“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes,” a celebrated French novelist once wrote. Rejuvenated eyes, framed by smooth and supple skin, can open exciting new vistas and adventures in your life. Erasing lines, wrinkles and years from your upper face is one way to highlight the beauty of your eyes, restoring the youthful look that may have faded with time.
Below, experienced Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Galiano discusses brow lift and blepharoplasty, two popular surgical solutions that can add new splendor to your expression, reversing the signs of aging on the brow, forehead, eyelids and surrounding skin.
Brow Lift
When brows begin to sag, lines and furrows form on the forehead and around the eyes. Brow lift is a solution to these common issues, restoring an alert, engaged look while smoothing out frown lines, creases and wrinkles. During the procedure, Dr. Galiano lifts forehead skin and the brow area to restore a youthful facial appearance. Brow lifts are often done in conjunction with hair transplants, facial fat transfers, eyelid surgery or facelift.
Brow lift will improve the appearance of sagging skin, crow’s feet, frown lines and deep lines on the forehead, but not completely eliminate them. With your brow newly elevated and the skin tightened, you will find yourself raising your brows less often, which is what causes forehead lines. If “hooding” of your upper eyelids was caused by loose skin in this area, brow lift will also improve the appearance of skin around the eyes.
Blepharoplasty
When the main concern is loose skin and an accumulation of fat in the upper and lower eyelids, blepharoplasty, or eye lift, is often the best choice. Blepharoplasty removes excess skin, fat and sometimes muscle between the eyebrow and eyelash, but does not change the position of the eyebrow.
If you are satisfied with the shape and placement of your brow, but have excess skin below the brow, an eye lift may be all you need. Brow lift may be a better choice when your brow is within the eye socket, has lost its natural shape, or you have a pocket of fat or loose skin that involves more than just the upper eyelid.
A key benefit of blepharoplasty is that it is a long-lasting solution. Once fat is removed, it will never come back. Because blepharoplasty is meant to last years, it is important that surgeons take care to avoid removing too much skin. If this happens, the resulting side effects may include dry eyes and difficulty completely closing the eyelids. Dr. Galiano favors a conservative approach, removing an amount that is sufficient to give you a relaxed, optimistic look.
To learn more about brow lift or blepharoplasty, schedule a personal consultation with Chicago plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Galiano. Please call (312) 926-4382 or request an appointment online today.
