Brow Lift
When the brow descends with age, it weighs down the upper eyelid and adds to a tired, heavy look. A brow lift repositions the eyebrow at a natural height, often improving the appearance of the upper eyelid in the same step.
The brow is the architectural roof of the upper face. When it descends, it crowds the upper eyelid from above, deepens the lines between the brows, and creates a permanent appearance of frowning or fatigue. A brow lift moves the brow back to its anatomic position. The procedure ranges from a small temporal lift, which raises the tail of the brow through a tiny incision in the hairline, to an endoscopic brow lift for more substantial repositioning.
In Dr. Boxrud’s practice the brow lift is almost always conservative. The over-elevated, permanently surprised brow that gave the procedure a bad reputation in earlier decades comes from lifting too much, in the wrong vector. Her approach is to add only the elevation that returns the brow to where it once sat, in the natural arch of the patient’s own face.
A brow lift is often combined with upper blepharoplasty, because correcting one without the other can leave the result unbalanced. Dr. Boxrud will assess both at consultation and recommend whether one, the other, or both are appropriate for the result the patient wants.
Just as often, a brow lift is not the answer. What reads as a sagging brow is frequently volume loss in the fat pad above and around the brow itself. Restoring that volume with fat transfer or filler can re-support the brow from underneath, without surgery. Part of the consultation is determining which mechanism is actually at work, and matching the treatment to the cause rather than to the appearance.
- Procedure
- Outpatient, 60 to 120 minutes depending on technique.
- Anesthesia
- Local with sedation, or general anesthesia for endoscopic technique.
- Recovery
- Most patients are presentable within 7 to 10 days. Final settling takes several months.
- Combined
- Often done alongside upper blepharoplasty.
What is a brow lift?
A brow lift is a surgical procedure that elevates and repositions the eyebrow and forehead. It addresses brow descent, a heavy or hooded upper-eye appearance, and deep forehead lines that come from chronically lifting the brows to see.
What is the difference between a brow lift and upper blepharoplasty?
A brow lift addresses the position of the brow itself; upper blepharoplasty addresses excess skin of the upper eyelid. When the brow has descended onto the eyelid, lifting the brow may be the right answer; when the issue is genuine extra eyelid skin, blepharoplasty is. Often both are appropriate.
What types of brow lift are there?
There are several techniques, including direct, endoscopic, and temporal (or lateral) brow lifts. The right approach depends on the patient’s anatomy, brow position, hairline, and goals. Dr. Boxrud uses the technique best matched to the individual face.
How long is brow lift recovery?
Most patients are comfortable in public within 7 to 10 days. Bruising and swelling resolve over two to three weeks. Final settling of the result takes several months.
Will my brow look surprised or overlifted?
Not when done conservatively. A surprised look comes from overlifting; a heavy, undercorrected look comes from underlifting. The conservative middle is what produces a natural, rested result, and that calibration is exactly what Dr. Boxrud’s training is built around.
How long does a surgical brow lift last?
A surgical brow lift typically lasts 10 years or longer. The face continues to age normally afterward; the procedure resets the position of the brow rather than freezing it.
Can a brow lift be combined with eyelid surgery?
Yes, very often. A brow lift is frequently performed together with upper blepharoplasty when both the brow and the upper lid are part of the picture.