Forehead Lift
A forehead lift, also called a brow lift, raises eyebrows that have dropped and softens the muscles that pull the brows down and together. It can open a heavy, tired look around the eyes and reduce frown lines, using small incisions in the scalp or an incision along the hairline.
At Violacell Plastic Surgery, Dr. Kim currently provides non-surgical treatment and does not perform a forehead lift there. This page is a plastic surgeon's guide: what a forehead lift can and cannot do, and how to tell whether your concern needs surgery or can be treated without it, for example with Ulthera for the brow area.
- What it treats
- Low or heavy brows, hooding at the outer upper eyelid caused by a dropped brow, and frown lines between the brows. It may soften horizontal forehead lines.
- Incision
- Several short incisions behind the hairline for the endoscopic method, or one incision along the front hairline. The method depends partly on forehead height.
- Anesthesia
- Intravenous sedation with local anesthesia, or general anesthesia.
- Operating time
- Often around 1.5–3 hours, longer when combined with eyelid surgery or a facelift.
- Return to daily life
- Typically 1–2 weeks for most daily activities. Scalp numbness and itching can last for months.
- How long it lasts
- Usually many years, though the brows may settle somewhat over time. It varies with fixation, skin weight and habits such as frowning.
What a Surgeon's View Adds to Brow Treatment
A forehead lift raises the brow surgically. Understanding why the brow fell guides non-surgical options too.
Why the brow drops
He has written that forehead skin is only loosely attached to the muscle and anchored along the deep lines, so sagging travels from forehead to brow to eye.
Ulthera for the brow
Ulthera is cleared for lifting the eyebrow. Placing it over the right layer of the forehead and temple, avoiding nerves, is a matter of anatomy.
Thermage around the eyes
Thermage with the eye tip can firm the upper eyelid skin when the brow itself is in a reasonable position.
Who It Suits, and Who It Does Not
The brows frame the eyes. When they drop, the upper eyelids look crowded, the outer corner of the eye can look hooded, and the face may look tired or stern even at rest. Many people also raise their brows all day to see clearly, which creates horizontal forehead lines and a sense of strain.
A forehead lift treats the brow itself. When the main problem is extra eyelid skin or a weak eyelid muscle, eyelid surgery is usually the more direct answer, and sometimes both are needed.
Often a reasonable option
- Brows sitting at or below the bony rim of the eye socket
- Hooding mainly at the outer part of the upper eyelid
- Deep frown lines from strong muscles between the brows
- Constant brow raising to keep the eyes open, with deep forehead lines
- Eyelid skin removal alone would bring the brow even closer to the eye
Usually reconsidered
- Brows already high Raising them further can create a surprised look. Eyelid surgery may be more suitable. See upper blepharoplasty.
- Weak eyelid muscle (ptosis) If you raise your brows because the eyelid itself droops, the eyelid needs to be assessed first. See eyelid surgery.
- Very high forehead An endoscopic lift tends to raise the hairline slightly; a hairline incision may be considered instead.
- Dry eyes or difficulty closing the eyes These need assessment, especially before combined eyelid surgery.
- Health risks Bleeding disorders, blood thinners that cannot be paused, uncontrolled blood pressure and smoking.
How It Works
Brow position is a balance between one muscle that lifts and several that pull down. The frontalis, the broad muscle of the forehead, is the only muscle that raises the brows. Several smaller muscles act against it: the corrugator pulls the brows together, the procerus pulls the middle of the brows down, and the ring muscle around the eye pulls the brow tail down.
The frontalis does not reach far to the side, so the outer third of the brow has less lifting support. That is why the brow tail often drops first, producing hooding at the outer corner of the eye. Fixed attachments along the brow bone and the temple also hold the brow down as tissue loosens.
| Structure | Role | What a forehead lift does |
|---|---|---|
| Frontalis | Raises the brows and creates horizontal forehead lines | Preserved. Once the brow sits higher, many people use it less and the lines may soften. |
| Corrugator and procerus | Pull the brows together and down, creating frown lines | Partly weakened or divided to reduce downward pull and frown lines. |
| Brow bone attachments | Firm tissue holding the brow to the rim of the eye socket and the temple | Released so the brow can be moved upward. |
| Periosteum | The thin lining over the bone | In the endoscopic method, lifted with the forehead tissue as one layer and fixed higher. |
| Sensory nerves | Supply feeling to the forehead and scalp | Protected, but often temporarily stunned, causing numbness or itching. |
| Frontal branch of the facial nerve | Moves the forehead muscle | Kept away from by working in the correct layer near the temple. |
After release, the forehead tissue is moved upward and fixed in its new position while healing takes place. Fixation may use stitches through small bone tunnels, tiny screws that are removed later, or absorbable devices, depending on the method and the surgeon’s choice.
Brow or Eyelid?
Heavy upper eyelids can come from the eyelid skin, the brow, or both. A simple test is to lift the brow gently with a fingertip while looking in a mirror. If much of the hooding disappears, the brow is a major part of the problem.
Removing upper eyelid skin when the brow is low can make things worse: it may pull the brow down further and shorten the distance between brow and lashes, giving a heavier look. In that case a forehead lift, alone or with eyelid surgery, is often more appropriate. When the brow sits well, upper blepharoplasty alone is usually the simpler choice.
Points checked at consultation
- Brow height and shape at rest, with the forehead relaxed
- Whether you raise your brows to see
- How strong the eyelid-opening muscle is
- Extra skin and fat in the upper eyelid
- Forehead height and hairline position
More detail: Heavy upper eyelids: upper blepharoplasty or forehead lift?
How Dr. Kim Reads a Drooping Forehead
From columns published under Dr. Kim's name at Violacell Plastic Surgery. They explain the reasoning used at consultation; the actual plan depends on the examination.
Why the forehead sags
When the forehead is opened during surgery, the layers are not tightly bound to one another: the skin is only loosely attached to the muscle beneath it, and is firmly anchored only along the deep wrinkle lines. Years of raising and relaxing the brows then wear down the tissue's elasticity. Because the forehead, brows and eyes move more than any other part of the face, sagging tends to travel downwards from the forehead to the brows and then to the eyes.
Reading the distance between brow and eye
A broad forehead that is used a lot, with the brows sitting close to the eyes, usually means there is a good deal of excess skin. For someone who accepts incisions, that pattern points to a forehead lift combined with skin excision just below the brow. If the forehead has few lines and only the outer corners of the eyes droop, the cause is more likely loose skin beneath the brow.
Every layer ages
The face has five layers: skin, the fat just under it, muscle, deeper fat and bone, and all of them change with age. He writes that lifting should begin by looking at every layer to find the actual cause, and only then choosing the response. Muscles that pull the brows down, such as the frown muscle between the brows, can be relaxed to support the lift, while the forehead muscle that raises the brows is preserved.
When incisions are not wanted
For people who want to avoid incisions, threads can gather the skin towards the forehead, with swelling and bruising usually settling in about a week. This is a smaller intervention with a smaller and less lasting effect than surgery, and it does not remove excess skin.
Sources: column on forehead lifting and drooping eyelids (2025) and Dr. Kim's blog post on lifting and the layers of the face (2025), Violacell Plastic Surgery.
Approaches Compared
The main differences between methods are where the incision goes, how the hairline is affected and how far the brow can be moved. Forehead height and hair density often decide the choice.
Endoscopic forehead lift
Several short incisions are made behind the hairline. Through a thin camera (endoscope), the forehead is lifted from the bone, the brow attachments are released, the frown muscles are weakened, and the forehead is fixed higher.
Scars are small and hidden in the hair. It suits a normal or short forehead, since the hairline tends to rise slightly.
Hairline incision
The incision follows the front hairline, often in an irregular line so hair can grow through the scar. Skin is removed in front of the hairline.
It lifts the brow without raising the hairline and can shorten a high forehead. The scar sits at the hairline and may show when the hair is pulled back.
Coronal lift
A long incision runs across the top of the head from ear to ear, and a strip of scalp is removed.
It gives wide access and a strong lift, but raises the hairline and causes more extensive numbness. It is used less often today.
Temporal lift
Short incisions in the temple hair lift only the outer part of the brow.
It is a smaller operation, suited to hooding at the brow tail when the middle of the brow sits well. It does not treat frown lines.
Non-surgical options give a much smaller change. Ulthera is cleared by the US FDA for lifting the eyebrow, and the effect is modest and varies between people. Botulinum toxin can raise the brow tail slightly by relaxing the muscle that pulls it down. Neither moves a clearly dropped brow the way surgery can.
Incision, Scar and Hair
With the endoscopic method, incisions are usually a few centimeters long and sit behind the hairline, where hair covers them. With the hairline method, the scar runs along the front of the hairline. It often fades to a fine line, but it may show when the hair is swept back, especially in the first months.
Hair along the incisions may thin for a while after surgery. This shock loss usually regrows within a few months. Permanent hair loss along a scar is uncommon but possible, particularly with tension on the closure or in thinning hair.
Hairline and forehead height
- Endoscopic and coronal The hairline usually moves up a little along with the brow.
- Hairline incision The hairline stays in place or moves down slightly.
- Thinning hair Scars may be more visible; this affects which method is chosen.
Anesthesia and Preparation
A forehead lift is commonly done under intravenous sedation with local anesthesia, or under general anesthesia, especially when combined with other surgery. The hair is usually not shaved, or only along narrow strips. A medical history and blood tests are checked beforehand.
Before surgery
- Blood thinners and supplements Aspirin, anti-inflammatory painkillers, fish oil, vitamin E and ginkgo are usually paused. Never stop a prescribed blood thinner without your own doctor’s advice.
- Nicotine Smoking slows healing and raises the risk of hair loss along incisions.
- Eye health Mention dry eye, contact lens use or earlier eye surgery.
If you travel for surgery
- Allow time for early checks and suture or staple removal. Many patients plan around 7–10 days; the right length is confirmed at consultation.
- Discuss flight timing in advance. Confirm the follow-up schedule with the clinic that performs your surgery.
Recovery Timeline
| Timing | Typical course |
|---|---|
| Day of surgery | A light head dressing may be used. Keep the head raised and rest. The forehead feels tight. |
| Days 1–4 | Swelling often drifts down to the eyelids and cheeks, and bruising can appear around the eyes. Discomfort is generally moderate and managed with prescribed medicine. Gentle hair washing is often allowed after a few days, following the clinic’s instructions. |
| Days 7–14 | Sutures or staples are removed. Bruising fades, and many people return to desk work and social activities. |
| Weeks 3–6 | Strenuous exercise and saunas are reintroduced as advised. The brows may look slightly high at first and then settle. |
| Months 1–6 | Scalp numbness and itching slowly improve as the sensory nerves recover. Hair thinning near incisions usually regrows. |
| Months 6–12 | Scars mature and the brow position stabilizes. |
A general guide only. Recovery differs with the method, combined eyelid surgery and individual healing.
Risks and Limitations
Most problems after a forehead lift are temporary, but some can last. These are the risks to understand before deciding.
Possible complications
- Numbness and itching Common behind the incisions and over the scalp. Usually improves over weeks to months; occasionally some numbness remains.
- Hair loss and hairline change Thinning along incisions is usually temporary but can be permanent. The hairline may rise with some methods.
- Asymmetry The brows can settle at slightly different heights. Small differences are common, since brows are rarely symmetric before surgery.
- Over- or under-correction Brows set too high can look surprised; too little lift may leave hooding. Some brows also settle lower over time.
- Facial nerve injury Weakness of the forehead on one side is uncommon and usually temporary. Permanent weakness is rare.
- Eye closure and dry eye Mostly a concern when combined with upper eyelid skin removal. Temporary incomplete closure needs eye protection.
- Other problems Hematoma, infection, visible scars at the hairline, palpable fixation points and the general risks of anesthesia.
What a forehead lift cannot do
- It does not remove extra upper eyelid skin or correct a weak eyelid muscle.
- It does not treat under-eye bags, cheeks or the jawline.
- It may soften but not erase deep, long-standing forehead lines.
- It does not change skin texture or pigmentation.
- It does not stop aging, and no surgeon can guarantee perfect symmetry.
Combining With Other Procedures
The brow is one part of the upper face, and the forehead lift is often planned together with the eyelids or the lower face so the result looks consistent.
Upper eyelid surgery
When both brow descent and extra eyelid skin are present, the brow is usually set first and less eyelid skin is then removed. See upper blepharoplasty and eyelid surgery.
Facelift
A forehead lift does not reach the cheeks or jaw. It can be combined with a facelift or mini facelift when the lower face has also descended.
Energy devices
Dr. Kim’s non-surgical focus includes Ulthera and Thermage with Re2O. They can suit mild brow heaviness or help maintain skin quality after healing, but they do not replace surgery for a clearly dropped brow.
Volume
Hollow temples can make the brow tail look lower. Sculptra can gradually restore some volume there.
Glossary
- Brow ptosis
- A brow that sits lower than its natural position.
- Frontalis
- The broad forehead muscle; the only muscle that raises the brows.
- Corrugator
- A small muscle between the brows that pulls them together and creates vertical frown lines.
- Procerus
- A small muscle at the top of the nose that pulls the middle of the brows down.
- Periosteum
- The thin lining that covers bone.
- Endoscope
- A thin camera that lets the surgeon see and work through short incisions.
- Eyelid ptosis
- A drooping upper eyelid caused by a weak or stretched eyelid-opening muscle, different from extra skin.
- Shock loss
- Temporary hair shedding near an incision after surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a forehead lift the same as a brow lift?
Yes. Both names describe surgery that raises the eyebrows and treats the forehead. Endoscopic forehead lift, hairline brow lift and temporal lift are different methods of the same operation.
Do I need a forehead lift or upper eyelid surgery?
It depends on whether the heaviness comes from the brow, the eyelid skin, the eyelid muscle or a combination. If lifting the brow gently with a fingertip removes much of the hooding, the brow is a large part of the cause. The brow and eyelid are assessed together at consultation.
Will my hairline move?
With the endoscopic and coronal methods, the hairline usually rises slightly along with the brow. With a hairline incision, the hairline stays in place or moves down slightly. Forehead height is one of the main factors in choosing the method.
Will I lose hair along the incisions?
Some thinning near the incisions is fairly common and usually regrows within a few months. Permanent hair loss along a scar is uncommon but possible, especially with thinning hair or tension on the closure.
Will I look surprised?
A surprised look comes from setting the brows too high or lifting the inner brow too much. The aim is a natural brow position for your face, which usually means lifting the outer brow more than the inner brow.
How long does the numbness last?
Numbness and itching of the scalp behind the incisions are common and usually improve over weeks to several months as the nerves recover. Occasionally some reduced feeling remains.
Can Ulthera lift my brows instead?
Ulthera is cleared by the US FDA for lifting the eyebrow, but the change is modest and varies between people. It may suit mild heaviness. A clearly dropped brow usually needs surgery for a noticeable change.
Can a forehead lift be combined with eyelid surgery?
Yes, and it is a common combination. The brow is usually positioned first, and the amount of eyelid skin to remove is decided after that, which helps avoid removing too much skin.