Brow Lift

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. 

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.

A non-surgical eyebrow lift can be achieved temporarily with medical aesthetic treatments. 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. This effectively lifts them and can help create an arch. While this treatment is highly effective at raising the brow, it does not produce the same long-lasting results as a surgical brow lift.