When someone is considering fixing their drooping forehead and browline, the first question they usually ask is: Do brow lifts look natural?
Then, they Google some images.
When they realize that many brow lifts can look extremely natural (especially when you have a good surgeon), they take their questioning a step further and wonder: Will I have brow lift scars?
Up ahead, we’ll be answering this and other important questions related to brow lift scars and brow lift recovery.
Does a Brow Lift Leave a Scar?
Yes and no.
Yes, you will have scars from brow lift surgery. Scars are inevitable whenever incisions are made for surgery (and brow lifts require incisions). An incision cannot be made in the skin without resulting in a scar.
No, your brow lift scars should not be easily noticeable. For many patients, you can hardly see them.
Years ago, the way most surgeons performed brow lifts was with a long incision along the hairline, but this scar ended up quite noticeable and sometimes even led to long-term hair loss.
Today, most brow lifts are endoscopic.
Will You Have Scars With an Endoscopic Brow Lift?
Again, yes and no.
Endoscopic brow lifts do require incisions, so again, there will be scarring. But because endoscopic procedures use very small incisions instead of one big long one, when the incisions finally heal, they end up barely noticeable.
If you are unfamiliar with endoscopic brow lifts, this procedure uses a small camera and light, which are inserted into the small incisions and which the surgeon uses to see what they are doing when restructuring the forehead and brow area.
Where Are Scars for Brow Lift Surgery?
Usually, the incisions are situated along the hairline. This hides them so that they are almost completely covered. Patients may also have some incisions in the creases of their eyelids. This depends on if blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is also being performed.
How Long Does It Take for Brow Lift Scars to Fade?
Right after your brow lift, you may be shocked at your appearance. Your incision sites will be bright pink or red. There will be swelling, and you may even have some bruising too. Rest assured that this is not how you will always look. Over time, those incisions will heal, and if you follow your aftercare instructions closely, they will heal nicely — flat and faded. You just need to give it time.
The brow lift scar healing process usually takes around six months. After this point, most of your recovery will be complete, but you may have some left over swelling for a few more weeks. Full recovery and the majority of scar fading will be complete after a year.
The good news is that during this time, you shouldn’t see your scars anyway. This is because they will be mostly hidden in the creases of your eyelids and in your hairline.
Want to know how long for direct brow lift scars to fade?
A direct brow lift is a brow lift that is primarily for patients who require deeper changes to the contours of their forehead and browline. It is often used on patients who will need to have some skin and tissue removed from the eyebrow area.
With direct brow lift surgery, incisions are made above the eyebrows. This gives your surgeon a better vantage point for lifting and adjusting the eyebrow area and improving the look of a heavy, weighed-down browline.
Direct brow lift scars are just as significant as endoscopic brow lift scars and will take a similar amount of time to heal (at least several months). However, because direct brow lift scars aren’t hidden in skin folds or the hairline, they are naturally more visible. The good news here is that surgeons can sometimes hide these scars within the eyebrows so that they are at least somewhat covered by brow hair.
Book Your Consultation With Dr. Sieber
San Francisco plastic surgeon Dr. David Sieber has a deep understanding of the facial anatomy and the latest in advanced rejuvenation techniques. Along with his extensive training and experience, this makes him one of the most sought-after plastic surgeons in the Bay Area.
To book your consultation with Dr. Sieber, please give Sieber Plastic Surgery a call today. We look forward to meeting with you!
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/brow-lift/about/pac-20393257
