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Will Open Brow Lift Scar Heal Nicely?

asked 2 years ago by Fox1121 in Kansas
Latest answer by Rian Maercks, MD
Question viewed 2,429 times
Tags: eyebrows, forehead, consultation, healing, open, scar

I am considering an open brow lift to correct my hereditary low brow and high forehead. I've been keeping my brow elevated with Botox in the past 5 years. I have total trust in my surgeon and had several consultations.

My concern is the long scar that will be very close to my hairline. He said he will follow my natural hairline and my coloring--very fair--should allow for me to have nice healing. I have concerns if I will always need to wear bangs after this. Any thoughts from the surgeons who do open procedures and the patients who have had them would be greatly appreciated!

16 answers to Will Open Brow Lift Scar Heal Nicely?

Scarring after browlift

I think you have handled this issue quite wisely. You haven't rushed into survey and have used Botox for brow elevation for five years. If the Botox is no longer producing the degree of elevation which you require, then considering the open brow lift is appropriate. I agree with your surgeon that patients with fair skin tend to heal nicely, although there can always be exceptions. If the incision is into the hairline and not at the junction of the hairline and forehead, you should not... more

Robert L. Kraft, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Brow Lift for Sagging Brows and High Forehead

The best procedure for a ptotic or sagging brow with a high forehead is the open hairline brow lift. This prevents the raising of the brow that would occur if a standard open incision was used. The incision runs right along the hairline or just behind the first few hairs. In addition the incision is often beveled or angled to allow hair to grow through the incision. In fair skinned patients if the closure of the would prevents any tension on the skin the scar can be very good. But if... more

Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

Brow Lift and Hairline Lowering

With a "tricophytic" (in the hairline) incision you can raise your brows and lower the hairline at the same time. Hair will grow through and in front of the scar. This is a procedure we described many years ago and use frequently in our practice to maintain or lower hairline position. After the surgery you will not have to style your hair to hide the unfavorable hairline position.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Healing after an open brow lift

You should heal well as long as you follow your post-op instructions and avoid smoking. For heavy a heavy brow, a coronal brow lift should be the procedure that you need. However, without seeing any pictures I cannot tell if you could also be a candidate for a limited incision brow lift or endoscopic brow lift. Nonetheless, the scarring is manageable and well hidden by you hair after an open brow lift. Good luck!

Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

High forehead + low brows = anterior hairline browlift

I have followed the above equation for ten years in my practice and can honestly say that I have not had any patients that were not pleased with the procedure, from the elevation of the brow, to the shortening of the forehead, to the nearly imperceptible scar. The incision should be beveled to allow hair to grow back through the scar, however.

W. Tracy Hankins, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Brow lift with scar at the hairline

Your surgeon"s recommendation is a reasonable option. Poor scar formation is a risk, but many times hairline scars can be nearly imperceptible after a period of time. You have tried BOTOX for a while and it no longer improving your low brow position. If you have a high forehead and hairline and the scar is placed behind the hairline then your hairline ends up being even higher. Your decision making, along with the advice of your surgeon is an analysis of all the "pros"... more

John E. Gross, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Short-scar Temporal brow lifting may be an option worth investigating.

Depending on your surgeon, and your healing, a hairline-long-scar brow lift can lead to a favorable result. I'm not a big fan of brow lifting, in general, and typically get gratifying results with BOTOX. The short-scar, Temporal brow lift described by Tonnard and Verpaele shouldn't change your hairline, and is effective at elevating the outer part of the brow near the temples. I hope this is helpful, and best regards.

Eric M. Joseph, MD
West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon

Scarring is Always A Concern

Scarring after any procedure is always a concern. You will likely not want to pull your hair back after a hairline incision as this can show the incision line. Most other hairstyles though should easily cover the incision. The biggest risk with these incisions is hair loss at the incision line. Fortunately, should this occur, a scar revision or hair transplant procedure is a good option for repair.

D.J. Verret, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

Browlift scars can be barely visible

IF you are seeking a brow lift and to raise your hairline at the same time, both and open browlift as well as an endoscopic brow lifts will raise your hairline as well. I agree that for a very low brow, the open browlift is more predictable regarding the hairline but equal when it comes to raising your eyebrows. An incision behind the hairline usually heals quite well. Bangs are suggested only if the incision is at the hairline. In the latter case, a pre-trichial incision is actually through... more

Steven J. Pearlman, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.mdface.com

Pretrichal or direct hairline forehead lift and the resulting scar.

Scarring is generally good but can vary. In some instances it can create an abrupt hairline transitiion giving the appearance of hair grafts. Techniques used to minimize this include the use of a zig-zag line and burying of hair follicles under the incision so that hair grows through and camouflages the scar. Some physicians advocate the use of skin needling at a later date to "blend" the scar. Occasionally the scar can be wide or prominent necessitating the use of bangs. more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Beware of brow lifts! Focus on the lateral hood!

Be very careful when asking for a brow lift, you might get it. If you look up brow lift results in published papers and before and afters you will see that many surgeons successfully lift the brow. Unfortunately a true brow lift makes patients look scared or surprised! It is almost never necessary to elevate the medial third of the brow. Many women actually benefit aesthetically from a slight lowering of the medial third. On the contrary, there are few women... more

Rian Maercks, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.rianmaercksmd.com

Open browlift scar can be inconspicuous

The open procedure is an excellent procedure that is performed on the forehead for the forehead lift. One of the important ways to minimize scarring is to have the incision literally at the frontal hairline. The hairline can be brought down closer to the face if there is a high hairline. This requires that skin be removed from the hairless area of the forehead. It is crucial to not place any tension on the skin; all tension should be placed on the deep sutures underneath, pulling the... more

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Brow lift scar.

Hi! It really depends how it is done. If the incision is bevelled sharply so that a lot of hair follicles are left in the wound, then hair grows THROUGH the scar, and the scar becomes practically invisible.

George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pretrichial Browlift

That is what your plastic surgeon is recommending. This will raise your brows and then the hariline can actually be advanced forward to prevent making your forehead larger and hairline higher. The scaring is really dependant on how you heal. Some of it has to do what how your surgeon performs the surgery, but you still would likley not want to wear your hair in a pony tail or pulled back as the scar would be apparent. Good luck.

Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Hairline browlifts

Hair line brow lifts were described for exactly your situation. A high forehead and a low brow. A browlift with the incision in your hairline either open or endoscopic will make the hairline move further back. A skilled plastic surgeon can create a beautiful closer with nearly imperceptible scarring especially if you are fair. Another advantage to this procedure is the ability to advance or lower the hairline further during the surgery. I believe you have been given good advice and should... more