need to fly home, Dr. Rayham would prefer you to stay in New York for at least one more day to minimize the discomfort associated with traveling. You should avoid driving for at least a week or until you feel comfortable moving your arms and no longer take narcotic pain medications.