Updated: Nov 10, 2009
The forehead lift or brow lift is a common facial rejuvenation procedure, performed as an isolated technique or in combination with total facial rejuvenation, including facelift and blepharoplasty. Most recent clinical data and paradigm shifts have reoriented the term brow lift as a misnomer. The terms browplasty or brow reshaping focus on the overall contour rather than the absolute height of the brow.[1,2 ]
Periorbital changes are often recognized as the earliest signs of aging. Common changes include upper eyelid skin folds extending beyond the upper eyelid into the temple, frown lines or glabellar transverse forehead creases, thickening or bunching of the corrugator muscles at the medial eyebrow, and descent (ptosis) of the eyebrows.
In this discussion, the terms brow lift and forehead lift are used interchangeably. The actual incision used to perform a brow lift can vary from the coronal line, the prehairline, and just above the eyebrow. This topic focuses on the indications, techniques, and results of the coronal approach. For information on other brow lift procedures, see the Brow Lift section of eMedicine’s Plastic Surgery journal.
Aging varies in each individual. Forehead changes are based on environmental factors (sun damage), genetic makeup, and skin type. The extent of aging can vary greatly.
Beginning in the fourth decade, early changes of brow position, influenced by gravity, become apparent. This eventually occurs in all individuals, although the degree of brow ptosis and constellation of findings such as glabellar frown lines and transverse forehead creases vary. By the fifth decade, most individuals have undesirable changes of the forehead and upper periorbital region that would benefit from rejuvenative forehead procedures.
The etiology of the aging upper face involves loss of elasticity, soft tissue ptosis, genetic predisposition, and repetitive facial motion (eg, squinting, constant corrugation of eyebrow muscles).
Individuals with active facial animation, especially those who are exposed to sun, may exhibit more advanced signs of upper forehead aging.
Constant motion of the frontalis muscle creates the transverse rhytides of the forehead. Patients with advanced brow ptosis activate the frontalis muscles on a regular and involuntary basis to maintain elevation of their brows, thereby preventing the visual field obstruction that occurs from brow ptosis. As forehead soft tissues continue their descent over time, compensatory frontalis muscle tone creates progressively deepening lines to offset the effect on visual field obstruction.
In such cases, the well-intentioned removal of upper eyelid skin can create further brow ptosis through a relaxation in frontalis tone, which is now no longer required to maintain the visual field. The removal of upper lid skin in such cases can make later brow elevation more complicated, with poorer aesthetic results due to the limitations created by a paucity of upper lid skin. To overcome this deficiency, skin grafts or flaps from the lower lid may be considered. Remarkable aesthetic improvements can be achieved with techniques that diminish frontalis tone and weaken the centralizing and depressing muscular action while elevating the brow to an appropriate position.
Patients may be told by family, friends, or colleagues that they appear angry, sad, or anxious when this appearance does not match their emotional state. This misinterpretation can be quite concerning for some and may result in a visit to a plastic surgeon for treatment. Elevating the brow while diminishing corrugator and procerus function can reduce forehead rhytides. This goal is accomplished through a skillfully performed brow lift.
A brow lift may be indicated in anyone who approaches the fourth decade of life and exhibits changes such as brow ptosis and excess corrugator action with glabellar creases between the eyebrows and transverse forehead wrinkling. Many of these patients are motivated to change the unacceptable appearances of anger, annoyance, or fatigue that commonly are associated with changes in the forehead.
In the female patient, elevation of the lateral eyebrow and weakening of the centralizing and depressor muscles provides a more aesthetically pleasing upper periorbita, consistent with youthful femininity.
In men, eyebrow position also may be excessively low, and elevation may be indicated; however, excessive elevation can be feminizing. Vertical glabellar frown lines may suggest anger or anxiousness and are typically undesirable. Concerns over the appearance of these unwanted lines often prompts a visit to a plastic surgeon.
A thorough knowledge of the layers of the scalp and forehead is paramount. The layers encountered in brow lift surgery are the skin, subcutaneous tissue, galea or aponeurosis, loose areolar tissue plane, and periosteum. Progressing inferiorly from the coronal or hairline incision, the deep and superficial layers of the temporal fascia are encountered laterally; an understanding of these layers and how they relate to the frontal branch of the facial nerve as it traverses the galea and superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) layer is critical.[3 ]
Anatomic understanding of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve branches that traverse the medial eyebrow region also is important. Supratrochlear nerves are invested within the corrugator muscle. They are visualized in dissection and removal of the corrugator muscle and must be preserved. The supraorbital nerve exits more lateral than the supratrochlear nerves and provides sensation to the hemi-forehead, extending superiorly above the hairline. Preserving these nerves minimizes sensory deficiencies.
The frontal branch of the facial nerve is carried in the forehead flap when the procedure is performed through the subgaleal or subaponeurotic dissection. Tension or traction on the forehead flap at the level of the lateral orbital rim must be gentle to avoid neurapraxia or permanent injury to the nerve.
An intimate knowledge of the insertion and origin of the corrugator muscles, procerus muscle, and frontalis muscle is essential to performing a comprehensive brow lift procedure that reverses the signs of aging.
The most significant contraindication to a forehead lift is deficiency of upper eyelid skin. This often occurs when previous upper eyelid surgery has been performed, lagophthalmus has occurred, and adequate lid closure is a concern. Elevation of the brow to its proper level may be impossible if adequate upper eyelid skin is not present. This demonstrates the importance of proper diagnosis in the aging face so that excess upper eyelid skin is not removed simply because this is the "easier way out."
In most patients, a properly performed brow lift is the cornerstone of upper facial rejuvenation. Only after placing the brow in the proper position can one assess excess upper eyelid skin. This is especially true in women, in whom eyebrow position and shape is quite important in establishing the aesthetics of the periorbital region. A properly arched and elevated lateral brow is a key element to a rejuvenated female face.
A relative contraindication to a coronal forehead lift is a preexisting high anterior hairline. When excessively high, a coronal brow lift exacerbates this aesthetic problem. Further, following a coronal brow lift, performing subsequent hairline brow lifts to correct the problem is difficult without jeopardizing the vascularity to the intervening scalp segment that contains the anterior hairline. The endoscopic and prehairline brow lifts do not significantly alter hairline position and, therefore, are more appropriate choices for patients who have high anterior hairlines. However, recent studies suggest limited and often incomplete excursion of the lateral brow via the endoscopic approach.[2 ]The direct lateral brow lift has thus gained significant favor owing to its technical ease and reliability.[4 ]
Available medical therapy includes botulinum toxin (BOTOX®) injections to the corrugator muscles, lateral periorbital orbicularis muscle, and frontalis muscle. Chemical denervation with BOTOX® effects a temporary improvement, with changes in the forehead and elimination of vertical glabellar frown creases with corrugator muscle paralysis, improvement of transverse forehead rhytides with chemical denervation of the frontalis muscle, and elevation of the lateral eyebrow with selective injection of BOTOX® into the lateral orbicularis muscle.
This specific chemical denervation with BOTOX® injection can interrupt the imbalance of forehead muscle action, therefore eliminating rhytides that occur from contraction of these muscles. If dermal changes or deeper rhytides exist, full correction with chemical denervation is not likely. Additionally, the result lasts only 4-5 months, and subsequent treatment is necessary to maintain improvement. However, with appropriately maintained BOTOX® therapy, muscle atrophy ensues, and less frequent injections are required. (See BOTOX® Injections for more information on BOTOX® therapy.) Although BOTOX® therapy is considered a medical or chemical therapy, note that comprehensive understanding of the relevant superficial and deep anatomy of the region is imperative for optimal results of BOTOX® injections.
This article describes the surgical treatment (brow lift/forehead lift) of aging of the upper two thirds of the face. This includes brow ptosis, corrugator hyperactivity, frontalis hyperactivity, and the associated rhytides created by this hyperactivity.
Brow lift options include an open (traditional) brow lift with incisions just above the eyebrows, in the mid forehead region, or in the hairline or coronal area. Furthermore, the approaches can be subperiosteal, subgaleal, or subcutaneous. Generally, the most common brow lift technique is a subgaleal approach through a hairline or coronal incision.
Although some surgeons remain committed to a more limited incision in the mid forehead through an existing rhytid or just above the eyebrows, these procedures are not considered the most aesthetically pleasing or effective methods of improving brow ptosis. Additionally, they do not afford the patient the benefits of complete corrugator and frontalis modification.
Though endoscopic techniques for brow lifts once gained popularity, they have fallen back out of favor most recently. While these methods are effective in reducing corrugator activity, frontalis activity is difficult to alter reliably using these techniques. Brow elevation can be achieved to a predictable degree, but fixation also remains a concern with the endoscopic lift. Multiple techniques have been proposed for endoscopic brow fixation, with several alternatives demonstrating relative success.
Suture suspension, screw fixation (absorbable or removable screws), and K-wire fixation are several examples. Endoscopic techniques limit the incisions, proving desirable to many patients as a minimally invasive procedure. The endoscopic lift does not allow for modification of the hairline in patients with a high forehead.
Most patients complain of some sensory deficit in the area posterior to the incision (forehead or coronal incision). This sensory deficit can be annoying to some patients, but in most patients it resolves in several months. Some residual swelling of the forehead may occur for several weeks but generally is not socially unacceptable. Forehead and brow mobility also is reduced for several weeks until swelling resolves and healing occurs.
While brow lift and foreheadplasty procedures are safe and predictable, complications are documented.
Brow lift or forehead lift procedures provide gratifying results. The rejuvenating effect of a well-executed brow lift can be the most beneficial change in an aging face, especially with early aging. Inappropriate expressions of anger or sadness can be eliminated by contouring the corrugator muscles; a tired, concerned look can be changed by elevating the brow and opening up the lateral orbital area so that an awake, alert, and refreshed appearance is evident. While most female patients appreciate a more feminine appearance to the periorbital area and upper third of the nose, many men can benefit from a more relaxed and rejuvenated appearance without the excessive brow elevation desirable in the female eyebrow.
Current techniques have reduced complications and allow patients to return to normal work and social activities within several days. Excellent results are expected with brow lifts using current state-of-the art endoscopic techniques, further diminishing recovery time but possessing limited efficacy for advanced aging.
As with any cosmetic procedure, objective preoperative and postoperative brow measurements allow the surgeon and patient to evaluate and re-evaluate diagnoses, surgical options, and long-term results.[2 ]
Continued modification of laser techniques and chemical denervation (BOTOX®) are exciting developments that will change the treatment of the aging forehead in the future. At present, these are adjunctive measures that can assist in temporarily reversing the effects of aging. Currently, an open forehead or coronal brow lift or direct lateral lift are the most reliable and predictable methods of reversing aging in the upper third of the face.
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Trovato MJ, Ciminello FS, Rauscher GE. Redefining the brow-lift: A quantitative topographic assessment of age-related changes and operative techniques. Presented at the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, May 3, 2009.
Stuzin JM, Wagstrom L, Kawamoto HK, Wolfe SA. Anatomy of the frontal branch of the facial nerve: the significance of the temporal fat pad. Plast Reconstr Surg. Feb 1989;83(2):265-71. [Medline].
Communication with John Q. Owsley, M.D. 2008.
Camirand A. Improvement of the Scars of Temporal and Frontal Face Lifts. In: McKinney P. Yearbook of Plastic Surgery. St. Louis: Mosby; 1993.
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Connell BF, Marten TJ. The male foreheadplasty. Recognizing and treating aging in the upper face. Clin Plast Surg. Oct 1991;18(4):653-87. [Medline].
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brow lift, coronoplasty, forehead lift, browlift, brow-lift, brow-plasty, facial rejuvenation, facelift, blepharoplasty
Matthew J Trovato, MD, Fellow, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Frank S Ciminello, MD, Director of Craniofacial Surgery, University Hospital, New Jersey Medical School
Frank S Ciminello, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
R C A Weatherley-White, MD, Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery (Plastic), University of Colorado; Medical Director, Department of Plastic Surgery, Columbia Rose Medical Center
R C A Weatherley-White, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association, American College of Surgeons, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Colorado Medical Society, and Royal Society of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment
Jorge I de la Torre, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Residency Program Director, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Director, Center for Advanced Surgical Aesthetics
Jorge I de la Torre, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Plastic Surgeons, American Burn Association, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Association for Academic Surgery, and Medical Association of the State of Alabama
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Nicolas (Nick) G Slenkovich, MD, Director, Colorado Plastic Surgery Center
Nicolas (Nick) G Slenkovich, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and Colorado Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Lars M Vistnes, MD, FRCSC, FACS, Professor of Surgery, Emeritus, Stanford University Medical Center
Lars M Vistnes, MD, FRCSC, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
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