Facelift or Brow Lift: Which is Right for Me?
Some of the most common inquiries we get here at Atlanta Plastic Surgery concern alleviating signs of facial aging. Often, people we speak to are under the impression that a facelift is a comprehensive aesthetic overhaul of the entire face. While tiny changes made during a facelift can make a huge difference in one’s overall look, a facelift only involves alterations to specific regions of the face. Likewise, a brow lift is only designed to treat the area it’s named after. Both facelifts and brow lifts create a smoother, more youthful look. However, because they address different concerns, one or the other may be better suited to your needs.
A facelift mainly addresses wrinkles and other imperfections on the lower portion of the face and the upper portion of the neck. During your facelift, one of our plastic surgeons will reposition tissue, as well as remove & tighten excess skin that’s lost its elasticity. If you’re self-conscious about a double-chin, jowls, and/or any sagging or wrinkles in the lower area of your face, a facelift might be the perfect solution for you. Depending on your needs and aesthetic preferences, a facelift may be combined with targeted liposuction, facial injectables (such as Restylane® and JUVÉDERM®), or fat transfer techniques to achieve a more desirable contour & youthful look.
As the name suggests, a brow lift, otherwise known as a forehead lift, aims to improve the appearance of the upper portion of the face. The top third of the face tends to move a lot, and this tendency often combines with factors related to aging to create wrinkles and lines around the forehead and eyes. Brow lifts are commonly used to effectively address: horizontal lines from scrunching up the forehead, vertical lines between the brows, and a sagging brow line. In addition to a facelift, other common procedures often combined with a brow-lift procedure include eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), a chemical peel, and/or laser skin resurfacing. Furthermore, after a brow lift, many patients sometimes choose to have Botox® injectable treatments to help maintain their results for longer.
If you’re having trouble determining whether a facelift or brow lift is the right choice for you, we have good news: these two procedures can and frequently are combined to treat signs of aging in the entire face. Because these facial plastic surgery procedures treat underlying muscles in addition to loose skin, the results are generally natural-looking and long-lasting (5-10 years for a brow lift and about 10 years for a facelift, though results can vary from person to person). Scarring is minimal and can typically be faint and obscured by the hairline or natural creases in the skin.
If you’re interested in learning more about brow lifts, facelifts, or any of the many other plastic surgery procedures we perform, contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. at one of our Atlanta-area offices to schedule a consultation. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter for the latest plastic surgery news, and check back often for new blogs.
