Brow Lift Fort Worth
A brow lift, or forehead lift, smooths wrinkles that arise across the forehead over time and restores a more youthful appearance to the eyebrows.
Reasons to undergo a forehead lift include signs of facial aging, such as deepened forehead creases, eyelid hooding, drooping eyebrows, and frown lines above the nose and in the crow’s feet area. The procedure involves removing excess tissue and redraping the skin to smooth the forehead, lift the upper eyelids, and minimize frown lines.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily J. Kirby often performs brow lift surgery in combination with other facial rejuvenation procedures to refresh the entire face.
Female Plastic Surgeon Fort Worth
- Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
- Over 12 years of experience in private practice
- Founder and Medical Director of Kirby Plastic Surgery, Kalos Medical Spa, and City Surgery Center—a Quad A-accredited, state-of-the-art facility located onsite
- Specialist in breast surgery and body contouring, including postpartum
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor since 2019
- First female Chief of Plastic Surgery, Texas Health Resources Harris Methodist Hospital
What kind of anesthesia will I have?
Brow lifts are typically performed under general anesthesia for optimal comfort. It can also be done using intravenous sedation that gives you medicine through an IV in your arm that makes you drowsy. Dr. Kirby will discuss these options with you so that the best choice can be made.
How long is brow lift surgery?
The operating time will vary depending on you and your specific procedure, and whether any additional procedures are performed. Generally, the operating time is approximately 1 to 2 hours. You can typically return home on the same day, after your surgery.
Real patient images from Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily Kirby
*Individual results may vary.
Where will my incisions be?
There are several techniques for performing brow lift surgery, each of which affects where your incisions will be:
- Incisions in the temples or scalp can also be made to correct a low or sagging brow line.
- Incisions hidden within the natural upper eyelid crease may also be used to stabilize the brow (a “browpexy”) without having to use longer incisions. The browpexy is often performed in combination with an upper eyelid lift, or blepharoplasy.
- Incisions can also be placed just in front of the hairline in order to shorten a long forehead. Through this approach, the forehead and frown lines between the eyebrows can be eliminated.
Incision lines from a brow lift are typically well hidden within the hair, at the hairline itself, or the natural contours of the face.
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Lifts sagging, furrowed brows
- Smoothes forehead wrinkles
- Creates a more youthful and refreshed appearance
- Can be combined with eyelid lift as needed
- Brow Lift (Forehead Lift): A cosmetic procedure aimed at raising the eyebrows to reduce wrinkles, smooth forehead skin, and create a more youthful appearance around the eyes.
- Coronal Brow Lift: A traditional brow lift technique where an incision is made across the top of the head from ear to ear, hidden within the hair, to lift the forehead and brow.
- Endoscopic Brow Lift: A minimally invasive technique using a small camera (endoscope) and special instruments through small incisions in the scalp to lift the forehead and brow area.
- Foreheadplasty: Another term for brow lift, emphasizing the procedure’s effect on smoothing the forehead and adjusting the position of the eyebrows.
- Frontalis Muscle: The muscle that runs across the forehead, responsible for raising the eyebrows; it is often modified during a brow lift to alter brow position and reduce wrinkles.
- Hooding: Refers to the drooping of excess eyelid skin over the eye, which can be reduced with a brow lift by elevating the position of the eyebrows.
- Incisions: Surgical cuts made during the procedure; their location and length depend on the type of brow lift being performed.
- Local Anesthesia: Medication used to numb a specific area of the body, often used in conjunction with sedation during brow lift procedures to prevent pain and reduce anxiety.
- Nerve Ablation: A technique sometimes used during a brow lift to weaken forehead muscles and reduce the appearance of wrinkles by interrupting nerve signals.
- Ptosis: A medical term for drooping or falling; in the context of a brow lift, it refers to the sagging of the eyebrows that the procedure aims to correct.
- Temporal Lift: A variant of the brow lift that specifically targets the outer portion of the brow to elevate and reduce wrinkles in the temporal area, often done to achieve a more subtle lift.
- Trichophytic Incision: A surgical technique used in brow lifts where the incision is made along the hairline, allowing the hair to grow through the scar and making it less visible.
What are the risks of brow lift surgery?
The decision to have a brow lift is personal and you will need to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable to you. Dr. Kirby will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks and potential complications. Possible risks may include but are not limited to: unfavorable scarring, hematoma, infection, poor wound healing, numbness that may be permanent, anesthesia risks, blood clots, hair loss along scars, facial nerve injury, asymmetry, skin loss, dry eyes, pain, skin contour irregularities, and possible need for revisional surgery. You may have temporary headaches after surgery. Swelling and bruising are expected to last 2 to 3 weeks. Itching is also common after brow lift surgery. Numbness and itching in the forehead and scalp region may be prolonged.
How do I prepare for brow lift surgery?
Prior to any procedure, it is necessary to review medications you are taking that may affect your surgery. You may be asked to stop or adjust some medications you are on. As always, it is important to include supplements on your list of medications. Aspirin and aspirin products (Alka-Seltzer®, Carisoprodol, Excedrin®, Goody’s®, Midol®), anti-inflammatory medications (except acetaminophen, or Tylenol®), and herbal supplements must be avoided for 10 days prior to your surgery and 2 weeks afterwards. Dr. Kirby will discuss your medications with you. Learn more about which medications and supplements to avoid.
Depending on your medical condition, you may be asked to get lab testing or a medical checkup prior to your surgery.
Nicotine products impair your body’s ability to heal. You will be required to stop smoking for 6 weeks prior to surgery and 6 weeks after. This includes all vaping devices, as well. Nicotine step-down products such as chewing gum and Nicoderm® continue to provide your body with tobacco and must be stopped as well. Please ask Dr. Kirby if you will need assistance with quitting.
Be sure to arrange for a responsible adult to drive you to and from your surgery. You will need someone to stay with you for 24 hours following your surgery as well.
You will receive specific instructions for your surgery day from Dr. Kirby’s office.
What will my recovery from brow lift surgery be like?
Following Dr. Kirby’s instructions is key to the success of your surgery. It is important that your incisions are not subjected to excessive force, swelling, abrasion, or motion during the time of healing. Dr. Kirby will give you specific aftercare instructions.
A light dressing may be applied after the procedure to give gentle compression to the surgical areas. Ice packs may also be applied to help reduce bruising and swelling. There is usually a moderate amount of swelling and bruising after a brow lift. You will also experience swelling of the upper eyelids that may last several weeks. You may shower once the dressing is removed, usually within 48 hours after surgery. Initial discomfort is controlled with oral pain medication. Sutures that require removal are usually removed between 5 to 14 days.
Real patient images from Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily Kirby
*Individual results may vary.
When will I see results?
Results appear gradually as swelling and bruising subside to reveal smoother forehead skin and a more youthful, restful appearance.
You can expect to return to work within 7 to 10 days and resume strenuous activities within a few weeks. Sun exposure (even with sunscreen) should be limited for several months and mineral-based sun block is advised for 1 year after surgery.
Dr. Emily Kirby ensures that every plastic surgery patient receives Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) care to optimize recovery time and minimize pain. Dr. Kirby uses innovative pain reduction techniques, such as numbing anesthetics and small doses of different types of medications, to reduce discomfort from many angles.
“Dr. Kirby has created the most amazing experience. She is thorough and intuitive, sincerely cares about the work she does and perfectly marries listening to what you want and what science says.”
—Actual patient
References »
Broadbent T, Mokhktarzadeh A, Harrison A. Minimally invasive brow lifting techniques. Current Opinion in Ophthalmology. 2017. doi: 10.1097/ICU.0000000000000391
Cho MJ, Carboy JA, Rohrich RJ. Complications in Brow Lifts: A Systemic Review of Surgical and Nonsurgical Brow Rejuvenations. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. 2018. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000001943
Karimi N, Kashkouli MB, Sianati H, Khademi B. Techniques of Eyebrow Lifting: A Narrative Review. Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research. 2020. doi: 10.18502/jovr.v15i2.6740
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Emily J. Kirby — Updated on Jul 3, 2024