Forehead and eyelid surgery
We often do forehead and eyelid surgery in conjunction with facelifts. We use a brow lift to soften the lines of your forehead and raise sagging eyebrows. We use eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) to reduce droopiness in your upper eyelids and bagginess around your lower eyelids.
The operation
Forehead
You are given a general anaesthetic for a brow lift. It can be performed with the endoscope (endobrow lift) or with an "open" approach. The endoscopic approach is more common — it results in less scarring and fewer complications.
With the endoscope, we make a series of small incisions within the hairline. We insert the endoscope through them under the forehead tissues. We can then see the tissues to lift them up and fix them in a better position.
With the open approach, we make a long cut across the scalp within the hair and draw up the tissues from there.
Eyelids
You are usually given a general anaesthetic for eyelid surgery. If it's only your upper eyelids, this can be done using local anaesthetic.
With your upper eyelid, we make a cut along the fold of the lid and slightly beyond the outer corner of your eye. We then remove skin and muscle from the lid to reduce its droopiness.
With your lower eyelid, we make a cut along the lash margin of the lid and slightly beyond the outer corner of your eye. We raise a flap of skin to expose the underlying fat pads (it's the bulging of these pads that gives the "baggy" look under your eyes). The pads are cut out, replaced, or redistributed. We then remove any excess skin from the skin flap.
In many instances, the operation can be done from inside the eyelid, leaving no external scar.
After the operation
Forehead
You have a brow lift as a day procedure.
You need to avoid strenuous physical activity for 3 weeks. After that you should be able to resume normal levels of activity within the limits of comfort. Time off work depends on the amount of bruising, which usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to settle. Occasionally there is significant bruising and swelling of the eyelids, but this usually settles within a week. Rarely it may persist for 2 or 3 weeks.
Your specialist will give you full information at your consultation about what to expect.
Eyelids
You have eyelid surgery as a day procedure.
You need to minimise physical activity for 3 weeks. After that you should be able to resume normal levels of activity within the limits of comfort. As with forehead surgery, time off work depends on the amount of bruising, which usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to settle.
Your specialist will give you full information at your consultation about what to expect.
The end result
Forehead
Scars from the operation are hidden by your hair.
The outcome for you is:
- your forehead lines are softer
- your eyebrows and upper eyelids look less heavy
- your eyes look more open and alert
- you look less tired
Eyelids
Scars from the operation are hidden in the fold of your upper lid and at the lash margin of your lower lid. Both these scars extend a centimetre or so beyond the outer corner of the eye and lie in the natural skin creases.
The outcome for you is:- your upper eyelids look smoother and less heavy
- your lower lids look less baggy
- your eyes look brighter and less tired.
Risk of complications
There is a risk of complications with all surgery. Your specialist will inform you fully at your consultation about any possible complications from forehead and eyelid surgery.
Arrange a consultation
Contact us to arrange a consultation with one of our specialists to discuss how forehead and eyelid surgery can help you.
Options for rejuvenating or reshaping your face
Use the links below to find out more.
Facelifts
Facial implants
Nose surgery
Ear surgery
You could also consider our non-surgical skin rejuvenation treatments.
Skin rejuvenation