Face & Eyes

Brow Lift

at Cadogan Clinic, London’s Leading Cosmetic Surgery Specialists. 

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We've won 12 top industry awards since 2010 and regularly feature in the national and international press.

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All of our surgeons are registered with the General Medical Council.

Medically Reviewed April 2023, by Mr. Bryan Mayou (GMC: 1414396) - founder of the Cadogan Clinic and one of the world's leading plastic surgeons

What is Brow Lift?

The flattening and descent of the brow is caused by the skin losing its elasticity as part of the natural aging process. The patient is left with a more youthful-looking brow after treatment.

There are multiple surgical techniques which can be used in an eyebrow lift. These techniques usually involve the removal of excess facial skin. Depending on which method is used, the surgeon may also tighten the underlying tissues before redraping the skin. Your surgeon will discuss with you which technique would be best to meet your needs at your initial consultation here at the clinic.

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An eyebrow lift is an excellent way to slow down the aging process. Surgery treats common age-related complaints, such as a low, sagging brow or brow asymmetry. Although a brow lift primarily deals with cosmetic concerns, it can also help with brow drooping (also known as brow ptosis) caused by illness or injury, for example, nerve damage in the face.

In some cases, brow drooping can cause physical discomfort. People with significant brow ptosis may find they suffer from headaches as their forehead muscles have to work extra hard to lift their drooping eyebrows. In some cases, drooping brows can obscure vision.

Brow lift surgery will return the brow to its original position and improve vision if this has been affected by a drooping brow

A brow lift is commonly combined with other rejuvenating facial procedures, such as eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) or a face lift to enhance the overall result. 

A brow lift improves the appearance of the forehead, the brow and the area around the eyes by raising the soft tissue and skin of the forehead and brow.  Some patients opt to undergo fat grafting alongside their brow lift. This procedure lifts and adds volume to the brow and the temple, providing an enhanced, permanent, structure to support the skin on the forehead.

There are also non-surgical eyebrow lift procedures that we carry out here at the Cadogan Clinic.


Brow Lift
At a glance

Surgery Time

1 - 2 hours

Time off work

1 week

Hospital Stay

Day Case

Shower

After 1 week

Reasonable Mobility

After 1 day

Exercise

After 6 weeks

Sexual Activity

After 4 weeks

Sleeping on back

2 - 4 weeks

Full Recovery

2 weeks

Driving

1 week


Before and after Brow Lift

Why do people have it?

Both surgical and non surgical eyebrow lift treatments aim to:

  • Rejuvenate the facial area
  • Smooth and tighten forehead skin
  • Lift sagging brow
  • Raise eyebrows to restore refreshed appearance
  • Restore symmetry

Who is suitable?

Cadogan Clinic considers individuals fit for the procedure, if all of the following are true of them:

  • Sagging brow 
  • Drooping eye brows 
  • Loose elastic skin in the brow and forehead area 
  • Fine brow lines and forehead wrinkles 
  • Asymmetrical brow region 

Words from our clients:


The cost of a Brow Lift

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What are the options?

Brow lift surgery usually takes around one to two hours, depending on which technique is being used. This may take longer if other procedures are carried out at the same time. Eyebrow lift surgery is carried out under a general anesthetic. This means you will not be awake during the procedure.

There are several different eyebrow lift techniques which we use here at the Cadogan Clinic. Your surgeon will decide which type is best for you depending on your individual needs and what you hope to achieve with surgery. We will look at these different surgical techniques here.

This particular technique is minimally invasive. In an endoscopic brow lift, the surgeon makes incisions behind the hairline and a thin camera (endoscope) is used to view your underlying muscles and tissues. The forehead tissues are lifted and a special medical instrument is put in place to anchor these in an elevated position, lifting the brow. After three to six months, these will be safely reabsorbed back into the body, leaving the brow in its new lifted position.

In a coronal brow lift, an incision is made behind the hairline, traveling across the top of the head, from ear to ear. The surgeon will then lift the skin tissue to an elevated position, cutting away and removing any excess tissue. This particular technique can rejuvenate the upper portion of the face. Although, like all the brow lift techniques, it can be carried out on both men and women, this particular method is more popular among women. This method can leave some scarring, but this is hidden in the hairline. For this reason, the coronal brow lift is not generally favoured by those with a receding hairline.

In a hairline brow lift, the surgeon will make an incision between the top of the forehead and the beginning of the hairline. A small amount of skin and tissue is then removed from the top of the forehead, rather than from the scalp itself. This means the hairline itself is not pulled back in this particular technique. The hairline brow lift is a popular choice for patients who have a receding hairline and are experiencing deep forehead lines.

This particular eyebrow lift is a good choice for patients who only require a moderate lift of the outer brow. This is the first part of the brow to descend down the face as we age. Two small incisions are made in the temples within the hairline. A strip of skin is then removed. This particular method is good for tackling problem crow’s feet, noticeable wrinkles which develop around the outer corners of the eyes. Patients often chose to combine a temporal brow lift with blepharoplasty to enhance the result. A temporal brow lift is also known as a lateral brow lift.

What is a non-surgical brow lift?

A non-surgical brow lift, as the name suggests, is a form of eyebrow lift which does not require any incisions or anesthetic. This type of treatment can produce some dramatic results, but these are not as long-lasting as a surgical brow lift. There are two popular non-surgical eyebrow lift treatments that we offer here at the Cadogan Clinic.

Anti-aging injectables are muscle relaxants and are used to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. The most common anti-aging injectable which you may have heard of is Botox.  The injectable is introduced to the brow and effectively reduces lines and wrinkles while simultaneously reducing the pull of the muscles which cause the eyebrow to descend. 

The treatment is an easy and relatively pain free process. Anti-aging injectables are also commonly used in the eye and cheek areas.

The procedure is carried out during a 30-minute consultation and involves a series of tiny injections to the brow area. There is no downtime involved with anti-aging injectables, meaning you are free to leave the clinic after your treatment and return to your day-to-day activities.

As part of this non-surgical brow lift, fillers can be used to plump out the treatment area, providing additional volume, if desired. Dermal fillers are quick injectable treatments that can soften facial wrinkles and lines and fill out hollows, leaving the skin looking younger.

This particular treatment does not use any needles. Instead, a machine delivers kinetic energy and a healing compound to a controlled depth in the brow. This stimulates collagen production and thickens the dermis, the inner layer of the skin. On the outside, Enerjet high energy therapy corrects imperfections on the skin’s surface.

This treatment results in immediate thickening and firming of the skin, leaving the brow area looking visibly plumped and refreshed. And as this treatment stimulates collagen production as a wound healing response, this means that your skin will continue to feel the benefit of Enerjet high energy therapy long after the treatment has finished.

Enerjet is also effective in treating other aesthetic concerns elsewhere on the body, including white stretch marks.

If you are considering a non-surgical brow lift, we recommend that you speak to one of our experts to discover which of these options would be the best for you.


Brow Lift Surgeons

We have invited a selection of the country's very best consultants to join us at the Cadogan Clinic so that you can be sure that whatever the nature of your treatment, you will be seeing one of the top practitioners in the country.


What to expect

Below you will find some key information to help you prepare for surgery and make necessary arrangements to ensure you have the support you need and that everything runs smoothly on the day.

Your journey with the Cadogan Clinic will start with up to two consultations with one of our leading specialist plastic surgeons at our award-winning premises in Chelsea. These consultations will take between 30 and 60 minutes.

During your consultation, your surgeon will ask about your expectations for brow lift surgery and talk about what will happen during the procedure. They will also explain how the procedure will affect you.

It is important that you are open and honest about what you hope to achieve during surgery to help ensure the best possible result. Your surgeon will be happy to answer any questions you may have at this point. It may be a good idea to write your questions down before attending the consultation. Having established what you want from the surgery, and what is possible given your facial anatomy, several key measurements will be made and standard clinical photography will be taken. Your medical history will be discussed and a physical examination will be carried out.

If your surgeon feels you are a good candidate for surgery, you are then invited to consider whether you would like to proceed with your brow lift or not following a two week 'cooling off' period.

During this period, you are welcome to come back to the Cadogan Clinic and discuss your potential eyebrow lift surgery with your surgeon as many times as you like.

If you decide to go ahead with surgery following the cooling off period, then it is important that you prepare for your brow lift.

Although there is no special preparation needed for brow lift surgery, there are several things that you should do before any surgery.

  • Stop smoking. Smoking decreases blood flow in the skin and can slow the healing process. If you smoke, your doctor will recommend that you stop smoking six weeks before surgery and during the recovery period.
  • Avoid taking certain medications. You should avoid taking aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements in the week ahead of your brow lift.
  • Taking these can increase bleeding.
  • Arrange for help during recovery. Make plans for a friend or family member to drive you home after you leave the hospital and stay with you for at least the first night of your recovery at home.

In the six hours prior to surgery you must not consume food or any drink, other than small sips of clear fluid which will be allowed up to two hours before you are admitted to the clinic. Clear fluids include still water, black coffee and black tea.

On the day of your procedure we ask that you arrive for your admission an hour before the agreed start time of surgery. At this point a nurse will come and record blood pressure and other relevant tests, you will meet with your anaesthetist and your surgeon who will make the final mark-ups. A general anesthetic is administered. You will not be awake during your brow lift surgery.

The surgeon will make small incisions either in or behind the hairline, depending on which technique is used. Some excess skin tissue may be removed before the remaining skin and tissue is tightened and fixed into its new position. In an endoscopic brow lift, a thin camera called an endoscope is used to view your underlying muscles and tissues. 

Brow lift surgery takes in the region of one to two hours to complete, depending on which technique is used. This may be longer if the eyebrow lift is combined with other treatments such as blepharoplasty.

Depending on whether your treatment is surgical or non surgical, you will be treated by a specialist aesthetic plastic or oculoplastic surgeon.

After your brow lift surgery, ointment will be applied to the site and a dressing will be put in place. A small tube may also be put in place to drain any excess blood and fluid from the treatment site.

Following your eyebrow lift surgery, you will recover in our ambulatory recovery rooms for between two to three hours. Once you are able to eat and drink, and our specialist nursing team are happy that your initial recovery is complete, you will be allowed to leave the clinic with a friend or family member.

It is not uncommon to experience some discomfort following your brow lift. Any pain can be controlled using over-the-counter painkillers. Swelling can be reduced by using a cold compress.

You will need to spend several days recovering at home, with up to two weeks off work. Do not do any strenuous exercise for four to six weeks, post-surgery.

Our nursing team provides a dedicated 24/7 oncall service during your recovery. 

You will meet in person with our nursing team one week after surgery to check the incision sites. We also recommend meeting one of our aestheticians to discuss ongoing treatment to support the healing process if required.

A final check up will take place six weeks after your brow lift surgery.

The Patient Journey. A breakdown of what you can expect on your journey with us

We are deeply invested in ensuring that every step of your surgical journey with us is as informative and reassuring to you as it can be. This article outlines what you can expect at each stage of the journey

The Patient Journey

Frequently Asked Questions

In a surgical brow lift, small incisions are made in the forehead and the tissues are pulled upwards, thus elevating the brow. There are several different surgical techniques which we use here at the Cadogan Clinic which vary according to your anatomy and what you are trying to achieve from a surgical brow lift.

There are four different surgical brow lift methods. An endoscopic brow lift is minimally invasive, but a hairline brow lift is a popular choice for patients who have a receding hairline. A temporal brow lift is best for patients who only require a moderate lift of the outer brow to tackle crows’ feet and wrinkles around the corners of the eyes.

As we age, our body produces less collagen and elastin. These are crucial to help keep skin looking young and firm. Depleting collagen and elastin levels means our skin begins to sag and wrinkle. This is particularly noticeable on the face, where the skin and soft tissues start to descend, including in the brow area, where drooping, folds and deep wrinkles are a particular problem. The eyebrow becomes less prominent due to the lack of support from the surrounding tendons and tissues. This also results in a change in the eyebrow shape. It is common to see a drop in the outer tail of the eyebrow, a tell-tale sign of facial aging.

This downwards descent can be delayed through surgical means, which involves attaching the skin and these soft tissues to the deeper tissues around the eyes, ear, nose and mouth areas. 

The natural descent of the eyebrows can lead to a build up of loose skin underneath the eye itself. The eyelids develop loose skin on their own, but in addition, they become bunched up by the lower brow. This is why combining eyebrow lift surgery with blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) is a popular option for patients.

This type of surgery of the upper part of the face rolls back the years and produces long-lasting results. However the aging process will continue from this point and you may require further surgery in the future, or ongoing non-surgical treatments to help maintain the result for as long as possible. 

As surgical brow lifts are carried out under a general anaesthetic, you will not experience any pain during the procedure itself. You may experience some discomfort and tenderness in the days after surgery. Over-the-counter painkillers will help with this if required.

Anyone experiencing the following characteristics is considered suitable for a brow lift:

  • Sagging brow
  • Drooping eyebrows
  • Loose elastic skin in the brow, eye and forehead area
  • Fine brow lines and forehead wrinkles
  • Asymmetrical brow region
  • Obscured vision due to sagging brow

Typically patients who are most suitable for a surgical brow lift are between the ages of 40 and 60 years old, and with good skin elasticity. 

Non surgical alternatives, such as anti-aging injectables and Enerjet high energy therapy, may be more suitable for those in younger age brackets where the wrinkles and sagging are less severe.

Brow lift surgery is suitable for both men and women, although certain brow lift techniques better suit men with a receding hairline. Your surgeon will guide you on the best surgical technique for you.

As with all surgery, you should be in good general mental and physical health and have a realistic expectation of what can be achieved with brow lift surgery. Speak to one of our experts if you have any concerns.

During a brow lift surgery, the soft tissue and skin of the forehead is raised, smoothing out wrinkles and lines, such as crow’s feet and glabellar lines, and lifting a drooping, heavy brow.  By erasing these tell-tale signs of aging, a surgical eyebrow lift helps to turn back the clock, giving your face a more youthful appearance. The result will be permanent, subject to the ongoing march of the natural aging process.

The lifting of the brow can also make the eyes look less tired and more alert. This adds to the overall refreshed appearance of the face. Brow lift surgery can also help to improve vision, if a drooping forehead was causing an obstruction in the patient’s vision. So not only can an eyebrow lift improve a patient’s physical appearance, it can also improve their quality of life.

A brow lift can also have a huge psychological impact too. Surgery can restore a sense of confidence and self-esteem which may have been affected by deep wrinkles or sagging skin on the forehead.

A surgical brow lift is permanent, but your new brow will still be at the mercy of the ageing process. You can expect to enjoy the results of your brow lift for around 10 to 12 years before you may need to consider further surgery. However, some patients may enjoy the results for longer. This is because everyone ages at a different rate due to genetics and lifestyle choices, for example smoking and exposure to UV light both accelerate the ageing process.

Non-surgical brow lifts can last anywhere between three and 18 months, depending on which treatment you choose. Anti-aging injectables, such as Botox, only provide a temporary solution to a sagging or wrinkling brow. Further treatments will be required to maintain the result. Non-surgical brow lift results can last longer for some people than others. For a permanent result, surgery is the only option.

You will be allowed to return home on the same day as surgery to allow yourself to rest and recuperate in the comfort of your own home. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to care for your incisions. It is important that you follow these to help aid your recovery. In the days following your brow lift, you should rest with your head elevated and avoid exposing the incision sites to excessive pressure or movement.

You may experience some itching and numbness around the incision sites as you heal. This should stop over time. The treatment site is likely to be bruised, swollen and tender in the days after brow lift surgery. Swelling may last for several weeks, but this can be treated with a cold compress and sleeping with multiple pillows may also help. A compression garment will also help to reduce swelling.

Any bandages will be removed within three days post-surgery and non-dissolvable sutures are usually removed within seven to ten days.

We advise taking two weeks off work and avoiding strenuous exercise for up to six weeks following surgery. Any heavy lifting should also be avoided. You should take care when washing your hair and bathing in the days and weeks following brow lift surgery. It is important that you do not get the dressing wet in order to avoid any infection.

Any scars left from the incisions should fade naturally over time.

Eyebrow lift surgery leaves behind minimal scarring. Incisions are usually small and are made in or on the hairline. As a result, any scars are usually very well hidden. The natural lines of the forehead can also be used to hide scars.

The brow lift technique which has the potential for more scarring is the coronal brow lift. In this particular eyebrow lift, an incision is made behind the hairline before traveling across the top of the head, from one ear to the other. This is hidden in the hairline. Because of this, this technique is not often used on patients with a receding hairline. As with all scars, brow lift surgery scars will fade in time.

To help minimise the risk of scarring and to help with the overall healing process, it is important that you carefully follow all the aftercare instructions as issued by the surgeon.

As part of your eyebrow lift procedure, we offer a complimentary consultation and treatment with our onsite team of aestheticians to ensure you heal and scar quickly and efficiently.

It is unlikely that you will experience complications stemming from your brow lift. Our expert surgeons have performed this surgery many, many times, and all have a high satisfaction rating. However, as with any surgery, there is always the potential for complications. Risks from eyebrow lift surgery include:

  • Visible scarring.
  • Temporary or permanent numbness on the forehead or scalp.
  • Brow asymmetry. This can be treated with surgery.
  • Hair loss in the surgical area. This may be temporary or permanent.
  • Numbness caused by nerve injury. This may be temporary or permanent.
  • An elevated hairline.
  • Dry eyes.

In addition to this, any type of surgery carries a small risk of:

  • Excessive bleeding (hemorrhage)
  • Developing a blood clot in a vein. Also known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
  • Infection of the surgical site
  • An allergic reaction to the anaesthetic

On very rare occasions, the patient may require a revision procedure if the result is not as expected. It is important you are honest with your surgeon at your initial consultation to help avoid this situation occurring. During this first consultation the surgeon will go through all the potential risks with you before you decide whether to go ahead with surgery.

If you experience chest pain, shortness of breath or irregular heartbeats following surgery you should seek medical advice immediately. This may be a medical emergency.

Patients often request for a brow lift and blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) to be carried out together in order to achieve an enhanced result. 

Eyelid reduction surgery reshapes the eyelids by removing excess fat and skin. Just like an eyebrow lift, blepharoplasty is a highly effective treatment for the signs of aging around this upper portion of the face.

The skin around the eyes is very thin, so, combined with skin laxity caused by an age-related drop in collagen levels, this means the skin around the eyes is more prone to wrinkles, including crow’s feet, or laughter lines, at the corners of the eyes. Combined with a sagging brow, this means the wide-eyed appearance of youth is lost. This age-related descent can also cause tear troughs or hollows to appear underneath the eyes.

Blepharoplasty is a short and highly effective procedure that can achieve immediate changes with very little downtime. Blepharoplasty is best suited for cases where major surgical intervention is required. Alternatively, anti-aging injectables can be used to tackle wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes.

The cost for brow lift surgery starts from £4,950. Prices vary depending on which technique is being used in your treatment and whether you are combining your eyebrow lift with any other procedures. Non surgical eyebrow lift surgery costs start from £700.

We offer two non-surgical brow lift treatments here at the Cadogan Clinic. Anti-aging injectables are muscle relaxants and are used to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles while reducing the pull of the muscles that cause the eyebrows to descend. Enerjet high energy therapy involves a machine that delivers kinetic energy and a healing compound to a controlled depth in the brow. This stimulates collagen production, resulting in the immediate thickening and firming of the skin, leaving the brow area looking visibly plumped and refreshed. While both these treatments are highly effective at raising the brow, they do not produce the same long-lasting results as a surgical brow lift.


A state of the art, award winning clinic.

Founded in 2004 by world renowned plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou, we now work with over 100 leading consultants and successfully treat over 20,000 patients each year. We have been winning industry awards since inception.

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All of our treatments take place at our beautiful boutique premises in Chelsea. We have six consulting rooms and five operating rooms, as well as a dedicated pre and post-operative suite, and a full team of specialist nursing staff.

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We were founded in 2004 by world renown plastic surgeon Mr Bryan Mayou, best known for his pioneering work in the area of liposuction, lasers and microvascular surgery. We continue to collaborate with pioneers in our field.

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What are the benefits of a brow lift?

A brow lift can have a remarkable effect on a person’s face, giving them a younger, fresher appearance. Both surgical and non surgical eyebrow lift treatments aim to:

An eyebrow lift not only fixes a drooping brow, but it can also work wonders on the upper third of the face. A brow lift opens up the eyes, making the patient look more awake and refreshed, erases frown lines and furrows, thus softening the overall appearance of the face, and of course restoring the smooth skin of youth. In short, the impact of a brow lift can be seen beyond the brow itself.

Deep set wrinkles and furrows are a common problem and a particularly noticeable sign of aging. A brow lift will smooth out these problem lines, giving you back the crease free skin you enjoyed before. Brow lift surgery is also effective in tackling glabellar lines, also known as frown lines, between the eyebrows.

A sagging, heavy brow weighing down on the upper eyelids can make a person look tired and weary. An eyebrow lift will open up the eye area, leaving you looking more alert and refreshed. By lifting the forehead, this can also make it easier to apply makeup to the eye area. Some people complain that a heavy brow can make them appear angry or stern. Brow lift surgery can also help to effectively tackle these common complaints, softening the appearance of the face.

A sagging brow can have an impact on a person’s facial expressions, but in some cases it can also cause vision problems by obscuring part of the eyes. A brow lift will help to restore a person’s vision, giving them back their confidence and improve their quality of life.

Asymmetrical eyebrows are surprisingly common. A person may find that one of their eyebrows is higher than the other or is a different shape. This asymmetry can be caused by congenital facial bony asymmetry, meaning that one side of the face is smaller than the other. Nerve weakness, caused by conditions such as Bell’s palsy, and upper eyelid droopiness (ptosis) can also be responsible for asymmetrical eyebrows.  An eyebrow lift can restore symmetry to this part of the face. This can have a positive effect on the overall appearance on the brow, giving the patient a more relaxed and refreshed look.

Brow lift surgery produces natural looking results which last longer than non-surgical treatments. The results are permanent, but may need to be repeated in the future as the aging process continues. Your surgeon will be able to advise on the available options and which treatment will be best suited to your needs.

As well as the numerous physical benefits, brow lift surgery can also help improve confidence and self-esteem, therefore having a positive impact on overall mental health.

What are the risks?

Complications are unlikely. That said, as with all surgery, some complications are possible, your surgeon will discuss each of these risks comprehensively at your consultation.


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