Brow lift · Forehead lift
Brow lift: Compare practices from our network
A brow lift raises low or heavy brows and smooths the forehead. The aim is a more rested expression that still looks like you.
Our network
Brow lift providers from Adoreal's partner network.
London · United Kingdom
iQonic Aesthetics
Forehead lift alongside eyelid surgery and facelift, within a multi-surgeon team.
London · United Kingdom
iQonic Aesthetics
Forehead lift alongside eyelid surgery and facelift, within a multi-surgeon team.
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How to choose a brow lift surgeon
Board certification is the starting point. The details below are worth weighing carefully when you're choosing the surgeon who's right for your goals.
Here's what to look for before you decide:
A good surgeon looks at your brow and eyelids together.
Heavy upper lids are often caused by a low brow rather than excess lid skin, and sometimes by both. A surgeon who assesses brow position before recommending eyelid surgery, or a brow lift alone, is diagnosing rather than assuming.
They should explain which technique suits you, and why.
Endoscopic, temporal, hairline and coronal approaches differ in incision length, scar position and which part of the brow they lift. Ask why one is recommended for your anatomy, and what the alternatives would mean.
Your hairline is part of the plan.
Some techniques can raise the hairline, while others are chosen to preserve it, including for people with a high forehead. A surgeon who measures and discusses your hairline before choosing an approach is planning for how the result will look in daily life.
The aim is a rested expression, not a different one.
A well-planned brow lift keeps your natural expression. Ask how the surgeon decides how far to lift, and to show results on faces similar to yours.
Transparency about your plan and expectations is non-negotiable.
Your surgeon should be comfortable documenting the technique planned, where scars will sit, whether other treatments are included, and what recovery looks like week by week, and sharing that with you in writing.
Before your consultation, prepare this question
“Is the heaviness I see coming from my brow or my eyelids, and what will your technique do to my hairline?”
A surgeon who checks both, and explains the trade-offs of each approach for your face, is diagnosing rather than selling a single operation.
Find a Brow lift ProviderAbout the treatment
About brow lift
What is a brow lift?
A brow lift, also called a forehead lift, raises sagging brows and smooths the forehead by lifting and repositioning the skin and underlying tissue of the upper face. It can soften horizontal forehead lines and the vertical frown lines between the brows.
Brows that have descended can make the eyes look tired, sad or cross, and can add to the heaviness of the upper eyelids. That is why a brow lift is so often discussed alongside eyelid surgery: the two treat different layers of the same concern.
A brow lift does not remove excess eyelid skin, and it does not stop the aging process. The aim is a fresher, more open expression that is still recognizably yours.
Types of brow lift
Techniques differ mainly in where the incisions sit and which part of the brow they lift. Your surgeon will recommend the one that matches your anatomy:
- Endoscopic lift. A few short incisions hidden behind the hairline, with a small camera used to reposition the tissue beneath. Typically preserves the hairline.
- Temporal (lateral) lift. Short incisions in the hairline at each temple, lifting the outer part of the brow. Also typically preserves the hairline.
- Coronal lift. A single incision across the top of the scalp, from ear to ear, with the scar concealed in the hair. It can raise the hairline.
- Hairline lift. An incision along the front of the hairline, often suggested for a high forehead, so the brow can be lifted without raising the hairline. The scar is more visible but can often be hidden by hair.
Brow lift and eyelid surgery
A brow lift is frequently combined with upper eyelid surgery. The brow lift addresses brow position and forehead lines, while eyelid surgery removes excess lid skin. Treating both together, where both are needed, gives a more balanced result across the upper face than either alone.
Are you a candidate?
A brow lift is generally suited to people in good health who are bothered by low or drooping brows, deep forehead lines, or furrows between the brows. It is aimed at the position of the brow, not at fine surface lines alone.
Your surgeon may advise caution if you:
- Smoke and are unwilling to stop
- Have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinners that cannot be safely paused
- Have a poorly controlled medical condition
- Are mainly troubled by excess eyelid skin rather than brow position
- Have a very high hairline, which changes which technique is suitable
The treatment, step by step
Consultation. Your surgeon assesses brow position and symmetry, forehead lines, hairline height, and your upper eyelids, then recommends a technique that suits your anatomy and goals.
Preparations. You may need to adjust medications such as aspirin and anti-inflammatories, stop smoking, and arrange for someone to drive you home and help for the first days.
Anesthesia. Performed under general anesthesia or local anesthetic with sedation. Most patients go home the same day.
Incisions. Depending on the technique, small incisions are placed behind the hairline, at the temples, along the front of the hairline, or across the top of the scalp, where scars are concealed.
Lifting. The tissues of the forehead and brow are released and repositioned, and excess skin is removed where needed. The procedure typically takes one to two hours.
Closing. Incisions are closed with sutures, skin adhesives or small clips. Your forehead may be taped or your head lightly wrapped, and some surgeons place a thin drain.
Recovery and aftercare
Swelling and bruising across the forehead and around the eyes are normal, and usually settle over one to two weeks. Discomfort is generally mild to moderate and managed with prescribed pain relief.
- Keep your head elevated while resting and sleeping
- Avoid bending and heavy lifting in the first week
- Avoid strenuous exercise until your surgeon clears you, often around three to four weeks
- Protect healing incisions and the forehead from direct sun
- Attend all follow-up appointments
Most people return to work within one to two weeks. The brow continues to settle, and scars to fade, over three to six months.
Risks and side effects
A brow lift is generally safe, but like any surgery it carries risks:
- Swelling and bruising, common and temporary, around the forehead and eyes, settling over one to two weeks.
- Changes in sensation, numbness or itching of the forehead and scalp, which usually improves but may not fully resolve.
- Hair loss around incisions, thinning near the scars in the hair-bearing scalp.
- Raised hairline, possible with some techniques, which is why hairline height shapes the choice of approach.
- Asymmetry, differences between the two brows, which occasionally need further correction.
- Facial nerve injury, uncommon, causing temporary or, rarely, permanent weakness in brow movement.
When to seek medical attention
- Rapidly increasing swelling, or bleeding that does not stop
- Severe or increasing pain
- Fever, or increasing redness and discharge from an incision
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
Contact your surgeon's practice directly, or seek emergency care, if you experience any of the above.
Common questions
Brow lift questions, answered.
If your question isn't here, ask us directly. A real person answers, and we won't push you toward anything.
Talk to us →What is the difference between a brow lift and eyelid surgery?
A brow lift raises the brow and smooths the forehead; eyelid surgery removes excess skin from the lid itself. Heavy upper lids can come from either, or both, which is why a surgeon should assess the two together.
Which technique is right for me?
It depends on how far your brows have descended, your hairline height, and your goals. Endoscopic and temporal approaches use a few short incisions; coronal and hairline approaches work through one longer incision with the tissue in direct view. Your surgeon should explain why they recommend one.
Where will the scars be?
Usually within or along the hairline: behind it for endoscopic and coronal lifts, at the temples for a temporal lift, or along the front of the hairline for a hairline lift. Scars fade over months, and your surgeon will guide you on scar care.
Will it change my hairline?
Endoscopic and temporal techniques typically preserve the hairline. A coronal lift can raise it, and a hairline lift is often chosen for a high forehead so the hairline does not move back.
How long is the recovery?
Swelling and bruising usually settle over one to two weeks, and most people return to work within that time. Strenuous exercise generally waits around three to four weeks, and the final result emerges over three to six months.
How long do results last?
Results are long-lasting, commonly cited as seven to ten years or more. The face continues to age, so the brow will keep changing slowly over time.
Is it done under general anesthesia?
Often, though not always. Depending on the technique and the practice, a brow lift is performed under general anesthesia or local anesthetic with sedation, and most patients go home the same day.
Can Botox do the same job?
Not in the same way. Botox temporarily relaxes forehead muscles to soften lines, while a brow lift repositions tissue for a longer-lasting change. Many people consider surgery when injectables no longer give enough of the effect they want.
What are the main risks?
Swelling and bruising, numbness or itching of the scalp, hair loss around incisions, a raised hairline, asymmetry, eye irritation or dryness, and rarely facial nerve injury. Bleeding and infection are uncommon, and smoking raises the risk of healing problems.
Can it be combined with other treatments?
Yes. A brow lift is commonly combined with eyelid surgery or a facelift, and sometimes with skin resurfacing. Combining affects anesthesia time and recovery, so discuss the trade-offs at consultation.
