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Helping You Live Better
Fringe Benefits
A technique developed by cosmetic surgeons could have a big impact on migraineurs .
By Lesley Reed
COULD GETTING RID OF THE WRINKLES on your forehead also eliminate your migraine headaches ? It might sound too good to be true , but a recent study found that 80 % of patients who underwent a cosmetic-type surgery on one of three “ trigger ” areas experienced a significant reduction in headache frequency and intensity — even after one year .
The surgery was pioneered by plastic surgeon Bahman Guyuron , MD , chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at University Hospitals Case
Medical Center in Cleveland and former president of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons . A little more than a decade ago , he became intrigued when patients who had brow lifts — cosmetic procedures designed to smooth furrowed brows — reported that their headaches disappeared along with their wrinkles . Since then , he ’ s refined his procedures and conducted a number of studies to prove that the controversial technique is effective at controlling migraine pain .
In this new study , reported in 2009 in the journal Plastic Reconstructive Surgery , 69 of 79 patients who received the surgery ( 88 %) experienced a positive response — 29 % reported complete elimination of their
12 HEAD WISE | Volume 1 , Issue 1 • 2011