This cosmetic surgery procedure raises and reshapes the brows to improve the appearance of the brow, forehead and area around the eyes. Also known as a forehead lift or forehead rejuvenation, during the procedure drooping skin and soft tissue in the brow and forehead is raised. A brow lift can help to make your eyes look more open and your face younger and fresher, smoothing creases and lines.

If you’ve noticed that the skin on your forehead has a tendency to droop and makes you look older or tired – or both – a brow lift could help. Some of the benefits of this kind of treatment include:

• Can correct uneven eyebrows, for better facial symmetry
• By removing excess skin and tissue, can give the face a smoother appearance
• Can give a more ‘wide awake’ look by opening up the eye area
• Can help you achieve a younger look
• Can improve your self-confidence

A brow lift is a surgical procedure and so it does come with some potential risks and complications. These include:

• Infection
• Scarring
• Numbness or loss of sensation (usually temporary)
• Hair loss in the incision area
• Asymmetry
• Complications with anaesthesia

The exact details of the brow lift procedure can vary, but generally there are two techniques that surgeons will use. Which one is right for you will be discussed at your surgeon consultation, taking into account factors such as the condition of your skin, the position of your hairline and the outcome you’d like following your surgery.

The first technique is the traditional – or ‘open’ – browlift, during which an incision is made across the scalp, usually behind the hairline. Your surgeon will then lift and reposition the forehead skin and muscle, remove excess skin and close the incision with sutures.

The second technique is an endoscopic brow lift. This involves your surgeon making a few small cuts in the scalp before using an endoscope – a miniature camera – to guide them as they reposition the skin and muscles of the forehead. It’s a minimally invasive approach and so the recovery time is shorter than with the traditional brow lift.

To consider any kind of cosmetic surgery, you should be at least 18 years of age, be in good health both mentally and physically, and have a realistic expectation of what the procedure can achieve.

If you have a heavy brow that droops downwards, baggy eyelids and sagging eyebrows that are making you look angry, older or more tired, you could benefit from this type of surgical procedure.

After your brow lift surgery, you may have bandages on your head to protect the wounds as they start to heal. You could also have very thin tubes (known as drains) inserted to drain away any excess blood or fluid, which will be removed a few days after your brow lift.

Bruising and swelling are normal following this kind of operation, and you may find that the area is sensitive for a while. Try to sleep in an upright position with your head higher than your chest and avoid bending over and heavy lifting for the first few weeks of your recovery. Your surgeon will guide you as to when you will be able to wash your face and hair.