Don’t let a sagging brow stop you from expressing yourself
Using endoscopic techniques, our cosmetic surgeons can help lift your brow and reduce signs of aging with smaller incisions and less recovery timeSagging of the eyebrow and forehead is one of the early signs of aging. This is manifested by drooping or furrowing of the forehead, as well as the development of horizontal and vertical forehead creases.
The brow may descend and seem to lie on the eyelashes, resulting in an appearance of excess eyelid skin. Patients often complain that their eyes appear to be getting smaller or that their mascara or eyeliner usually ends up high on the upper part of the lids. This condition can be greatly improved with a forehead lift.
Dr. Jacob Haiavy and Dr. Emma Ryan are passionate about cosmetic surgery. As diplomates of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, they have the expertise to personalize every aspect of your procedure and deliver safe, beautifully natural results.
What you need to know about brow lift surgery
Dr. Jacob Haiavy shares his expertise about this proven solution for correcting sagging brows, eyelids, and foreheads. We will guide you through the benefits, procedure, and recovery process of brow lift surgery, sharing how this cosmetic enhancement can rejuvenate your appearance and restore a more youthful, alert look. Dr. Haiavy, renowned for his expertise and precision in facial aesthetics, explains how each brow lift surgery is tailored to meet the individual needs of each patient, ensuring results that not only look natural but also enhance your overall facial harmony.
Video Transcript
“A lot of patients come to me asking for eyelid surgery because they tell me that they look tired, their eyelids are sagging, or they have puffiness under the eyes. And really, when we examine them, it’s not that they just need eyelid surgery—it’s actually a brow lift that they need. The reason for that is when we age, our forehead and brow relax first, and then, in later years, the eyelids relax.
When patients come in, we discuss all these options with them. There are two main ways that we do the brow lift in our practice. One is endoscopic, which means we use a very small 4mm camera and make a few small incisions—less than an inch—up in the hairline, with one on each side in the temples. Then, we use the camera to lift the entire forehead and brow. I know that patients do not want to look surprised, so we do this very conservatively and judiciously, measuring everything carefully. The only part that is being lifted is the tail of the brow, or the outer portion. The central portion is not lifted because we know that if you lift that area, people look surprised, and we don’t want to create that look. Everything is magnified on a big screen, and we can see the nerves very clearly, so it’s a very precise and beautiful surgery. It takes about an hour, and then we fixate everything internally to a bone tunnel before closing. Afterward, you really don’t see anything—just a few sutures in the hairline.
The other way that we do it is called an open brow lift, which involves making an incision just across the top of the forehead, but inside the hairline. The incision is made in a way that hair follicles grow back into the scar, so it heals very well. After a few months, I often can’t even see the scar, and a year later, it looks beautiful—no one can tell.
The advantage of doing it open is that it’s the only way to lower the hairline. If someone has a very long forehead and their forehead is sagging, with wrinkles and low brows, they may want a forehead or brow lift. But an endoscopic, coronal, or other brow lift technique will actually lengthen their forehead and raise their hairline slightly. The only way to lower the hairline while lifting the brows is with an open brow lift, so it’s an excellent choice for the right patient.
The recovery is easy, patients do very well, and they have minimal discomfort after surgery. And as I said, the scar heals beautifully, as you can see in the pictures.”
What happens during a forehead lift?
A forehead lift can be thought of as the upper facelift. Forehead lifts previously involved long incisions made across the forehead, but now thanks to the development of endoscopic surgery, we are able to perform the surgery through small, inconspicuous incisions. The endoscopic surgery technique uses optical telescopes with video imaging to allow visualization of surgical sites not readily accessible.
We will begin by making five short incisions just above the hairline where they are easily hidden. Special instruments and a small telescope are inserted and dissection is carried out with video monitoring. The forehead is freed down to the brow. The muscles creating the wrinkles and frown lines are treated with a laser or electrocautery, which allows pinpoint accuracy with minimal bleeding. After mobilization, the brow and forehead are rotated to the desired position and fixed with sutures. No skin is removed.
Our cosmetic surgeons use the most advanced techniques to deliver natural-looking results. See our real patients’ results in our patient gallery.
More brow lift techniques
Endoscopic brow lift
An endoscopic brow lift is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small incisions hidden within the hairline. A tiny camera, or endoscope, is inserted through these incisions to guide the surgeon in lifting and repositioning the underlying muscles and tissues. This technique results in minimal scarring and reduced recovery time. It is ideal for patients seeking subtle improvements and less invasive options.
Open brow lift
The open brow lift, also known as the coronal or classic brow lift, involves a single, continuous incision made across the scalp, usually behind the hairline. This approach allows the surgeon to remove excess skin, adjust muscles, and lift the brow to a more youthful position. The open brow lift provides significant and long-lasting results, making it a preferred choice for patients with more pronounced signs of aging and deeper forehead wrinkles.
Temporal lift
The temporal lift, or lateral brow lift, specifically targets the outer sections of the brows and forehead. Incisions are made within the hairline at the temples, allowing the surgeon to elevate the outer brow area. This technique is excellent for patients who experience sagging in the outer brow region but do not require a full brow lift. The temporal lift offers a subtle, refreshed appearance with minimal downtime and scarring.
Recovery after a brow lift
After surgery, there may be some swelling and bruising around the eyes and upper face. With the use of the endoscope and the laser, recovery is fairly quick compared to previous methods. One of the possible complications reported with this operation is damage to one of the fine motor nerves that control movement of the forehead. This is rare, and in most cases it resolves spontaneously, although it may take a few months.
An endoscopic forehead lift can be performed as an isolated procedure or in combination with a facelift or blepharoplasty for enhanced results. Our experienced cosmetic surgeons at Inland Cosmetic Surgery feel that this technique is superior to the older techniques of forehead, brow, or coronal lifts because it minimizes incisions and allows for faster recovery. Our patients have been highly satisfied with this procedure.
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Elevated Eyebrows: A brow lift raises drooping eyebrows, which can give a more youthful and alert appearance to the face.
- Reduced Forehead Wrinkles: The procedure smooths out wrinkles and lines on the forehead, contributing to a more youthful and relaxed facial expression.
- Diminished Furrows: It effectively reduces the appearance of deep vertical furrows between the eyebrows, often known as frown lines.
- Minimal Scarring: Incisions are typically made within the hairline or along natural skin creases, minimizing visible scarring.
- Anesthesia: Medications used to prevent pain during surgery. For a brow lift, it can be local (numbing the forehead area) or general (patient is fully asleep).
- Brow Lift (Forehead Lift): A cosmetic surgical procedure aimed at raising the eyebrows and improving the appearance of forehead wrinkles and upper eyelid sagging.
- Coronal Brow Lift: A traditional brow lift technique involving an incision across the top of the head, behind the hairline, to lift the entire forehead and brow area.
- Endoscopic Brow Lift: A minimally invasive brow lift technique using an endoscope (a surgical video device) and special instruments through small incisions in the hairline.
- Frown Lines: Vertical lines between the eyebrows, often targeted in a brow lift procedure to create a smoother forehead appearance.
- Incision: A surgical cut made during a brow lift. The location and length depend on the technique used, such as coronal, endoscopic, or temporal.
- Lateral Brow Lift (Temporal Lift): A brow lift technique focusing on the outer part of the eyebrows, usually involving smaller incisions within the hairline at the temples.
- Recovery Time: The period required for healing after a brow lift, including guidelines for activity restrictions and care for incisions.
- Temporal Lift: See Lateral Brow Lift.
- Trichophytic Forehead Lift: A technique where the incision is made directly at or slightly behind the hairline, allowing for the removal of forehead skin and adjustment of the hairline.
- Upper Eyelid Hooding: The sagging of the upper eyelid skin, which can be reduced with a brow lift, enhancing the eye’s appearance.
To learn more about brow lift surgery—its risks, benefits, cost and the many options available—contact our Inland Empire cosmetic surgery office, also convenient to Upland, Fontana, Ontario, and Riverside.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Jacob Haiavy — Updated on Feb 24, 2025