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The procedure | Endoscopic forehead lift
When the eyebrow has lowered itself beyond the upper rim of the orbit, a simple blepharoplasty is often not enough to correct the problem. When the whole width of the eyebrow has dropped, an Endoscopic Forehead Lift best corrects this. This keyhole surgery is an elegant method, which combines a structural solution of elevating your forehead including the eyebrows back into their original position, with only minimal scars or downtime.
Where will I be operated?
The operation will be performed in the fully equipped operating theatre at the Radetzky villa.
What can I expect of the operation?
An endoscopic Forehead Lift is often performed in conjunction with an upper eyelid blepharoplasty. The operation will be performed under sedation and will take approximately 45 minutes. Your surgeon will always see you before the operation and will talk you through the steps. Pictures will be taken for documentation. The procedure will start with prepping and draping of your face. Markings will be made on your eyelids. Due to the sedation you will be comfortably asleep throughout the procedure. When the forehead is fixed you will notice a reduced range of motion in both your eyebrow as well as in your eyelid.
What are the risks?
The nerve that provides sensation to the hair bearing skin might react to the surgery with diminished function, leaving a reduced feeling of this area that should slowly reappear but may take as long as one year to fully recover. The most common complication related to an upper eyelid correction is an increase (either subjective or objective) in frequency of dryness of the eyes. It is therefore essential to use both the eye drops and the ointment (before sleeping) that will be prescribed by your surgeon. Postoperative bleeding occurs in less then 1 in 100 cases. If this occurs behind the eyeball it may compromise vision. Even though this is extremely rare (only 1:40.000), you are advised to contact your surgeon if you experience impaired vision in the days after surgery.
What can I expect of the operation?
When the anaesthetic wears off you may experience some slight discomfort, which however typically disappears after the first few hours. In the first few days healing will include some swelling, combined with a tightness of your forehead, and (variably) some bruising. Regularly cooling your eyelids and eyebrows in the first 24 hours will help in keeping this swelling to a minimum. Prevention of bending down or lifting heavy goods in the first few days also helps. You may find it more comfortable to sleep with an extra pillow to elevate your head in this period. Initially some asymmetry may be present which will disappear as swelling subsides and healing occurs. You may also notice the fixation devices that will be positioned at the level of the hairline, both of which will disappear over time (6-12 months). Because of the elevation of the tissues it might be difficult to close your eyes completely for a while. It is essential that you prevent your eyes from drying out by using eye-drops (or ointment during the night).
What will the scars be like?
The Endoscopic Forehead Lift only needs three small incisions that are made within the hair bearing skin. Once healed, they should therefore disappear from view. The scar of the optional upper eyelid correction follows the curvature of the eyeball and should, over time, not be visible anymore when opening the eyes. At the side of the orbit the scar will be visible for a few millimetres, especially as it will be slightly red for the first few months. Eventually the colour will even out. Typically a scar will take one year to fully mature and in the majority of cases the scars, although present, should not be visible anymore by that time.
How long before I can resume my life?
Most people manage to return to light activities in the first few days after surgery. At one week after surgery a follow-up appointment will be made for you at the Radetzky villa, where the sutures will be removed. From then on it is possible to apply make-up again. At this stage the swelling and possible bruising normally is reduced to a level where social activities can be resumed. Occasionally however it takes longer for these side effects to disappear completely. We therefore advise you to postpone any important social activity until at least three weeks after the operation. We also recommend you to refrain from doing any strenuous activities in the first 2 weeks.
What is good to know about the long term?
As the eyebrows are fixed in a higher position, the muscles on your forehead will be less strained. This may well have a positive effect on the depth as well as on the number of wrinkles on your forehead.
