What is a Brow Lift?

Sometimes the eyebrow descends with age (brow ptosis) and can make the eyes look very tired or cause the skin of the eyelid to hang over the eyelashes and interfere with the upper vision.

It can cause people to feel a pronounced ache and strain in their forehead, from having to continually use these muscles to lift up the eye brow. 

There are several different ways of lifting up the eye brow.

A direct brow lift is the medical name for surgically lifting the brow by removing skin and muscle with an incision placed in the upper border of the eyebrow. The extent and location of the incision is tailored to the individual patient.

In most cases, the outer third to half of the brow requires lifting to improve the hooded appearance.

Why have a brow lift?

The brow drops as one ages leading to a more tired and hooded appearance of the upper eyelids. In some cases, brow lifting is performed in conjunction with upper lid blepharoplasty to enhance the results.

How is a brow lift performed?

There are several approaches to lifting the brow, however the direct approach is usually the most effective and has the least downtime. The surgery is performed under local anaesthetic alone (injections to numb the brow area) or combined with sedation. The incision for the surgery is almost always made in the upper border of the eyebrow hairs. The scar can take a few months to settle completely and, in most cases, fades or blends in with any pre-existing wrinkles or furrows in the brow area. The skin incision is closed with sutures that are usually removed 1 week after the surgery. A pressure head bandage is placed for 48 hours.

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Brow Lift FAQs

  • At your consultation, I will discuss your individual needs and the results you hope to achieve. I will examine your eyelids and face and take some measurements and photographs. It can be helpful if you have old photographs as well.

    I offer a bespoke, tailored service and treatment will be offered on this basis. I will go through the risks and benefits of any proposed procedure.

    A clinic letter and/or pre-care document will be sent to you after the clinic visit and, once you have read all the information, you can decide how you wish to proceed.

  • Medications such as aspirin, clopidrogel and warfarin can make bleeding more likely during and after surgery. If you are taking these drugs, please tell us and we can advise you whether to continue them.

    It is advisable to stop anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, fish oil, ginger, ginseng and garlic-containing supplements, two weeks before surgery.

    If you smoke, we would recommend you stop smoking for at least three weeks prior and two weeks after surgery, as smoking impairs wound healing and increases the risk of infection.

    Avoid alcohol intake in the days before and after surgery.

    On the day of surgery, please dress casually and wear a top which buttons at the front.

    Please wash your face on the morning of surgery and ideally men should shave. Do not wear any makeup, jewellery or contact lenses.

  • You will have a pressure head bandage for 48 hours. The eyes are not usually padded. Cold compresses are applied almost immediately and are continued for five days. The wound may have steristrips applied to it over the sutures.

    You will be given antibiotic ointment and/or lubricant drops to use and a follow up clinic appointment will be arranged about a week later for the sutures to be removed.

    You will be given a more detailed post-care document with guidance for the post-operative period.

  • You will usually need about one week off work. Try to avoid driving for a few days after the operation.

    The eyelids will be bruised and swollen. Bruising will take up to two weeks to settle.

    Swelling is greatly reduced after two weeks but may not completely resolve for three months.

  • Brow lift surgery is generally a safe and effective aesthetic treatment. Like any surgical procedure there are risks, albeit low.

    In all patients bruising and swelling is expected which is not permanent and will subside after several days or weeks.

    Watery or dry eyes and temporary blurred vision are also common for some weeks after the procedure.

    A detailed discussion of all the possible risks and complications is made at the preoperative consultation. I will provide you with detailed written information summarising these discussions as part of the consent process.

    If you still have questions, feel free to book a consultation here.