Before Surgery

Our staff will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and medications. If you smoke, we will ask you to quit for at least two weeks before and after your surgery, since smoking may have an effect on how well you heal. You must stop all anticoagulant medications and herbal preparations such as aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin E, gingko, St. John's wart, garlic or ginseng 10 days prior to surgery . You may be required to take antibiotics to prevent infection. You should shampoo your hair the night before surgery.
Dr. Bentkover will carefully mark the amount of elevation of your brow that you and he have agreed upon. He will also mark the location of all the incisions needed for your procedure.

The Surgery

According to your wishes and Dr. Bentkover's specific recommendations, he will perform a direct browlift, mid forehead lift, endoscopic forehead lift or open forehead lift. Each of these procedures is explained on the web page titled Procedures: Browlift & Forehead Lift/Overview.

A direct browlift is performed through an incision made along the upper edge of the eyebrow or sometimes in a wrinkle very close to the brow. Generally local anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation is recommended.

A mid forehead lift is performed through an incision in a deep forehead crease in the middle of the forehead. Usually, local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia is recommended.

In an endoscopic browlift (or endoscopic forehead lift) he performs the surgery through five small incisions hidden behind the hairline using a special sterile telescope called an endoscope, Dr. Bentkover usually recommends general anesthesia for this procedure.

The open forehead lift uses an incision hidden behind the hairline that extends from ear to ear, an incision hidden at the front of the hairline, or a wavy, zigzag incision hidden in the fine hair of the hairline. The incision may also be a combination of one or more of these types of incisions. Dr. Bentkover usually recommends general anesthesia for an open forehead lift.

Surgery performed under local anesthesia may be performed in our office operating room in our suite at Worcester Medical Center, Worcester, MA or in our office in Stoneham, MA, whichever is more convenient for you. Procedures requiring intravenous sedation or general anesthesia are usually performed in the Day Surgery Unit at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester Medical Center, Worcester, MA. We are confident you will find all of these facilities to be state-of-the-art, comfortable and very patient friendly.

Recovery: What to expect

Dr. Bentkover may prescribe antibiotics for several days following surgery. Sutures are generally removed within 7-10 days. Swelling and some bruising are common and should subside within a few weeks. Ice is very helpful in minimizing the swelling and bruising. Women may use eye cosmetics one week after surgery.

Complications are rare but may include post-operative bleeding, persistent numbness, and asymmetry. If one brow is significantly lower than the other pre-operatively, it may be very difficult to get them equal with surgery.

You can proceed with your normal daily activities within 10 to 14 days but should put off weight training or other heavy lifting. Depending on how much bruising you have and how fast you are healing, Dr. Bentkover will advise you as to when you may resume activities like weight training, running, spinning, treadmill walking/running and elliptical training.

Dr. Bentkover will see you several times after surgery, taking final post operative photos at one year.