Mississauga and Toronto – Forehead Lift Performed by Dr. Frank Lista
Often performed in conjunction with a face lift or eyelid surgery procedure at our Mississauga and Toronto-area practice, a forehead lift, often called a brow lift, can improve the deep lines and drooping brows that form as a person ages. When lines are pronounced, they can make a person look as though he or she is perpetually tired, sad, or even angry. Though a forehead lift is typically performed on patients aged 40 to 60, this procedure can dramatically help anyone whose forehead has developed furrows or frown lines by providing a refreshed and more youthful appearance.
Dr. Frank Lista performs 40 to 50 forehead lifts every year. This makes him one of the most experienced plastic surgeons in Canada performing this procedure. Dr. Lista performs a forehead lift using one of two surgical techniques. With a conventional forehead lift, he makes an incision behind the hairline to alter the muscles or tissues that cause the forehead to sag. In an endoscopic forehead lift, Dr. Lista uses a viewing instrument known as an endoscope to perform the procedure with minimal incisions. Both techniques are highly effective in restoring the forehead to a more youthful appearance.
- Before the Forehead Lift
- The Forehead Lift Surgery
- After Forehead Lift Surgery
- Your New Look
- The Risks of Forehead Lift Surgery
Before the Forehead Lift
At his office serving the greater Mississauga and Toronto area, Dr. Lista will meet with each forehead lift patient personally before the surgery to discuss goals and expectations. He'll do a complete analysis of your facial structure and provide you with instructions for preparing for surgery. It is important that you follow these instructions carefully to ensure the best possible results from your surgery. To help you make an informed decision regarding your treatment, Dr. Lista can use advanced computerized digital imaging to show you how a forehead lift can change your appearance.
The Forehead Lift Surgery
In your consultation at our Mississauga practice, Dr. Lista will guide you to the surgical approach best suited to your facial structure so that you can achieve the best possible results. Whether you have opted for conventional, or "classic," forehead lift surgery or the endoscopic forehead lift, you may be relieved to know that the hair on the incision area will not be shaved. Simple trimming of the hair where incisions will be made is all that will be necessary.
The Classic Forehead Lift
To begin the procedure, Dr. Lista will make a coronal incision that starts at ear level, runs across the top of the forehead behind the hairline, and continues to the other side of the head. For patients who are losing hair, Dr. Lista will carefully make a mid-scalp incision so that the scar will be as unobtrusive as possible. Then, through the incision, our skilled doctor will delicately lift the skin of the forehead to allow access to underlying muscle and tissue. After performing the necessary surgery to create a smoother, more youthful appearance, Dr. Lista will close the incision with sutures and clips.
The Endoscopic Forehead Lift
The endoscopic forehead lift differs from the classic forehead lift in that instead of making one long incision, Dr. Lista makes four or five smaller incisions of less than an inch. He then inserts a slim camera device called an endoscope through the incisions. The endoscope projects an image of underlying muscles and tissues on a television monitor, allowing Dr. Lista a clear perspective to work with a surgical instrument inserted through another incision. He lifts the skin of the forehead and performs surgical alteration of the muscles and tissue as necessary to produce a smooth, youthful look. He may also raise the eyebrows, using sutures or surgical screws to hold them in the higher position. When the procedure is complete, Dr. Lista will close the incisions with sutures.
After Forehead Lift Surgery
Due to the care and precision Dr. Lista exhibits during all procedures at his practice serving the greater Mississauga and Toronto area, a forehead lift doesn't typically cause undue discomfort. But, if you require pain medication after your surgery, Dr. Lista can provide a prescription. As with a face lift, Dr. Lista may insert a tube behind the ear after surgery to drain collecting blood. This will be removed within two days. Once the tube has been removed, you can begin to shower and gently wash your hair.
Forehead lift surgery will require you to take at least a week off from work. We advise our patients that having a two-week window for recovery is more advisable, although patients who have had an endoscopic forehead lift may be able to shorten this. Makeup can be used to disguise any remaining bruising when you return to normal public life. You should avoid excessive activity for two weeks after surgery and strenuous activities for a month.
Your New Look
Virtually all of our patients at our Mississauga and Toronto–area practice who choose to undergo forehead lift surgery are pleased with the soft, natural-looking results. They are surprised by how this relatively simple procedure makes them look so much more youthful, refreshed, and revitalized. Patients who undergo face lift or eyelid surgery in combination with a forehead lift are often amazed by the transformation to their facial appearance. They feel younger and more attractive, and this can build confidence and self-esteem.
Your forehead lift will not stop the progression of time, but it will diminish the visible effects of aging. If you feel it is necessary, the procedure can be repeated in five or ten years. However, the results of just one forehead lift can last for many years and provide a much improved appearance.
The Risks of Forehead Lift Surgery
Dr. Lista's extensive experience with forehead lift surgery means that our patients very rarely experience complications from their procedure. However, there are inherent risks with any surgery. Infection and adverse reaction to anesthesia can occur. Damage to the nerves controlling eyebrow movement is possible, resulting in loss of the ability to raise the eyebrow or wrinkle the forehead. This may be treatable through further surgery, but may also be permanent. A broad scar may form over the incision(s) that can be reduced through further surgery. Some patients may experience hair loss along the scars' borders. A loss of sensation in the skin along and surrounding the incision line is fairly common. This is usually temporary, but some patients may experience permanent numbing. Although occurring in only one percent of procedures, complications during an endoscopic forehead lift can require Dr. Lista to switch to a classic forehead lift method.
Schedule a Forehead Lift Consultation
Oakville, Brampton, Mississauga, and Toronto residents interested in our forehead lift procedure can contact the Plastic Surgery Clinic for more information. Dr. Lista and his knowledgeable staff look forward to all questions and inquiries.