Dr Claude Aharoni
The discreet art of an enhanced, glamorous gaze
There is the gaze we show, and the one we would like to rediscover: more open, brighter, freed from that shadow of tiredness that settles in without us ever really choosing it. This is what the endoscopic fronto-temporal lift offers, bringing together two procedures that have always existed side by side, forehead and temple, but which are now being reinvented through endoscopy. The result is not a face that looks “done”, but an enhanced gaze, with an almost glamorous elegance, simply revealed.
THREE WOMEN, THREE REASONS FOR CONSULTATION
Many women, between the ages of 45 and 50, initially come for upper blepharoplasty to remove the excess skin weighing down the eyelid. It is often during the consultation that the true origin becomes apparent: it is not the eyelid that is the issue, but the brow attachment and the temple, which have discreetly descended over time. Repositioning these two areas endoscopically genuinely reopens the gaze and restores that youthful curve above the eye, a result that eyelid surgery alone could not achieve. Other, younger patients, sometimes barely in their thirties, consult for a different reason: a gaze that naturally slopes downwards at the outer corner, giving an impression of sadness or severity that does not reflect their true energy. Here, the procedure is performed with infinite delicacy: slightly raising the tail of the eyebrow and restoring the eye’s expressive dimension, without ever freezing the expression. Finally, an even younger group of patients, from the age of 25, come after a course of injections, cheek volumisation and botulinum toxin to raise the eyebrow, whose limitations they now perceive: results that are never permanent, need to be repeated constantly and are not always natural. The endoscopic frontotemporal lift directly repositions the volume of the cheekbone and the tail of the eyebrow, with, if they wish, a subtly almond-shaped gaze that is more durable and more natural than injections.
ONE TECHNIQUE, TWO REINVENTED PLANES
Combining the forehead and temple is nothing new; it is the way the procedure is performed that changes everything. On the forehead, the procedure remains faithful to what has always been practised. At the temple, endoscopy offers unprecedented precision in selecting the dissection plane, with absolute respect for the tissues, nerves and vascularisation. Another discreet but essential advance: the anchoring systems used to secure the repositioned tissues are now inspired by the most reliable technologies in maxillofacial surgery, ensuring stable and invisible support over time. This lift also makes it possible to combine procedures that were not previously performed together: slight tightening of the outer corner of the eye, for a subtly elongated gaze that never looks artificial, together with discreet elevation of the cheekbone. It is this global, coordinated management of the upper third of the face that produces remarkably harmonious results, because the whole is reconsidered rather than an isolated detail. The hairline is not displaced. The procedure is performed through tiny incisions concealed within the hair: three frontal openings measuring less than twelve millimetres and one temporal incision measuring 2.5 to 3 centimetres.
WHAT APPEALS TO AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PATIENTS
1. An enhanced, glamorous gaze, without ever looking “done”.
2. An elegant alternative to conventional blepharoplasty when the true cause lies in the eyebrow and temple.
3. A more durable and more natural solution than injections, from the age of 25.
4. A global and harmonious result, in which the forehead, temple, eyebrow and gaze are considered as a whole.
INDICATIONS
A TECHNICAL
A complete medical assessment, with careful examination of the gaze, eyebrows and forehead, makes it possible to determine the indication. This technique is intended for: – Women aged 45 to 50 considering eyelid surgery, in whom the true cause often lies in the eyebrow and temple. – Younger patients with a naturally drooping or tiredlooking gaze, without genuine excess skin. – Patients from the age of 25 who are accustomed to injections and are seeking a more durable and more natural result.
TECHNICAL CONDITIONS OF THE PROCEDURE
– Performed as a day-case procedure. – Under general anaesthetic or local anaesthetic with sedation. – Three frontal incisions measuring less than twelve millimetres and one temporal incision measuring 2.5 to 3 cm, concealed within the hair. – Endoscopic visualisation allowing a dissection plane adapted to each anatomy. – Fixation using a latest-generation anchoring system, for stable and durable support. – Possible combination with tightening of the outer corner of the eye and discreet elevation of the cheekbone. – Operating time: 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes depending on the associated procedures.
WHAT DOES A “BEAUTIFUL” RESULT LOOK
LIKE? – An open, bright gaze, with no sign of tiredness or sadness. – A delicately raised eyebrow tail, without an exaggerated arch. – A slightly elongated eye contour, without ever appearing artificial. – A harmonious temple and cheekbone, with no hollows or visible traction. – No visible scars and no displacement of the hairline.
POSTOPERATIVE COURSE AND RECOVERY
– Generally little or no pain, with only a sensation of tightness during the first few days. – Variable swelling and bruising: 1 to 3 weeks depending on the patient and associated procedures. – Sutures removed around day 7 to day 10. – “Socially presentable” result within 15 to 21 days. – Final result between 3 and 6 months.
Whether she is considering eyelid surgery after the age of 45, wishes to correct a naturally sadlooking gaze, or is seeking a durable alternative to injections, every woman can now rediscover, thanks to the endoscopic fronto-temporal lift, an enhanced and glamorous gaze that is open and serene.
Dr Claude Aharoni
Former resident and former chief resident of the Paris Hospitals European Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Faculty diploma in aesthetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery. Founding member of Etoile aesthetic clinic.
