What are the possible complications and side effects of a brow lift?

Question

I'm thinking about a brow lift. What possible brow lift complications or side effects should I be aware of?

Brent Moelleken, MD · Answer

The types of complications that are possible are directly a result of which browlift technique is chosen.
If you have a coronal lift, the chance is 100% that you will lose sensation from the deep branch of the supraorbital nerve.  Hair loss and numbness are common.
If you have an endoscopic forehead / midface lift, there is a higher chance of injuring the nerve to the forehead (frontal branch).
If you have a hairline browlift, there is a higher chance for visible scars.
If you have a behind the hairline lift, or an endoscopic lift, the chance of baldness around the incisions is higher, and so on.
No browlift is right for every patient, and they all come with a series of pros and cons.
You may wish to read our book chapter on browlifting techniques in the textbook Mathes.

Matthew Richardson, MD · Answer

Many of the risks associated with brow lifting are similar to other surgical procedures, but there are a few unique risks involved. Bleeding, scarring, infection, numbness, nerve weakness, bruising, swelling, pain, and hair loss are all possible, but most of these are uncommon. Bruising, swelling, short-term discomfort, and temporary numbness are all to be expected. The degree to which each of these occurs for each patient will vary depending on the patient and the particular brow lifting technique used by the surgeon.All the best

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

Complications associated with
browlift surgery are fortunately uncommon.  When complications occur, they are often related to the type
of browlift incision used.

When an open approach is utilized,
problems with numbness hair loss and scarring can occur.  When endoscopic browlift is performed,
the nerves that elevate the brow can be damaged.  Both of these procedures are associated with elevation of
the hairline as well.  Hairline
incisions avoid this problem, but may also be associated with noticeable
scarring.

With any surgical procedure,
infection, bleeding, hematoma formation and swelling can also occur.

It’s important to understand that
no two patients are the same. 
Complications with browlift surgery can be minimized by carefully
selecting the appropriate incision for each individual patient.  This
individualized approach has resulted in a low complication rate for browlift
surgery.

Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD, FACS · Answer

There are many potential complications that can occur from browlift surgery.  The technique with which the surgery is performed and the extent and location of the incisions will have something to do with the frequency of the complications. Your surgeons familiarity with the anatomy will also impact which complications can occur.
The list of any surgical complication will be included in your pre-operative discussion with your surgeon. However, the biggest potential complications that I would pay most attention to are injury to the facial nerve resulting in forehead muscle weakness and injury to the sensory nerves of the forehead resulting in forehead and scalp numbness.  Other than these potential complications most of the other issues are generally temporary, of little impact to the ultimate surgical result and can be generally be corrected.

Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS · Answer

There are many methods for perfoming a browlift or forehead lift including an endoscopic browlift (through tiny incisions with the assistance of telescopes) , bicoronal forehead lift (extensive incision from ear to ear across the top of the head) and a tricophytic or hairline browlift. (hidden along the hairline. Each of these techniques achieves a similar result through the brow and the forehead in terms of smoothing of lines and gentle elevation of the brows.  
The key difference is in how they affect your hariline. The Bicoronal (ear to ear) browlift elevates or pulls your hairline back, raising the frontal hairline by up to one inch. The Endoscopic lift has minimal effect of the position of the hairline.  The tricophytic or hairline browlift can be used to adjust the hairline, usually lowering it to address a receding hairline or widow's peaks in the temporal hairline.

Edward E. Dickerson, IV, MD · Answer

As with any surgical procedure there is a risk of hematoma, infection and irregular scarring, all of which are rare. Complications relating to a brow lift vary depending of which variation (direct, endoscopic, etc) of a brow lift is being performed. Complications that may occur include loss of hair (alopecia) around or on the incision site, loss of sensation around the incision and/or forehead and the inability to move one's eyebrows or forehead. With an endoscopic brow lift loss of sensation is less likely to occur and usually not permanent.

	 

	"Dr.D"

Jeffrey Epstein, MD, FACS · Answer

That depends upon the type performed. Endoscopic browlifts generally have a very low risk of complications, but with all these procedures there is a risk of some localized hair loss, elevation of the hairline, scarring within the hairline, and numbness behind the incision (highly unlikely with the endoscopic approach).

Sigmund L. Sattenspiel, MD · Answer

Most brow lifts are performed by either the endoscopic approach or the full coronal approach. 
Potential complications include:

Loss of sensation (sensory nerve function) 
Loss of movement (facial nerve function)
Loss of hair due to shock (telogen effluvium)
Wide scar lines with absence of hair (alopecia) in the scar lines

With any surgical procedure there is always the risk of infection, bleeding, hematoma. With meticulous attention to surgical detail, these complications are uncommon.

Edmund Fisher, MD · Answer

As with any facial plastic surgery procedure, there are many potential complications of varying degree and significance to each patient. Endoscopic brow lift, done through small (1/2 inch) opening in the scalp was first popularized in the 1990's and offer less pain, much less chance of hair loss and quicker recovery. Of course, the surgeon's experience in performing this more technologic and technique dependent procedure will help ensure a great result and a happy patient. Always ask to see your prospective surgeon's before and after photos, and try to speak to their patients about the surgery.
Since obtaining first hand experience with endoscopic brow lifts during my residency in 1999, my complication rate has been extremely  low. I try to avoid that "suprised look" and as a result sometimes my results may not be as dramatic as the patient was expecting. Assymetry is less common, followed by temporary localized hair loss and numbness. The other potential side effects have been mentioned. Hope that helps.

Richard W. Fleming, MD (retired) · Answer

Possible brow lift complications depend on the technique used. The generic surgical complications include hematoma, infection, and scarring which are all unusual. Others to consider are loss of sensation of the forehead or scalp, a compromise or loss of forehead movement, elevation of the hairline, or hair loss. Your surgeon will be specific regarding the incidence of each depending on the proposed surgery.

What are the possible complications and side effects of a brow lift?

Answers (12)

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