Brow Lift

Open your eyes to the possibilities of a more youthful appearance

As you age, the natural position of your eyebrows can drop, giving a heavy or tired appearance to your face and casting a shadow over your eyes. In some cases, a drooping brow can overhang part of your eye and block out the light you need to see correctly.

At IU Health, we offer minimally invasive brow lift procedures to raise the skin of the forehead and correct your drooping eyebrows.

A brow lift can soften facial lines, tighten loose skin and restore a more youthful appearance to your face. In addition, raising the brows allows more light to enter the area around your eye, improving your vision.

You may have a brow lift alone, or in combination with other facial procedures such as a facelift or eyelid surgery. If you decide to have a brow lift, your surgeon will analyze where volume has been lost and gravity has caused pulling or sagging on your brows.

Minimally invasive brow lift options include:

Full brow lift

To begin your minimally invasive brow lift procedure, your surgeon will make tiny incisions at the hairline. Next, an endoscope—a long, thin tube with a light and camera at the end—is inserted to help guide the surgeon during the procedure for precise accuracy and results. During the procedure, your surgeon will gently pull the skin of your forehead up and make any adjustments to the underlying muscle and tissue. This may include using a filler to replace any lost volume. If needed, part of the muscle that causes vertical frown lines between the brows may be removed.

Temporal brow lift

This minimally invasive procedure can be performed under local anesthesia in an office setting, but offers excellent results similar to the benefits of a complete brow lift. During a temporal brow lift only the portion of your brow closest to your temple is lifted to give your eyes a more open look.

What to Expect from a Brow Lift

A brow lift can soften facial lines, tighten loose skin and restore a more youthful appearance to your face. In addition, raising the brows allows more light to enter the area around your eye, improving your vision.

You may have a brow lift alone, or in combination with other facial procedures such as a facelift or eyelid surgery. If you decide to have a brow lift, your surgeon will analyze where volume has been lost and gravity has caused pulling or sagging on your brows.

Minimally invasive brow lift options include:

Full brow lift

To begin your minimally invasive brow lift procedure, your surgeon will make tiny incisions at the hairline. Next, an endoscope—a long, thin tube with a light and camera at the end—is inserted to help guide the surgeon during the procedure for precise accuracy and results. During the procedure, your surgeon will gently pull the skin of your forehead up and make any adjustments to the underlying muscle and tissue. This may include using a filler to replace any lost volume. If needed, part of the muscle that causes vertical frown lines between the brows may be removed.

Temporal brow lift

This minimally invasive procedure can be performed under local anesthesia in an office setting, but offers excellent results similar to the benefits of a complete brow lift. During a temporal brow lift only the portion of your brow closest to your temple is lifted to give your eyes a more open look.

Your surgeon will give you specific instructions to follow before your procedure. This may include:

  • Refrain from taking any aspirin or blood thinners before surgery.
  • Stop smoking several weeks before surgery.
  • Plan to have someone with you on the day of surgery to drive you home.
  • Plan to have someone with you for your first night home after surgery to help.

Preparing for a Brow Lift

Your surgeon will give you specific instructions to follow before your procedure. This may include:

  • Refrain from taking any aspirin or blood thinners before surgery.
  • Stop smoking several weeks before surgery.
  • Plan to have someone with you on the day of surgery to drive you home.
  • Plan to have someone with you for your first night home after surgery to help.

Most patients experience minimal bruising and heal quickly after a brow lift. Follow your surgeon’s instructions on caring for your incisions after surgery. Your surgeon will want to schedule a follow up appointment after a few days to see how you are healing.

After Your Brow Lift

Most patients experience minimal bruising and heal quickly after a brow lift. Follow your surgeon’s instructions on caring for your incisions after surgery. Your surgeon will want to schedule a follow up appointment after a few days to see how you are healing.

Before you decide if a brow lift is right for you, consider asking your surgeon the following:

  • Will there be visible scars on my head after the brow lift?
  • What kind of anesthesia will be used during the procedure?
  • How long does it take to recover from brow lift?
  • Are there any risks to having brow lift?
  • Which type of brow lift do you recommend for me: full brow lift or temporal brow lift?

Questions to Ask About Brow Lift

Before you decide if a brow lift is right for you, consider asking your surgeon the following:

  • Will there be visible scars on my head after the brow lift?
  • What kind of anesthesia will be used during the procedure?
  • How long does it take to recover from brow lift?
  • Are there any risks to having brow lift?
  • Which type of brow lift do you recommend for me: full brow lift or temporal brow lift?

Patient Stories for Brow Lift