Brow Lifts Side Effects and Risks

Side Effects and Risks

Brow lifts are surgical procedures designed to raise the forehead and eyebrow to improve the appearance of wrinkles, frown lines, crow's feet caused by the drooping of the forehead skin. It is generally older men and women who undergo this procedure to combat the signs of aging and its accompanying laxity of forehead muscles and skin.

Like any medical procedure, all plastic surgery procedures carry underlying side effects and risks. Brow lift surgery is no exception. For the most part, a brow lift is generally regarded as being a relatively easy and complication-free procedure when performed by a qualified and experienced plastic surgeon. There are, however, known side effects and complications that can occur:

Forehead paralysis - When operating under the forehead skin flap, the underlying nerves may be compromised. If damage, the nerves that control the eyebrows can result in restricted control of the eyebrow muscle. One or both eyebrows may simply not work, and not respond to movement. In addition, it may be difficult to wrinkle your forehead. Remedial surgery can often correct this problem.
Numbness of the forehead - Some loss of sensation along the incision line can be a temporary side effect of the brow lift operations. However, such sensory change usually improves itself in the weeks following the operation, although permanent numbness has been documented.
Brow asymmetry - if the procedure was done incorrectly, then the final look may exhibit asymmetric brows. This is normally a rare incidence, and is the fault of the surgeon. That is why a skilled, experienced surgeon should be sought. This error can be revised with further surgery.
Scarring - anytime there are incisions made, tissue damage will occur with associated scarring. The trick is to have the incision as minimal as possible to prevent the scar from being obvious. This is why mini- and endo-scopic brow lifts are rising in popularity compared to the traditional, coronal brow lift. Also, the incisions are usually hidden behind the hairline to minimize exposure.
High hairline and loss of hair - this side effects were usually related to the more invasive coronal brow lift. In any case, since all these procedures involve making an incision to raise the forehead and eyebrow, a slightly higher hairline is usually produced. The risk of hair loss is possible in the areas where the incisions were made - which is almost always behind the hairline. Hair loss is rarely permanent though.
General complications associated with surgery include temporary swelling and bruising, possibility of hematomas, secondary bacterial infections, adverse reactions to medications and/or anesthetics.

Overall, the brow lift surgery has been performed for a long time and thus, is well known and understood by plastic surgeons. It is generally regarded as a relatively simple and safe operation. Even though complications are rare you should at least be aware of them. When consulting your physician, be sure to have any questions and concerns addressed. It is essential that you leave the consultation with realistic expectations and feeling comfortable about the procedure.