Brow lift: what it is, how it is done and when it makes sense

A brow lift is a surgery that raises drooping eyebrows and smooths forehead wrinkles so that the eyes look more open and rested. It is also known as a forehead lift, eyebrow lift or forehead lift.

What is a brow lift?

It is a surgical operation, and it is worth saying so from the start because a treatment that is something else is sometimes advertised as a «non-surgical brow lift». According to the ASPS, this surgery, also called a forehead lift, reduces the horizontal wrinkles of the forehead and those between the eyes, improves the frown lines, lifts drooping eyebrows that cover the upper eyelids and places them in a more alert and youthful position. The SECPRE calls it a frontal lift and covers it together with the facelift: it corrects drooping brows and forehead wrinkles. In practice, it is a sister surgery of the facelift.

Over time the skin loses elasticity and the eyebrow drops. That drop can give a tired or angry look that has nothing to do with how you feel.

Who is a good candidate for a brow lift?

According to the ASPS, they are healthy people who do not smoke and have realistic goals, and who are bothered by forehead wrinkles, the lines between the eyebrows or brows so low that they weigh on the upper eyelid. At the consultation your health, your medication and whether you smoke are reviewed, and the ASPS asks you to stop smoking before surgery. The examination confirms whether it is your case and whether you need only the brow, only the eyelid or both.

Brow lift or blepharoplasty? How to tell what you need

It is the most common question, and it cannot be settled by eye. An upper eyelid that looks droopy can be so because of excess skin on the eyelid itself, because the eyebrow has dropped, or both. The ASPS warns that an apparently drooping eyelid can be due to relaxed forehead and brow skin, and that sometimes the problem is the muscle that lifts the eyelid, something treated with a different surgery. The SECPRE points out that blepharoplasty does not correct drooping eyebrows.

In practice, many people need both. In a series of 278 patients who had upper blepharoplasty, according to a 2024 study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, a brow lift was also performed on almost one in three eyelids (Falcon Rodriguez and colleagues, 2024). If your question is about the eyelids, see the guide to upper blepharoplasty.

That is why the decision is made with the surgeon in front of you, examining the brow, the forehead and the eyelids at the same time.

What brow lift techniques are there?

There are several ways to do it. The first three are those described by the ASPS:

• Endoscopic: through small incisions inside the scalp, with a thin camera that allows adjustment of the tissue and muscle that cause forehead wrinkles.
• Coronal or classic: an incision from ear to ear over the top of the head, in the hairy area. The forehead is lifted and the muscles are adjusted under direct vision. The scar is hidden in the hair.
• With an incision along the hairline: it may be recommended for women with a very high forehead, because it lets the brow be raised without changing the height of that line. The scar is slightly more visible and is sometimes concealed with a fringe.
• Temporal or lateral: it works on the outer end of the eyebrow, through a small incision at the temple.

No technique is best for everyone. A 2026 systematic review of 15 studies concluded that endoscopic and minimally invasive techniques offer aesthetic results comparable to or better than open ones, with fewer complications and shorter recovery time, although the variety of studies limits the strength of that conclusion (Alabdulkarim and colleagues, 2026). The choice depends on your forehead, your hairline and what needs to be corrected.

How is it done and what is recovery like?

Before the surgery

According to the ASPS, the surgeon may ask you to adjust some medication and to avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatories and supplements, because they increase bleeding and bruising. The operation must be done in an accredited operating theatre, whether in a clinic or a hospital, and someone has to take you home and stay with you that first night.

The operation

The surgeon studies your forehead first. The ASPS says intravenous sedation or general anaesthesia is used. The incisions are closed with stitches that are removed or absorbed, with adhesives or with special clips.

Recovery

At the end a light bandage may be placed on the head or tape on the forehead to limit swelling. Sometimes a very thin drainage tube is left in. According to the ASPS, initial healing takes ten to fourteen days, and within that time you can return to work and normal activity. What follows is gradual improvement: the swelling goes down over weeks, the incision lines become finer and full recovery can take months. You keep your head raised and avoid strenuous effort for as long as the surgeon indicates. The ASPS also asks you not to apply ice or heat to the operated area. Make-up can help conceal bruising.

How long do the results of this lift last?

The ASPS says the effect is seen straight away and the final result appears over the following months. There is no reliable figure in years: the skin keeps ageing and everyone is different. The ASPS advises daily sun protection and healthy habits to maintain it.

How much does a brow lift cost?

Each case has its own cost, which changes with the technique, the operating theatre time, the anaesthesia, the centre, the check-ups and whether it is combined with another surgery, such as the eyelids or a facelift.

At Clínica EGOS the quote arrives in writing, with each item listed separately, after the assessment. According to the ASPS, almost no health insurance covers this surgery. If you want to understand better how facial surgery is priced, read facelift price.

Is it combined with other surgeries and what is the first consultation like?

Brow elevation is done on its own or together with a facelift, a blepharoplasty or skin treatments, according to the ASPS. At the first consultation the surgeon examines the forehead, the brow and the eyelids and explains whether you need to raise the brow, operate on the eyelids or both. Like all surgery, it has risks, which are explained before you decide and sign the informed consent. When the droop affects both the brow and the eyelid, the two surgeries are usually combined, as María explained after her facelift.

The ASPS suggests bringing written questions: which technique they recommend, where and how it will be done, what help you will need when you get home, how your face is expected to change over time and what alternatives exist if you are not happy with the result.

If you want to see the clinics and request a first assessment, start with facelift in Barcelona.

Read also:

• causes and treatment of facial asymmetry

Informational content; it does not replace a consultation with a healthcare professional. The results of any procedure depend on each patient and are assessed individually. Clínica EGOS.