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Surgical Solutions : Brow Lift
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When wrinkles, lines, and puffiness develop (sometimes at all too early an age), the eyes give an inaccurate reflection of our emotional state or energy level. It is the time to take advantage of the great cosmetic surgical techniques that exist today which can eliminate these issues and bring back "your lost youth".
Sometimes the brows sag so much that they need to be lifted. In the past the brow lift required a coronal long incision along the hair line.
Most surgeons quit performing brow lifts because of complications with the large coronal incisions. They returned to the procedure in the 1990s, using endoscopic techniques. That took care of hair loss, sensation changes, and scars, but there was still a problem with unreliable fixation with results lasting for less than a year or two in most cases.
A new device called Endotine Forehead was developed in 2003 in California does work and offers a high level of patient satisfaction. The Endotine is a triangular device on the scale of a dime. A peg on the bottom clicks into a hole drilled into the outer cortex of the skull. Five upward-facing tines capture tissue and spread pressure over a broad area, facilitating sturdy fixation and reattachment. Though initially palpable, the polymer device dissolves within months of insertion. The FDA has approved the Endotine Forehead for use in brow lifts. The surgeon makes two incisions of 15 mm each. Using the Endotine involves drilling tiny holes in the outer cranium and draping the skin flap.
To date, nearly 1,000 surgeons have implanted the device in 5,000 patients. We have just started using this technique at our Centers and are having good results.
Botox can be used instead of surgery for a temporary lift.
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