A brow lift can transform your appearance by creating a more inviting, relaxed facial expression and rewinding the clock on signs of aging like wrinkles, folds, and creases. By choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Sarmela Sunder at Sunder Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, you can ensure your recovery process will be seamless and stress-free. However, there are certain risks to be aware of with brow surgery. By understanding which complications can arise and why, you can optimize your knowledge about the healing process and be better prepared for the unexpected.
Potential Complications After a Brow Lift
If you are considering brow lift surgery in Beverly Hills, CA, it is critical to understand the risks and how they might affect your recovery. Here is a list of potential complications:
- Noticeable scarring – While your surgeon will place your incision within the hairline to make scarring as inconspicuous as possible, there are times when an incision doesn’t heal properly, or an infection arises that interferes with a scar’s predictable healing course. According to one National Library of Medicine study, 10-20% of brow lift patients may develop elevated hypertrophic scars.
- Never injuries – There are numerous nerves in the forehead, and during a brow lift, there is always the potential to damage one of these nerves, leading to tingling, pain, or numbness. However, permanent nerve damage in the forehead is exceedingly rare.
- Asymmetry – After a brow lift, one eyebrow may be higher than the other or appear to be a different shape than its counterpart. Faces are naturally asymmetrical, however, and this outcome is only considered a complication if it wasn’t there before the surgery. If uneven eyebrows occur, they can be fixed by a brow lift revision procedure.
- Infection – There is always a risk of infection with every surgical procedure, which is why you are required to take a full round of antibiotics after cosmetic procedures. Bacteria in a wound can lead to excess swelling, redness, and pus, which can spread to other areas. The risk of an infection after a brow lift is low at 1-2%; however, if it happens, patients will need immediate medical attention and care.
- Eyelid closure and brow lifting problems – A more serious complication after a brow lift is when the patient is unable to properly close their eyelids or raise their brows. This can occur if too much skin has been removed from the forehead region, which can place stress on the eye area. Patients may need revision surgery to correct these issues.
- Under-correction – There is always a risk that a brow lift will not go far enough in correcting the patient’s aesthetic concerns. This can be especially disappointing for patients emotionally and financially. To ensure patients have realistic expectations for their results, plastic surgeons need to under-promise and over-deliver. A revision procedure is always an option if a patient wishes to try again at correcting the things they don’t like about their upper facial appearance.
Ensuring a Seamless Healing Process After a Brow Lift
Risks with a brow lift will always exist, but there are things you can do to actively ensure your healing process is optimal. Here are some key tips that can help you navigate your recovery:
- Be on the lookout for signs of complications – You need to be able to spot signs of serious complications. If you are experiencing a fever, pus, swelling, or significant pain that doesn’t respond to your pain medications, reach out to your surgeon right away. You may have an illness or infection that needs to be addressed without delay.
- Keep your incisions clean and dry – Taking proper care of your incisions will help you to avoid infection. Use saline or an antiseptic solution to gently pat your wounds. Only dab at your incisions with a towel to dry them; never rub them.
- Avoid strenuous or demanding activities – After cosmetic surgery, you will need to avoid heavy lifting, bending, and strenuous exercise. These types of activities can loosen your sutures and increase your blood pressure, worsening bleeding or edema and slowing down your healing journey.
- Avoid smoking and alcohol – Smoking and drinking alcohol can negatively impact your body’s ability to heal after surgery, compromising your results and your investment in your appearance. Alcohol can increase the risk of bleeding, while nicotine constricts the blood vessels, cutting off blood flow to the treatment areas. It is advised that you avoid alcohol for at least two weeks after surgery and that you refrain from smoking for around 4-6 weeks after a brow lift.
- Take prescribed medications as indicated – After surgery, your doctor will prescribe narcotic pain medications and antibiotics to ensure your healing process is stress-free. Be sure to take these medications according to your surgeon’s directions, and do not discontinue them without express permission.
What Is the Takeaway?
Despite its risks, a brow lift is one of the most powerful ways you can transform your appearance and enhance your self-confidence. By understanding the risks involved and how to minimize them, you can proceed on your healing journey with greater peace of mind and acceptance. Dr. Sunder is excited to meet with you for a private consultation in Beverly Hills, during which she will go over the risks of surgery in greater detail.
