Could the scar from a direct brow lift be hidden in a younger patient?

Question

I'm looking to get a brow lift, in my 30s, fair skin, with freckles and red hair, few wrinkles, and my scars heal amazingly (even doctors miss them). A surgeon suggested my forehead skin is too tight and would make an endoscopic lift less effective and suggested a direct lift would be better for me. I’m also avoiding anesthesia for other health reasons. Could (and how) I treat the scar to near invisibility after getting this done?

Albert Ko, MD · Answer

Hi there, thanks for your question! With proper technique the scars from an excision brow lift can be placed in your eyebrow line and are almost invisible to the naked eye! I would also recommend a silicone based scar get after the procedure! Best of luck!

Alan Gonzalez, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello @Genuine823557, thank you for your question. It is important to thoroughly analyze your case; to have a consultation, take into consideration age, needs and expectations. It would be posible to consider brow pexy procedures that require only minimal incisions in the scalp so that the scar can be hidden in the hair. For more information and recommendations, it is best to consult with one or several board certified plastic surgeons. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS.

Michael A. Burnstine, MD · Answer

Please send photos to assess your eyelid and eyebrow complex position. Without it, sage advice is impossible.

David K. Isaacs, MD, FACS · Answer

I perform direct brow lifts and even though this is a procedure I’m extremely comfortable performing, I still limit this mainly to men due to the scar. I would also tend to generally avoid an endoscopic lift in a patient in their 30s. 
The key factors I take into consideration when optimizing the direct brow lift scar: 
1. Incision placement
2. Incision technique
3. Amount of tissue removal
4. Wound closure
5. Aftercare 
6. Scar modulation injections (if needed)
7. Skin resurfacing (e.g. fractionated CO2 laser or chemical peels; if needed)
I perform this procedure in our office under local anesthesia and it takes about an hour.

Bilgen Katipoglu Erenoglu, MD · Answer

Direct skin excision brow lift is actually not the first option in young patients. The reason is not just the scar, but also in endoscopic brow lift, we can also tighten the forehead, we can alter the angle of the eye (if needed) and we can also do a midface lift at the same time. There is a small percentage of patients that endoscopic brow lift did not effect as we want, so in these patients we consider direct brow lift. This operation also has the risks of asymmetry, unnatural look and hypertrophic scar. So I would recommend to have an endoscopic brow lift first.

Could the scar from a direct brow lift be hidden in a younger patient?

Answers (5)