Eyebrow lift / Eyebrow minilift

Other names

• Castañares surgery
• Mini Castañares

Brief description

The eyes are the most expressive part of the face. Over the years, the skin loses elasticity and the face tissues become “floppier”. By the eyebrows, it is not different. The ptosis (eyebrows collapse) occurs usually after the age of 45, when the lateral portion (the so-called tail) of the eyelashes sags due to gravity, leading to skin accrual over the upper eyelids, often even covering the lashes.

The most common complaint, besides the aged appearance of the orbital region, is the difficulty to open the eyes and decreased eyelid opening.

Moreover, the sagged eyebrow and eyelid position can confer a visage often divergent from the real mood (a tired, sickly appearance, lack of vitality, aggressiveness).

By the eyebrow lift, through an elliptical skin incision immediately above the eyebrows or small incisions just beside the eyebrows (mini lift), a desirable, symmetrical and lasting lift of the eyebrow tail is attained.

This technique is also used in case of asymmetry of the eyebrow arch. It refreshes the appearance, removes the skin excess from the upper eyelids and enhances the patient’s self-esteem.

The Scars

The outcomes of the Castañares technique were always undisputedly excellent, with restrictions only regarding the scar visibility, especially in the central eyebrow portion.

This problem can be minimized if only the eyebrow tails are lifted (mini lift), whereas the skin removal is carried out only in the lateral eyebrow portion. In this case, the scars are almost completely under cover.

Postoperative period

Postoperative pain is rare by an eyebrow lift. And a common painkiller can solve the problem satisfactorily.

Eyelid swelling may occur up to the 7^th day after surgery, and then it begins to fade, assuming a natural look around the 10^th day. Like any other surgical procedure, the patient should remain at rest on the first day, cooling regularly and avoiding sun and heat, including hot showers.

You should watch out not to hit the stitches and wear sunscreen whenever going out during the day, otherwise the scar will redden and then darken.

If you do not mind to be seen with stitches, you can return to normal activities as soon as possible (3-4 days) or after removing the stitches.

Alternative procedures for repositioning the eyebrow

• Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections in different facial depressor muscles;
• Temporal Minilift, removing skin excess under the hair, thus leading to a recovered appearance on the eye borders;
• Forehead lift (frontal / coronal lift), removing skin excess under the hair by treating the forehead muscles.

Each patient must undergo an evaluation, which allows establishing the most appropriate procedure for each specific case.