Brow Lift & Forehead Surgery

The Oculoplastic Surgeons at CEI have undergone extensive training to be able to perform aesthetic and functional surgery on the fragile and delicate tissues of the eyes and forehead, and can help patients achieve a more youthful appearance that still looks natural.

Benefits of Brow and Forehead Lift Surgery

A brow or forehead lift procedure can create a more youthful, alert appearance by:

• Enhancing the shape of the eyebrow arch
• Elevating the position of the eyebrows to eliminate “hooded” appearance
• Reducing or eliminating wrinkles such as brow furrows and horizontal forehead lines
• Smoothing wrinkles that appear on the bridge of the nose or between the eyes

Eyebrow Lift: What to Expect

Preparing for your Brow Lift

Before undergoing an eyebrow lift procedure, each patient attends a consultation with his or her surgeon. During this conversation, patients have the opportunity to speak candidly about aesthetic and functional concerns they have about their eyebrows or overall eye area appearance. The Oculoplastic Surgeons at CEI have spent years studying the eyes, and can give patients expert advice on how to reach their cosmetic goals. At this time, the surgeon will recommend a comprehensive treatment plan to help each patient achieve an appearance that is fully refreshed but still looks natural. The goal here is to make sure you look as young as you feel without a “pulled” or artificially tight appearance.

In preparation for eyebrow lift surgery, patients will be asked to stop smoking and to avoid medications that may lengthen recovery after the surgery, such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs.

The Brow Lift Procedure

A forehead lift is an outpatient procedure performed under general anesthesia. There are a number of different approaches to the eyebrow lift procedure, allowing surgeons to fully customize treatment to complement each patient’s unique physiology and help them meet their aesthetic goals.

Hairline Brow Lift

Also referred to as pretrichial brow lift, this approach is ideal for patients who have higher hairlines. Incisions are made just above the hairline, allowing the surgeon to remove excess skin and raise the forehead and browline to a more youthful appearance.

Direct Brow Lift

In this procedure, incisions are made just above the eyebrows, where they are hidden by the brows themselves. The surgeon then lifts the brows to a more contoured, tighter appearance and secures them into their new position with sutures.

Coronal Brow Lift

For this procedure, the incision is made behind the hairline, roughly from one ear to the other. This allows the surgeon to excise a significant amount of excess skin and tighten the forehead and brow area, and scars are totally hidden on the scalp.

Lateral Brow Lift

For patients who experience the majority of their drooping at the outer portion of the eyebrows, a lateral, or temporal, brow lift may be an ideal solution. For this procedure, incisions are made within the hairline near the temples to allow the surgeon to lift and contour the outer portion of the eyebrows.

Endoscopic Brow Lift

An endoscopic eyebrow lift is performed with an endoscope, which is a very thin camera inserted through a tiny incision to guide the surgeon. Additional small incisions will be made to allow the surgeon to lift the forehead skin and eyebrows, tightening and contouring the skin for a more refreshed appearance. For patients with mild to moderate wrinkling of the forehead or who need minimal lifting of the brows, this is an ideal procedure with a shorter recovery time than a traditional brow lift.

Who is a Candidate for Eyebrow Lift Surgery?

If you are frustrated with the effects of aging on your forehead and upper face, you may be a great candidate for a brow lift with the talented Oculoplastic Surgeons at CEI. The ideal candidate for this procedure:

• Is in good overall health
• Does not smoke
• Has healthy eyes, with no eyelid muscle weakness or dry eye disease
• Has realistic expectations about what can be achieved with plastic surgery

What are the Risks of Brow Lift Surgery?

Any surgical procedure has some risks, but the risks and complications of forehead lift surgery are greatly diminished when a patient chooses to work with our expert Oculoplastic Surgeons. Complications may include:

• Unnatural-looking results; appearing too tight or “pulled”
• Dry eye or eye irritation
• Asymmetrical results
• Infection
• Poor wound healing²

¹ American Society of Plastic Surgeons. What should I expect during my brow lift recovery? Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/brow-lift/recovery. Accessed November 9, 2020.
² American Society of Plastic Surgeons. What are the risks of a brow lift? Available: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/brow-lift/safety. Accessed November 9, 2020.