What Are the Most Common Side Effects of Endotine Implants Put in During a Brow Lift?

Endotines are anchors used to temporally hold the forehead after an endoscopic browlift. They dissolve in 6 months but can protrude through the incision, loosen, or cause pain and swelling in rare cases.

Endotines can have a number of side effects including pain, a persistent firm lump under skin, hair loss, and loosening and dislocation.  In my opinion a bone tunnel is a safer and more effective method.

Great question! The bulge and pain at the site of insertion. Please be careful because the bulge will take MONTHS to resolve. 

The most common issue with the Endotine implants is that they can be tender for the first few months after surgery. Most of my patients tell me this resolves in about 2 months, and they quickly learn how to avoid aggravating the area. The other issue is that they can sometimes be noticed as an unusual bumpiness under the skin if they are palced anterior to the hairline. Again, this goes away after a few months.

Much less commonly, the implant can slip causing a need to re-do the surgery. Similarly, the brow itself can losen away from the implant. Both situations would allow the brow to fall post-operatively. While some relaxation of the brow position will happen after surgery, a true drop from implant slippage does not happen very often.

 

The discomfort from Endotines can often be avoided by placing them above horizontal incisions where there will be numbness that can last 6 months. This is long enough time for these devices to disintegrate.