With age, your skin loses collagen and its elasticity. As a result, you’ll notice sagging and loose skin on your forehead, face, brow, and eyelids. This aging consequence may make your face look older, worn, and maybe even unfriendly. Brow lift and blepharoplasty are facial rejuvenation cosmetic surgeries that remove excess skin to restore youthful expressions and smooth droopy brows and eyelids. But which one is best for your unique cosmetic concern?
A brow lift is an aesthetic enhancement to raise your brow and resolve unsightly frown lines. Also known as blepharoplasty, an eyelid lift removes excess skin from the lower or upper eyelids to restore youthful, alert-appearing eyes. So, let’s examine both procedures to learn which is best suited for your aesthetic needs.
What Is Blepharoplasty?
Dr. Arthur M. Cambeiro of SurgiSpa Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery performs eyelid surgery to:
- Eliminate excess skin from the upper eyelids
- Resolve baggy lower eyelids
- Remove drooping eyelid skin that obstructs vision
Eyelid surgery helps women and men who have:
- Excess skin that conceals the natural fold of the upper eyelids
- A tired and worn expression due to puffy upper eyelids
- Impaired vision from excess upper eyelid skin
- Hooded upper eyelids
- Undereye circles or bags
- Crepe skin on the lower eyelid
The upper eyelid surgery involves Dr. Cabeiro creating small incisions along the natural lines of the upper or lower lids to separate underlying tissue from the surface skin. Then, he will remove small pockets of excess fat and skin to address sagging. Finally, he will close with tiny sutures.
A lower blepharoplasty employs multiple techniques. For example, Dr. Cambeiro may create an incision inside the lower eyelid to remove excess fat. This incision results in no visible scarring. Or he may make the incision along the eyelash margin to remove excess fat and skin. The resulting scarring will fade after a short period.
Eyelid Surgery Recovery
During blepharoplasty recovery, cold compresses and lubricating ointment can help with swelling and healing. Dr. Cambeiro and his staff will provide specific post-operational instructions, medications for comfort and infection prevention, and a list of what to look for at your incision sites. Dr. Cambeiro’s office will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor your healing progress.
Initially, you should expect minimal bruising, swelling, and irritation. However, we recommend you thoroughly follow post-operational instructions to manage side effects.
What Is a Brow Lift?
Dr. Cambeiro offers an advanced form of brow lift. The endoscopic brow lift elevates the brow and forehead position. This approach represents a significant improvement to the traditional open method. The benefits include a natural appearance, minimal incisions, and a faster recovery.
Brow lift results are long-lasting, visibly pleasing, and natural-looking without altering your hairline. Many men and women in the Greater Las Vegas area choose Dr. Cambeiro because he can deliver these outstanding results.
In addition, a brow lift can be readily performed with other cosmetic surgeries to achieve comprehensive facial rejuvenation. For instance, Dr. Cambeiro routinely combines an endoscopic brow lift with a facelift, blepharoplasty, and laser skin tightening.
Brow Lift Recovery
Expect the following in the days after your brow lift surgery:
You should anticipate minimal swelling and bruising around the eye area, which should diminish in less than two weeks. Dr. Cambeiro will schedule a follow-up visit two to three days following surgery and again to remove your dressing. Avoid strenuous activities, such as bending, lifting, and athletic competitions, for three weeks. Also, refrain from consuming alcohol, which can lead to fluid retention and delay healing.
What Is the Difference Between Eyelid Surgery and a Brow Lift?
Both brow lift and eyelid surgery can give your face a healthier, younger, more refreshed look. Initial wound healing from a brow lift takes around two weeks, the same as a blepharoplasty.
The main difference between the two cosmetic procedures is the area of the face each surgery addresses:
- A brow lift targets skin and soft tissue in the forehead. On the other hand, a blepharoplasty removes extra skin and fat from the eyelids (upper and lower)
- A blepharoplasty enhances the eye appearance without repositioning the eyebrows. Alternatively, a brow lift raises the brow position and corrects the upper eyelid appearance without removing excess skin or fat from the eyelids
- A brow lift incision is performed along the hairline, whereas blepharoplasty incisions are cut along the natural creases of the upper eyelids
How Do I Know If I Need a Brow Lift?
A brow lift surgery is ideal for people with a low brow position. For example, you might need a brow lift if you’re constantly raising your eyebrows to see better, or if you look in the mirror, and raising your eyebrows makes your eyes look open and more alert.
Moreover, if you notice deep wrinkles and frown lines on your forehead, a brow lift can also address those cosmetic concerns.
You probably don’t need a brow lift if your eyebrows naturally sit high on your forehead. In this case, a forehead lift would raise your eyebrows even higher, making them look unnaturally high. As a result, you’ll look surprised the entire time.
How Do I Know If I Need Blepharoplasty?
You probably need blepharoplasty if you have heavy, sagging eyelids and undereye bags that make you look tired or in a bad mood. Also, eyelid surgery might be the most suitable treatment option if your heavy eyelids obstruct your vision.
If you raise your eyebrows and that doesn’t improve your vision or how your eyes look, then you’ll likely benefit from a blepharoplasty more than you would from a brow lift.
However, if raising your eyebrows improves your vision and appearance, eyelid surgery might not be the best option for you, and you should consider a brow lift.
Choosing Between a Brow Lift Or Eyelid Surgery
This decision can be challenging and should only be made by consulting a reputable plastic surgeon well-versed in cosmetic facial surgeries.
Each patient has a unique facial anatomy. This fact requires your surgeon to address your unique cosmetic concerns. For example, if your eyelids look heavy and tired, a blepharoplasty may be best suited for you. If your eyebrows are low, then a brow lift may help with that. Also, if you’re looking for a non-surgical solution with no downtime and natural-looking results and are willing to accept that it won’t last forever, then using Botox or Dysport may be ideal for you.
Ultimately, your best information will come from a practicing board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr Cambeiro. Before your appointment, consider what aspects of your appearance bother you most and what you want to address. Dr. Cambeiro encourages his patients to bring a written list of their questions and concerns to the consultation. This allows you a level of confidence and helps you fully participate in the process.
Can You Combine Blepharoplasty and a Brow Lift?
Since the brow and eyelid areas often age at the same rate, many patients combine eyelid surgery and brow lifts to achieve the most comprehensive facial rejuvenation results. However, this is a personal choice. Whether you should connect the procedures will depend on your specific needs and goals.
Benefits of Combining Blepharoplasty and a Brow Lift
Preserving facial harmony is the main objective of all facial aesthetics, which may mean combining procedures for optimal results. So, how can this dynamic duo of brow lift and blepharoplasty be beneficial?
Cost Effective
Combining the procedures in one surgical session is less expensive than two interventions. Dr. Cambeiro cautions that cost should not be the driving factor behind any medical decision, but if the surgeries can be combined safely, why not?
Time-Effective
An operation of any type means you must make time for the procedure and its subsequent recovery. For example, pairing the two procedures takes one to two hours in the operating room. In addition, combining the surgery also combines the recovery, so less time is required to heal fully from one surgery than two separate procedures.
Less Painful
Discomfort is to be expected after surgery, but combining the healing processes will save you from dealing with extended pain.
Looks Natural
Correcting the brows and lids at once may offer the most comprehensive result if both brows and lids are heading south. However, addressing changes that cover multiple aesthetic issues provides a more natural effect, as the two procedures and their benefits are blended.
Cuts Down on Maintenance
Benefits are remarkably lasting, and additional rejuvenation is rare for a decade. While the natural aging process will continue, each procedure’s lifespan is approximately ten years.·
Takeaways
When it comes to eye rejuvenation, many procedures can fit the bill. However, pairing an upper eyelid blepharoplasty and brow lift may provide the most significant result for those concerned about a lowered, droopy eyelid and sagging brow.
The combined approach is more comprehensive, provides more significant visual correction when lax skin blocks vision, provides more durable results, and generates a superior natural change. Genetics, lifestyle, and other external factors affect how your face ages, so consult a board-certified plastic surgeon to ensure you receive the best treatment for your aesthetic concerns and goals.
If you would like to learn more about the correct procedures to meet your cosmetic goals, we can help. Mayo Clinic-trained Dr. Arthur Cambeiro will discuss your concerns and how he can help you achieve a more youthful appearance. Schedule your consultation today by calling (702) 734-4100or schedule a consultationonline.