Endoscopic Brow Lift (Forehead Lift)
Sagging forehead and brows, forehead wrinkles
An endoscopic brow lift (forehead lift) lifts a sagging forehead and eyebrows and secures them in a higher position. At Steady Plastic Surgery, we perform it endoscopically through small incisions in the scalp behind the hairline.
It may be considered when drooping brows make the eyes look heavy and tired, or when you raise your forehead to open your eyes and the forehead lines have deepened.
Endoscopic Brow Lift (Forehead Lift) at a glance
- Surgery time
- About 1 hour
- Anesthesia
- IV sedation
- Head bandage
- Removed 1–2 days after surgery
- Stitch removal
- 7–10 days after surgery
- Swelling & bruising
- 1–2 weeks
- Return to daily life
- 1 week
These may vary depending on any combined procedures and the individual.
Quick answer
When is an endoscopic brow lift recommended?
An endoscopic brow lift (forehead lift) may be considered when drooping brows make the eyes look heavy and tired, when you raise your forehead to open your eyes and the forehead lines have deepened, or when forehead lines, frown lines between the brows, and deep horizontal lines across the bridge of the nose make your expression look stern. Raising the brows opens up the space above the eyelids so the eyes can look brighter, and because you rely less on your forehead muscles to open your eyes, it can help soften forehead wrinkles.
What is an endoscopic brow lift (forehead lift)?
Small incisions are made in the scalp behind the hairline. Using an endoscope to see the blood vessels and nerves, the forehead tissue is released, and the sagging forehead and brows are lifted and secured with absorbable fixation devices. The surgery takes about 1 hour and is performed under IV sedation.
When an endoscopic brow lift may be needed
- Drooping brows make the eyes look heavy and tired
- You raise your forehead to open your eyes, and the forehead lines have deepened
- Forehead lines, frown lines between the brows, and deep horizontal lines across the bridge of the nose make your expression look stern
- Drooping brows and excess upper eyelid skin occur together
How is a brow lift different from a sub-brow lift or upper blepharoplasty?
An endoscopic brow lift raises the entire forehead to lift the position of the drooping brows themselves, while a sub-brow lift removes skin just below the eyebrow to directly reduce hooding of the upper eyelid. Removing skin below the brow alone may not correct drooping brows, so when the brows have dropped and forehead wrinkles and eyelid hooding appear together, a brow lift is often the more suitable option.
| Recommended surgery | Features | |
|---|---|---|
| When changing the double eyelid shape | Upper blepharoplasty | Excess skin is removed through an incision along the double eyelid crease; ptosis correction and fat contouring can be done through the same incision |
| Hooding at the outer corner, when you want little change to your look | Sub-brow lift | Incision just below the eyebrow, without greatly changing the double eyelid crease or eye shape |
| The brows themselves have dropped (with forehead wrinkles) | Endoscopic brow lift | Raises the entire forehead to lift the position of the drooping brows |
| Weak eye-opening strength | Ptosis correction | Adjusts the length of the eyelid-opening muscle to strengthen eye opening |
Learn more about the sub-brow lift →Learn more about upper blepharoplasty →Choosing surgery by cause of sagging (middle-aged eye surgery) →
Forehead wrinkles: botulinum toxin or a brow lift?
If forehead lines appear only when you make facial expressions and your brows are not drooping, forehead botulinum toxin injections often improve them. However, if your brows have dropped and you constantly use your forehead muscles to open your eyes, botulinum toxin in the forehead can make the eyes feel heavier, so a brow lift that raises the drooping brows may be more suitable. We first check whether the wrinkles come from muscle movement or from sagging, then decide on the approach.
Can a brow lift be combined with upper blepharoplasty?
An endoscopic brow lift and upper blepharoplasty can be done together. Drooping brows and excess eyelid skin often occur at the same time, and because raising the brows changes how much eyelid skin remains, it is important to set the brow position with the brow lift first and then remove only as much eyelid skin as needed. Whether to do both surgeries at once or separately is decided during the consultation.
In a study of 46 patients who had an endoscopic brow lift and eyelid surgery together, the combined surgery did not increase the risk of complications (Hjelm et al., 2019).
Does an endoscopic brow lift leave scars?
An endoscopic brow lift is performed through small incisions in the scalp behind the hairline, so in many cases the incision lines are hidden by hair and not easily visible. Temporary patchy hair loss may occur around the incisions, but the hair generally begins to grow back within 3–6 months.
How long do brow lift results last?
In a brow lift, the released tissue is lifted and secured, and it then attaches and settles in its new position, so results tend to last a long time even after the fixation devices are absorbed. However, the skin and tissues continue to age, so some sagging may return over time, and how long results last varies with skin condition and lifestyle.
A systematic review of long-term brow lift outcomes found that, after an average of about 21 months, the brows remained raised by 3.8 mm at the outer part, 3.0 mm at the center, and 2.4 mm at the inner part (Karanfilian et al., 2026).
How an endoscopic brow lift is performed
- 1
Marking incision sites
The sites for small incisions in the scalp behind the hairline are marked.
- 2
Endoscopic release
The forehead tissue is released while the blood vessels and nerves are checked with an endoscope.
- 3
Lifting & fixation
The sagging forehead and brows are lifted and secured with absorbable fixation devices.
- 4
Closure
The incisions are closed, and the stitches are removed 7–10 days after surgery.
What we check during a brow lift consultation
- Brow position and degree of drooping
- Distance between the eyes and the brows
- Forehead height
- Proportions of the upper, middle, and lower face
- How much you use your forehead muscles to open your eyes
- Excess upper eyelid skin
- Eye-opening strength
- Depth of forehead wrinkles
- Hair loss
Endoscopic brow lift recovery
After an endoscopic brow lift, returning to daily life takes about 7 days, and swelling and bruising are usually most noticeable on days 2–3.
Next day
- Face washing allowed (clean the incision areas with wet wipes)
- Light walking allowed
1–2 days
- Head bandage removed
- Hair washing allowed after the bandage is removed (avoid the incisions and dry with cool air)
2–3 days
- Swelling and bruising at their peak
First 3–5 days
- Sleep with your head elevated
First 7 days
- Cold compresses (the forehead may feel numb, so take care to avoid frostbite)
7–10 days
- Stitch removal
First 4 weeks
- Avoid smoking, alcohol, strenuous exercise, swimming, baths, saunas, and heated spas
Endoscopic brow lift side effects and precautions
What are the possible side effects of a brow lift?
After a brow lift, you may feel tightness, numbness, tingling, or itching from the forehead to the scalp. This is part of healing and gradually improves over several months. Patchy hair loss around the incisions may occur, and rarely there may be left–right asymmetry or brows raised too high, giving a surprised look, so it is important to plan the brow position and the amount of lift carefully before surgery.
Does a brow lift cause hair loss?
After a brow lift, patchy hair loss may occur around the scalp incisions. It happens because hair follicles are temporarily affected during the incision and release, and the hair generally begins to grow back within 3–6 months. Avoiding rubbing the incision areas hard when washing your hair and drying with cool air can help recovery.
Endoscopic Brow Lift (Forehead Lift) FAQ
How long is the recovery after an endoscopic brow lift?
After an endoscopic brow lift, returning to daily life takes about 7 days; the head bandage is removed 1–2 days after surgery and the stitches 7–10 days after surgery. Swelling and bruising are most noticeable on days 2–3, cold compresses for 7 days after surgery can help, and because the forehead may feel numb, take care to avoid frostbite when applying them. From the next day you can wash your face, cleaning the incision areas with wet wipes, and hair washing is allowed after the bandage is removed.
What precautions should I take after a brow lift?
After a brow lift, stop aspirin-type medications, vitamin E, and multivitamins for 1 week to reduce the risk of bleeding. To prevent inflammation and tissue damage, you must avoid smoking and alcohol for at least 4 weeks, and it is best to avoid strenuous exercise, swimming, saunas, and heated spas for 4 weeks as well. When washing your hair, avoid the scalp incisions and dry with cool air.
How is a sub-brow lift different from a brow lift?
A sub-brow lift removes skin just below the eyebrow to directly reduce upper eyelid hooding, while a brow lift raises the entire forehead to lift the position of the drooping brows themselves. A sub-brow lift is often suitable when the brow position is fine and only the eyelid skin has sagged, and a brow lift when the brows themselves have dropped and forehead wrinkles and eyelid hooding appear together. Either surgery may also be combined with upper blepharoplasty, and the decision is made after identifying the cause of the sagging during consultation.
How is the cost of a brow lift determined?
The cost of an endoscopic brow lift depends on the extent of surgery, whether it is combined with procedures such as upper blepharoplasty or a sub-brow lift, and whether it is a revision. Because the extent of surgery varies with the condition of the forehead and brows, an exact cost can be given after consultation.
Your doctor
Dr. Dahan Kim
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Medical Director, Steady Plastic Surgery
Steady Plastic Surgery is an eye-focused plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam (Sinnonhyeon), Seoul. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Dahan Kim personally sees every patient from consultation to surgery and follow-up, focusing on double eyelid surgery, double eyelid revision, under-eye fat repositioning, lower blepharoplasty and middle-aged eye surgery.
- M.D. and master's degree, CHA University School of Medicine
- Plastic surgeon, CHA Bundang Medical Center
- Member, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons · Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery · Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons
Have questions?
References
- Karanfilian T, Zong AM, Delbourgo Patton C, Gupta L, Barmettler A. Long-Term Brow Lift Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2026;42(2):138-150. doi:10.1097/IOP.0000000000002989 PMID 40788666
- Hjelm N, Sanan A, Krein H, Heffelfinger RN. Safety of Concurrent Endoscopic Browlift and Blepharoplasty. Facial Plast Surg. 2019;35(5):546-548. doi:10.1055/s-0039-1695724 PMID 31505687
- 대한미용성형외과학회. 미용성형외과학 2. 제2판. 군자출판사; 2023. ISBN 979-11-7068-001-7. [in Korean]