Is the scarring associated with a direct brow lift worth the longevity benefits? (photos)

Question

Follow up question to earlier post: I recently had a consultation with a highly rated dr from this site regarding a desired lift to my midbrow (attached photo) and he said that a direct brow lift (incision in middle of face) would yield more visible & longer-term results than endoscopic, but would leave a line on my forehead for at least a year. How visible is this line (pictures would be greatly appreciated)? Would the longevity for my desired results rly be that much greater w/a direct lift?)

John J. Martin, Jr., MD · Answer

You are talking about a mid-forehead lift.  A direct brow lift is done at the top of the brow hairs.  It is a great way to lift the brow in men, but when done in the medial portion of the brow it can leave a visible scar since the skin is very sebaceous.  (when done on the lateral brow it heals much better and can rarely be seen.)  If you have a really bushy brow you can get away with it since the hair will cover the scar.A mid-forehead lift is a risky surgery for a scar.  If you heal really well, it may look like a line on your forehead.  If you don't heal well you will have a visible line across the middle of the forehead.  Not worth it!  Since you have a fair amount of hair on your head, you could do an endoscopic browlift.  It may not get you as high as you want but shouldn't see the scar, and will get some elevation.

Tae Ho Kim, MD · Answer

It is true that a traditional way of performing the brow lift may result in the likely recurrence of your current brow shape.  However, the idea of creating a scar in the mid forehead is not a good one and it may lead to a result that you may not like, especially with a scar that is permanent (not one year).  The scar may or may not blend in with any forehead creases as you get older.  I would be careful of interpreting 'highly rated' doctor or the best rated doctor.  There is is no rating system in the medical community: it is a PR mechanism for doctors to use in order to draw you in.  It has nothing to do with quality.  I would advise you to see a board certified plastic surgeon to get another opinion.  Good luck!

Brooke R. Seckel, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

With the availability of Botox which can attain 6 mm of brow lift when placed into frown lines and crow's feet I have abandoned surgical brow lift. Please see link below:

Is the scarring associated with a direct brow lift worth the longevity benefits? (photos)

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Is the scarring associated with a direct brow lift worth the longevity benefits? (photos)

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Brow Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.