The eyebrow lift or forehead lift tackles sagging brows that make a face look older and more tired than it should. With all the Zoom time in recent months, facial treatments are surging in popularity. If you’re looking for a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance, you might be considering a brow lift.
The procedure is most commonly carried out to combat signs of ageing, but younger patients often experience forehead creases too. As with any cosmetic treatment, it’s important to find an expert plastic surgeon you trust. Let’s take a look at what you can expect from a brow lift and how long it takes to recover.
What is a Brow Lift?
An eyebrow lift is also known as a forehead lift or browplasty. During the procedure, the brow or forehead area is repositioned and lifted. The surgery can help you look younger and rejuvenated. It raises the eyebrows to a more youthful level and helps combat the signs of ageing.
As the brow and forehead are such an integral part of the upper face, the treatment can also improve the appearance around the eyes. If you have a low brow, deep horizontal forehead creases, or brow asymmetry, you might consider an eyebrow lift.
- Surgery Time: 1-2 hours
- Anaesthetic: General
- Hospital Stay: Day
- Dressings and Garments: dressings for 24 hours
- Time Off Work: 1-2 weeks
- Exercise: 6 Weeks
- Mobile: 1 day
- Washing: 1 day
- Sleeping Position: on you back for 2 weeks, slightly elevated
- Full Recovery: 6 weeks
What Happens During an Eyebrow Lift?
There are different ways to perform a brow lift. Your plastic surgeon will talk through your options during your consultation and determine the best option for you. The surgery itself lasts between 1 to 2 hours. Generally, the most common techniques for an eyebrow lift are endoscopic or open brow.
Endoscopic Brow Lift
This is one of the most common brow lift techniques, also known as a keyhole brow lift. The surgeon makes three to five incisions on the scalp. A thin camera is inserted and used to view your underlying tissues and muscles. Your surgeon then lifts your forehead into a higher position and anchors it down securely. This technique treats a mild to moderate brow droop.
Open Brow Lift
An incision is made behind the hairline ear to ear. The skin tissue is then carefully moved into an elevated position, and any excess skin is removed, and muscles are tightened. This type of surgery is also known as a coronal brow lift.
Why Get an Eyebrow Lift?
A brow lift can rejuvenate your face and make you look younger and more alert. If you start to notice droopy skin and heavy tissue above your upper eyelids, a brow lift may benefit you.
What are the Benefits of a Brow Lift?
There are several benefits of a brow lift, including:
- Smooth forehead wrinkles
- Improve crows feet
- Restore a youthful look to the eyebrows
- Remove excess skin
- Reduce the appearance of upper eyelid sagging
What Happens During Your Brow Lift Consultation?
During your consultation, you will discuss your areas of concern, aims and desires. You will need to share your medical history and stop smoking several weeks before your procedure. Your surgeon will take photos and determine if it is safe to proceed with the treatment.
How Do You Prepare for a Brow Lift?
Before your surgery, you should prepare for the treatment by doing the following:
- Stop smoking
- Stop certain medications and supplements
- Arrange for someone to drive you home
- Arrange for help during your recovery
- Drink plenty of water before the surgery
How Long is the Recovery Time for Eyebrow Lift Surgery?
You will need to schedule some downtime after your surgery for proper rest and recovery. Although most of our patients experience very little pain after a forehead lift, the initial recovery period is about 2 weeks. This is when you need to make the most adjustments to your day-to-day routine to promote good healing. It’s entirely normal to experience some bruising and swelling after your procedure. This will ease up in a couple of weeks. You should be able to return to work in 2 weeks, but no strenuous exercise for at least 4 weeks. At 1 month post-op, you should be able to start to return to normal activities.
You will see results immediately, but there will be some swelling for the first few weeks. As the swelling eases up and bruising fades, you will begin to see the results.
Before and After Brow Lift at the Harley Clinic
Are the Results Permanent?
Depending on your facial structure, the results typically last between 5-7 years.
What are the Scars Like Following a Brow Lift?
The procedure leaves minimal scarring that is hidden within the natural creases of the hairline. You may notice raised or pink scars on or behind your hairline in the first few months, but these will fade over time to white.
Does a Brow Lift Change the Shape of Your Eyes?
No, a brow lift doesn’t change the shape of your eyes.
Can a Brow Lift Fix Hooded Eye?
Yes, a brow lift can fix hooded eyes.
Brow Lift Aftercare Tips
In the first 24 hours following the surgery, you will need to wear bandages. After 2-3 days, you can wash your hair. Your surgeon will guide you on how to do this. It’s normal to expect some bruising and swelling, especially in the first few days following the procedure.
It’s essential that you don’t bend or do any heavy lifting for 2 weeks. Avoid smoking to promote effective healing and recovery. Your surgeon will remove your stitches after 1 to 2 weeks. You must follow all your aftercare instructions as they are put in place to aid healing and produce the best results possible.
You should be able to go back to work in 2 weeks of your surgery. Over the next few weeks, any bruising and swelling should go down. In general, you shouldn’t see any visible scarring, but if you can, it should be easy to cover up with your hair while you’re healing. After the surgery settles in, you should see the final results in 6 to 8 weeks.
Can You Combine Eyelid Surgery and a Brow Lift?
The answer is 100% yes. It’s very common to combine two treatments for a total eye rejuvenation package. A forehead lift doesn’t specifically target bags under the eyes and crows feet. An eyebrow lift and eyelid surgery are an excellent combination. Each procedure requires about a week or two off work to recover. If you combine the two treatments, you can recover in the same amount of time, rather than two separate recoveries. This is why it’s popular to combine two treatments into one.
Non-Surgical Brow Lift: Is there an Alternative to a Brow Lift?
Non-surgical alternatives to a brow lift include dermal fillers and botulinum toxin. If you have sagging eyelids rather than the forehead, either an upper or lower blepharoplasty procedure may be suitable for you.
Who is the Ideal Candidate for a Brow Lift?
The ideal candidate is in good health and should have a normal hairline and forehead height not exceeding 7cm. If you have a receding hairline, you may benefit from both hair advancement surgery and a brow lift at the same time.
Who Should Avoid a Brow Lift?
In general, this procedure isn’t performed on people who have high hairlines, thin hair or on people who are likely to lose their hair. Chronic smokers and drinkers may have a harder time healing. If you have very tight facial skin, you may not be suitable for this procedure.
What are the Potential Risks and Complications of a Brow Lift?
As with any type of surgery, there are potential risks and complications of a brow lift you need to be aware of.
Risks and complications include:
- Hair problems
- Scarring
- Asymmetry
- Pain and bleeding
- Fluid accumulation
- Infection
- Changes in skin sensation
- Anaesthesia risks
- Skin loss
- Eye irritation
Before and After Brow Lift
Your forehead area can make you look older, tired, angry, or sad. By undergoing a brow lift, you can look to achieve a more youthful and alert appearance. Your recovery and aftercare will help you get great results safely and more comfortably.
To book a consultation today, please call 0203 582 4947 or email [email protected].
Further Reading:
- What is a Brow Lift?
- Brow Lift: Procedure and Recovery Time
- 4 Foods for a Healthy Recovery After Plastic Surgery
- Fox Eye Surgery: What is a Fox Eyebrow Lift?
- What is a Botulinum Toxin Brow Lift?
- How to Prepare For Your Cosmetic Treatment
- 5 Must-Have Items for Your Post-Op Recovery Toolkit
- Why is Collagen Important for Skincare
- What is an Endoscopic Brow Lift?