Combining a Facelift and a Brow Lift
A facelift treats the lower two-thirds of the face and a brow lift the upper third. Because they work on the same principles through a continuous incision line, they are frequently planned as a single procedure.
They address different thirds of the face, which is precisely why the question comes up. A patient who has been told a facelift will not lift their brow wants to know what will, and whether it has to be a second operation.
The difference between them
A facelift treats the lower two-thirds of the face — the cheeks, the jowls and the jawline. A brow lift treats the upper third: the forehead and the position of the eyebrows. A brow lift can improve hooding of the upper eyelid caused by a descended brow. A facelift cannot; it does not reach that far.
What they have in common
Both are surgical, and both work on the same principles: tissue that has lost support is repositioned, excess skin is removed, and the remaining skin is redraped over the new position rather than simply pulled tighter.
The incisions in both begin above the hairline and continue around the ear. The underlying tissue and muscle are tightened, excess skin excised, and the skin laid back over the result.
Recovery for either is two to four weeks. Swelling and bruising are expected and resolve gradually. The final result becomes apparent at up to two months.
Doing both
In most cases it is possible, and surgeons frequently recommend it where both the upper and lower face are contributing to the appearance the patient is unhappy with. The shared technique and the continuous incision line are what make it practical to perform them together.
Why it is often the better plan
Coordination Treating the upper and lower face in one operation avoids the mismatch that follows from rejuvenating one and leaving the other. A brow that sits at odds with a lifted lower face is a recognisable result and not a good one.
Recovery A continuous incision line means one healing field rather than two and one recovery period rather than two, which for most patients is the decisive consideration.
Whether both are appropriate for you is a matter for examination. The answer depends on where your own tissue has descended, and a surgeon needs to look at your face to give it.
The procedure this relates to
Rhytidectomy — surgery that addresses the descent of the face and neck by repositioning the deeper tissues, tightening the underlying muscle and removing the skin that is left over. Results typically last up to ten years.
Before you act on this
Everything here is general. What applies to you depends on your anatomy, your history and what you are trying to achieve, and none of that can be assessed from a page. If a question here is yours, bring it to a consultation.