Abstract
We have developed clinically useful measurements to assist the surgeon in deciding when to do the forehead lift and where to place the incision. Also, we have reviewed our experience over the past decade and discuss the four categories and applications of forehead lifts. We use three indications for forehead lift: ptosis, creases, and previous facelift (PCP). There are four basic surgical techniques applicable to the upper face: (1) direct browlift, (2) midforehead crease incision, (3) prehairline incision, and (4) posthairline incision. We determined more accurate guidelines from measurements taken on 50 volunteers, as well as patients seeking a facelift. The line of measurement in a vertical plane extends from the midpupil to the top of the eyebrow and up to the hairline. We have found that the normal distance from the midpupil to the upper edge of the eyebrow on average is 2.5 cm and that the distance from the upper edge of the eyebrow to the hairline is approximately 5 cm on average. If the distance from pupil to brow is less than 2.5 cm, then the patient may benefit from a forehead lift. If the distance from brow to hairline is less than 5 cm, then we use a posthairline incision in females. If this same distance is greater than 5 cm in females, we advise the prehairline incision. In male patients we strongly consider direct crease incision. The direct browlift is reserved for minimal ptosis, asymmetry, or patients who wish a minimal procedure. We have found these criteria for the forehead lift to be simple, reliable, and clinically useful.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bruck JC, Backer TJ, Gordon H: Facial mimics and the coronal brow lift. Aesth Plast Surg11:199, 1987
Castanares S: Forehead wrinkles, glabellar frown and ptosis of the eyebrows. Plast Reconstr Surg34:406, 1964
Connell BF: Eyebrow, face and neck lifts for males. Clin Plast Surg5:15, 1978
Ellenbogen R: Transcoronal eyebrow lift with concomitant upper blepharoplasty. Plast Reconstr Surg71:490, 1983
Farkis LG: Anthropometry of the head and face in medicine. New York: Elsevier North Holland, 1981, pp 2, 11, 12, 36, 201
Guyuron B, Davies B: Subcutaneous anterior hairline forehead rhytidectomy. Aesth Plast Surg12:77, 1988
Hoopes JE, Vogel JE, Klatsky SA: The hairline incision for forehead rhytidectomy. Presented at ASPRS Annual Meeting, Toronto, Ontario, 1988
Hunt HL: Plastic surgery of the head, face and neck. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1926, pp. 163–165
Kaye BL: The forehead lift. Plast Reconstr Surg60:161, 1977
Klatsky SA: Personal communication.
Lexer E: Die Gesamte Wiederherstellungs-Chirurgie. Leipzig: Johann Ambrosius Barth, 1931
Marion H: The forehead lift: some hints to secure better results. Aesth Plast Surg1:251, 1977
McKinney P: Panel discussion. ASAPS Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 1987
Miller CC: The forehead lift. In: Cosmetic surgery the correction of featural imperfections. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co., 1924, pp. 59–95
Ortiz-Monasterio F, Barrera G, Olmedo A: The coronal incision in rhytidectomy-the brow lift. Clin Plast Surg5:167, 1978
Pangman WJ, Wallace RM: Cosmetic surgery of the face and neck. Plast Reconstr Surg27:544, 1961
Pitanguy I: Indications for and treatment of frontal and glabellar wrinkles in an analysis of 3,404 consecutive cases of rhytidectomy. Plast Reconstr Surg67:157, 1981
Rees TD, Wood-Smith D: Cosmetic facial surgery. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 1973, pp. 174–180
Regnault P: Complete face and forehead lifting, with double traction on “crow's-feet”. Plast Reconstr Surg49:123, 1972
Uchida J: A method of frontal rhytidectomy. Plast Reconstr Surg35:218, 1965
Vinas JC, Caviglia C, Cortinas JL: Forehead rhytidoplasty and brow lifting. Plast Reconstr Surg57:445, 1976
Wolfe SA, Baird WL: The subcutaneous forehead lift. Plast Reconstr Surg83:251, 1989
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McKinney, P., Mossie, R.D. & Zukowski, M.L. Criteria for the forehead lift. Aesth. Plast. Surg. 15, 141–147 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02273847
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02273847