A brow lift, also known as a forehead lift, is a facial rejuvenation surgery that lifts the forehead area. It restores the eyebrows to their original youthful position and can help improve the appearance of sagging upper eyelids. A brow lift can also reduce the appearance of frown lines and wrinkles between the eyebrows and hairline. This procedure may be performed in conjunction with a facelift or neck lift for more comprehensive rejuvenative results, and/or a blepharoplasty depending on the degree of lax skin around the eye area.
Real Patient Results
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Who is a good candidate for a brow lift?
Brow lifts are typically performed to counteract the natural descent of facial tissues as we age. If you have noticed that your eyebrow area appears lower and heavy, a brow lift could be the right solution for you. You may also have wrinkles along the forehead or temples, and excess skin overhanging the eye area. A brow lift can help to take away a tired or angry look, giving you a refreshed, lifted appearance. You should be in good overall health before pursuing cosmetic surgery.
What will my brow lift surgery be like?
We commonly recommend a neuromodulator treatment two weeks prior to surgery to assist your surgeon in obtaining optimal results. A brow lift is performed under general anesthesia in our fully accredited in-house operating facility and takes 1.5-2 hours. There are several surgical approaches to a brow lift, and the appropriate procedure will be discussed with you in detail during your consultation. The incisions are placed either along the front hairline (anterior approach) or from ear-to-ear across the scalp, concealed by the hair (coronal approach).
How long is the recovery from a brow lift?
Following surgery, our attentive medical team will monitor your initial recovery in the calm, comfortable setting of our in-house recovery room. You can expect moderate swelling, bruising, and discomfort after a brow lift. You will be discharged with a bulky head dressing which will need to be left intact for 2-3 days. You will be seen in-clinic by our postoperative nurses around 10 days after your surgery, and additionally as needed to support your recovery journey. They will assist you with incision care, suture or staple removal, and assessment of the surgical site; and will advise you on long-term care and expectations. You must refrain from strenuous physical activity, heavy lifting, and any activities where your head is below your heart for about 3-4 weeks after surgery.
As with any surgery, the healing process can vary from patient to patient and your final results will depend on many individual factors. It is important to be patient with your body and allow yourself time to rest and recuperate.
Your Questions Answered
We strive to ensure our patients are thoroughly informed and equipped with the resources they need to make the best decision for themselves. Your consultation will include a discussion of your goals, your health history, education on your procedure(s) of interest, and a detailed explanation of potential benefits, risks, and complications. Your surgeon will perform a full exam of the proposed surgical area and discuss the various options with you. We may also perform a skin analysis using VISIA® technology to inform our recommendations for enhancing your results. For more information, you can also review our guide to the surgical process from consultation to recovery.
Prior to booking, you should ensure you have a responsible adult available to care for and assist you with self-care activities (such as incision care, washing your hair, and preparing meals) for the first 3-5 days. You cannot be alone for 48 hours after surgery. We also recommend having someone available to drive you to your post-op appointment(s).
As with any procedure, post-operative complications after a brow lift are rare but possible. These may include bleeding, infection, asymmetry, recurrent brow ptosis, alopecia, altered sensation (numbness, tingling, and/or hypersensitivity), and unsatisfactory scarring. Our skilled surgical team prioritizes your safety and meticulously works to minimize these risks.
Injectable neuromodulator treatments like BOTOX® are a non-surgical option that can provide some of the benefits of a brow lift. These treatments are regularly maintained at 3-4 month intervals.