Many people have heard of a brow lift, but fewer are familiar with browpexy. Though they sound similar, these procedures offer different solutions for enhancing the appearance of your eyebrows and upper face. Let’s explore the differences between browpexy vs brow lift surgery and share how we can customize treatment to help you appear more youthful and refreshed.
What Is a Browpexy?
A browpexy subtly elevates and stabilizes the position of the eyebrows. During the procedure, the area above the eyelid is raised, and the eyebrow is fastened with internal sutures to a place slightly higher than the brow ridge. In a variant of the treatment, the eyebrow is held on a device implanted into the brow ridge. Both types of browpexy give the patient a fresh, youthful, and alert appearance.
Facial plastic surgeons often combine browpexy with blepharoplasty (upper eyelid surgery) to remove sagging or puffiness around the upper eyelid and create a more harmonious, balanced result.
Unlike a full brow lift, a browpexy:
- Focuses specifically on raising the eyebrows
- Does not address forehead wrinkles or furrows
- Is often performed through the same incision as an upper eyelid lift (blepharoplasty)
- Uses internal sutures or a small implant to secure the brow in a slightly elevated position
Browpexy is an outpatient surgery performed under local anesthesia. The procedure typically takes about 30 minutes.
What Is a Brow Lift?
A brow lift, also commonly referred to as a forehead lift, is a surgical procedure that raises the skin of the forehead to lift a sagging brow, smooth lines and wrinkles in the upper face, and refresh the facial appearance. It can also balance asymmetrical features.
There are several techniques for performing a brow lift, including:
- Endoscopic: With this less invasive approach, the surgeon makes 4 to 6 tiny incisions within the hairline. They then use an endoscope to visualize the internal tissue to be repositioned. Very little skin is removed.
- Coronal: The incision is made across the top of the head.
- Pretrichial: The incision is made within the edge of the frontal hairline.
- Mid-Forehead: The incision is made within a natural forehead crease.
The technique I use depends on your facial anatomy, unique concerns, and aesthetic goals. However, these procedures are all especially useful in reducing horizontal lines in the forehead while elevating the position of the brow.
The endoscopic approach simply repositions and suspends the forehead and brow to a higher position. The benefit of excisional brow lift procedures is that they involve the removal of excess, redundant skin and may provide a longer-lasting result.
Brow lift procedures can be performed safely using local anesthesia with or without light sedation. The procedure typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the technique used.
What Happens After a Browpexy vs Brow Lift?
The recovery period from browpexy is a bit shorter than brow lift recovery, and complications following either procedure are rare.
After a brow lift, visible signs of surgery (bruising and swelling) typically resolve within 1 to 2 weeks. Most patients can return to work and resume normal activities within 1 week. While you’ll see improvement immediately, final results are typically visible after 6 months. The results of a brow lift are typically longer-lasting than browpexy results.
Customizing Your Treatment
During your personalized consultation, I will assess your symptoms, discuss your desired outcome, and share your surgical options, which may include combining procedures. Whether you opt for a full brow lift or a browpexy with eyelid surgery, our facial plastic surgery procedures can significantly rejuvenate your appearance and enhance your self-image.
Let’s begin the process of turning back the clock by scheduling your consultation. You can also call us at (615) 942-8016 to request an appointment.
