Brow Lift Sydney | Eyebrow Lift | Dr Scott J Turner FRACS

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What Is a Brow Lift?

A brow lift is surgery that raises a descended eyebrow, and the forehead tissue above it, back towards the position it held earlier in life. It is also called an eyebrow lift, browplasty or forehead lift; all of these names describe the same operation. In Dr Turner’s practice, the operation used most often is the endoscopic lateral brow lift.

Operating time: about 1.5 hours on its own; about 45 minutes when added to a facelift
Anaesthesia and setting: general anaesthesia at an accredited Sydney private hospital; day surgery or one night
Back to work and social activities: usually about 2 weeks
Brow position settles: over 1 to 3 months, with some refinement up to 6 months
How long it lasts: typically 5 to 10 years, while ageing continues
Fee: $13,500 for an endoscopic lateral brow lift on its own, all-inclusive
Medicare: no rebate, because it is a cosmetic operation

How the Brow Descends

The frontalis muscle in the forehead is the only muscle that lifts the brow. Muscles between and around the brows pull it down, and over time the soft tissue that supports the brow loosens. Descent usually begins at the outer end of the brow, where the frontalis gives the least support, so the tail of the brow drops towards the upper eyelid and creates hooding at the outer corner of the eye.

Many people compensate without noticing by raising their brows to keep the eyelids clear. That constant muscle activity can deepen horizontal forehead lines and cause a feeling of tension across the forehead, and the eyelids look heavier as soon as the forehead relaxes.

Why Patients Consider a Brow Lift

Heaviness or hooding over the upper eyelids that comes from a low outer brow
A tired, sad or cross look at rest that comes from brow position rather than mood
Forehead tension from constantly raising the brows
Upper eyelid heaviness that remains after upper eyelid surgery alone
Uneven brows
A brow low enough to limit side vision

Brow Lift or Blepharoplasty?

A brow lift raises a low brow; upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin, and sometimes fat, from the upper eyelid. They are often confused, but they treat different structures.

Can a brow lift fix hooded eyes? It can when the hooding comes from the brow. When the outer brow has dropped, it pushes skin down over the eyelid crease, and lifting the brow moves that skin back up. When the brow sits well and the hooding is excess eyelid skin, eyelid surgery is the operation that treats it. Many people have some of both.

	Brow lift	Upper blepharoplasty
What it treats	A low brow and the forehead tissue above it	Excess upper eyelid skin and fat
Suited to	Hooding that comes mainly from a low brow	Excess eyelid skin with the brow in a good position
Incisions	Short incisions behind the hairline for an endoscopic lateral brow lift	In the upper eyelid crease
Back to social activities	About 2 weeks	1 to 2 weeks
Often combined with	Upper blepharoplasty, facelift	Brow lift, lower blepharoplasty

At consultation the brow is examined with the forehead relaxed, because many patients hold their brows up without realising. The findings usually fall into one of three patterns:

The brow is the main cause. A brow lift alone may be enough.
Eyelid skin is the main cause. Upper blepharoplasty alone, with the brow left as it is.
Both contribute. Both may be treated in the same operation.

Order matters. Removing eyelid skin alone when the brow is low can pull the brow down further and make the heaviness worse, so where both are needed the brow is lifted first and the eyelid skin is then assessed against the new brow position. The brow lift vs blepharoplasty guide explains the difference, the article on low brow position explains why a low brow makes the eyelids look heavy, the guide to hooded upper eyelids covers the other causes, and eyelid surgery is described on the upper blepharoplasty page.

Brow Lift With a Facelift

A facelift lifts the midface, jawline and neck. It does not lift the brow. In Dr Turner’s assessment, most facelift patients benefit from a brow lift as part of the same operation, but it is not needed in every case. Whether a brow lift is included, and which type, is decided at examination.

There is also a technical reason. A deep plane facelift lifts the face in a more vertical direction, and that tissue moves up towards the temple. If the brow stays where it is, the lifted tissue can bunch in the temple where it meets the brow. Lifting the outer brow at the same time gives that tissue somewhere to go.

Where a brow lift is included, the type depends on the brow and the hairline:

Younger patients with a good, stable brow position: a smaller lateral or temporal brow lift is included.
Most other patients: the full endoscopic lateral brow lift is performed.
Patients with a higher hairline: a pretrichial brow lift, which brings the hairline forward as the brow is lifted, so that brow position and forehead height are treated together.

Adding a brow lift to a facelift adds about 45 minutes of theatre time and $6,244 to the facelift fee, as shown on the facelift cost page, and the facelift cost calculator shows how the fee changes with each part of the plan. A brow lift is also part of the Vertical Restore Facelift. For some younger patients whose changes sit mainly in the brow, temples and upper midface, the endoscopic ponytail facelift may be discussed instead. The article on why a facelift does not lift the brow explains the planning in more detail.

Brow Lift Techniques

Brow lift techniques differ in where the incisions sit, which part of the brow they lift and what happens to the hairline. Dr Turner uses four approaches, each for a specific situation, chosen by the brow position, the forehead height, the hairline and whether a facelift is planned.

Endoscopic Lateral Brow Lift

This is the brow lift in Sydney that Dr Turner performs most often. The operation uses 3 to 5 short incisions behind the hairline. A small camera is used to release the attachments that hold the brow down, and the brow is lifted with the emphasis on the outer brow, where descent and hooding usually begin. The new position is held with internal fixation, such as small bone tunnels in the outer layer of the skull or sutures to the deep tissue of the temple.

The incisions sit in the hair, and the hairline usually changes only slightly, so it suits most patients with brow descent and a normal or low hairline, on its own or with upper eyelid surgery or a facelift. The endoscopic brow lift article explains the incisions and fixation in detail.

Lateral (Temporal) Brow Lift

A lateral brow lift, also called a temporal brow lift, raises the tail of the brow only, through incisions within the hairline of the temple. It does not move the central brow. Dr Turner uses it most often as the smaller brow lift included in a facelift for younger patients whose brow position is good and stable (see brow lift with a facelift).

Pretrichial Brow Lift With Hairline Lowering

A pretrichial brow lift places the incision along the front edge of the hairline. Dr Turner uses it only with hairline lowering, for patients whose brow is low and whose hairline is high, because the hairline can be brought forward as the brow is lifted. The scar sits at the hairline. Forehead reduction and hairline lowering explains that operation.

Gliding Brow Lift for Revision and Asymmetry

The gliding brow lift releases the brow in the layer just under the skin, through 4 small incisions in the hairline, and holds it with a temporary suture net across the forehead, which is removed at day 3 or 4; the suture marks then fade. Bruising can be heavier than after an endoscopic brow lift. Dr Turner uses it mainly in revision cases, after earlier brow surgery, and where the brows are markedly uneven, because each side can be lifted by a different amount. The gliding brow lift article describes the technique.

Coronal brow lift. A coronal brow lift uses a long incision across the top of the scalp from ear to ear. It raises the hairline and leaves a long scar within the scalp, and Dr Turner almost never recommends it.

Approach	When Dr Turner uses it	Incisions	Hairline	Visible marks
Endoscopic lateral	Most patients with brow descent, on its own or with a facelift	3 to 5 short incisions behind the hairline	Usually changes only slightly	Usually hidden in the hair
Lateral (temporal)	The smaller lift with a facelift, for younger patients with a good, stable brow	Within the temple hairline	Usually changes only slightly	Usually hidden in the hair
Pretrichial	Only with hairline lowering	Along the front edge of the hairline	Brought forward	A scar at the hairline, usually fading to a fine line
Gliding	Revision cases and markedly uneven brows	4 small incisions in the hairline	Usually unchanged	Suture marks on the forehead while the net is in place, which then fade
Coronal	Almost never	Ear to ear across the scalp	Raised	A long scar within the scalp

The brow lift techniques article compares these approaches in more detail.

Who May Be Suitable for a Brow Lift?

Suitability is decided at consultation after examination, a review of your medical history and a discussion of what you would like to change. Patients who may be suitable usually have:

a brow that sits low, often at the outer end, contributing to upper eyelid heaviness
realistic expectations of what surgery can and cannot change
good general health without uncontrolled medical conditions
no smoking or other nicotine use, including vapes, or a willingness to stop for a set period before and after surgery
a stable weight
healthy skin in the area of surgery

A brow lift may not suit you if:

you are hoping for a change that surgery cannot provide
you have a medical condition that makes surgery higher risk
you smoke or vape and cannot stop for the required period
you are under 18, as a brow lift is not generally indicated
the heaviness comes from eyelid skin rather than the brow, in which case eyelid surgery is discussed instead

Men. Men are assessed in the same way. A man’s brow usually sits lower and flatter than a woman’s, so the lift is planned to keep that shape and to avoid raising the brow too far.

Injectables. Muscle-relaxing injections can raise the tail of the brow slightly for a few months, but they do not reposition a brow that has descended. Where surgery is not appropriate, Dr Turner does not proceed, and other approaches are discussed.

The Brow Lift Procedure

Before Surgery

Planning includes measuring the brow position, forehead height, hairline pattern, hair density, skin quality and the upper eyelids, and standardised photographs are taken. You are asked to stop all nicotine, including vapes, for at least 6 weeks before surgery, and to avoid certain medications that affect bleeding for 2 weeks before. A pre-operative medical assessment is arranged where needed.

On the Day

A brow lift in Sydney with Dr Turner is performed under general anaesthesia, given by a specialist anaesthetist, at an accredited private hospital. On its own it takes about 1.5 hours; combined procedures take longer. The incisions follow the chosen approach, the brow is released and lifted, and the new position is held with the fixation method suited to that approach. Deeper layers are closed with absorbable sutures, and the skin with absorbable or removable sutures. A light dressing is applied, and most patients go home the same day or after one night.

The First Days

For the first 48 hours you rest with your head elevated, use cold packs over the upper face and take the prescribed pain relief and antibiotics. Most patients describe the discomfort as moderate. The first review is at about 7 days, when any removable skin sutures are taken out.

Brow Lift Recovery and Scars

Recovery follows a predictable pattern, although it varies with the approach, any combined procedures and how each person heals.

Time after surgery	What to expect
Days 1 to 3	Swelling and bruising at their peak; head elevated; cold packs; rest
Week 1	Swelling reducing; removable skin sutures out at about day 7
Week 2	Most patients return to work and social activities
Weeks 3 to 4	Light exercise resumed; bruising settled
Weeks 4 to 6	Strenuous exercise resumed; settling continues
Months 1 to 3	The brow settles into position; forehead tightness eases; incisions mature
Months 6 to 12	Scalp numbness usually settles; any hair thinning around the incisions usually regrows

Forehead tightness usually eases over 1 to 3 months, and some refinement of the brow position continues up to 6 months. Scalp numbness takes longer, usually settling over 6 to 12 months.

Where the scars are. With an endoscopic or lateral brow lift, the incisions sit just inside the hairline, without shaving, and are usually hidden in the hair. Hair around the incisions can thin for a time and usually regrows over 6 to 12 months. A pretrichial brow lift leaves a scar along the front of the hairline, which usually fades to a fine line but can remain visible. Protect any scar from the sun for the first 6 months.

The brow lift recovery timeline covers each week in detail, and the guide to reducing swelling and bruising after a brow lift explains what helps in the first days.

Patients from outside Sydney. Dr Turner also consults in Newcastle and Canberra, and surgery is performed in Sydney. How long to stay in Sydney after surgery is confirmed at consultation, and the out-of-town patients page explains the arrangements.

Brow Lift Risks and Complications

All surgery carries risk. The information below is general, and the risks that apply to you are discussed in detail at consultation and documented as part of informed consent.

Common and usually temporary

Bruising and swelling
Numbness of the forehead and scalp
Tightness across the forehead
Mild headache in the first days

Less common

Uneven brows
A change in the hairline, depending on the approach
A visible scar at the hairline
Hair thinning or hair loss around the incisions, which usually regrows over 6 to 12 months
Numbness that lasts beyond 12 months
Wound healing problems
Difficulty closing the eyes fully, or dry or irritated eyes, usually temporary and more likely when eyelid surgery is combined

Rare but serious

Injury to the frontal branch of the facial nerve, which controls the muscle that raises the brow, causing weakness of brow movement; this is usually temporary but can be permanent
Bleeding that needs a return to theatre
Infection
Risks of general anaesthesia

Results that differ from the plan. Most problems patients describe after a brow lift fall into a few groups: a visible scar, uneven brows, a change in the hairline, and a brow lifted too high, which can give a surprised look, or not lifted enough. The brow also continues to age after surgery and can descend again over the years. Revision is not assessed until 6 to 12 months after surgery, because early swelling can hide the true result. Where revision is needed, a gliding brow lift is one of the options. Results vary between patients and cannot be predicted with certainty.

The brow lift recovery guide explains what these outcomes mean clinically, and the risks and complications page covers the risks of cosmetic surgery generally.

Brow Lift Cost in Sydney

An endoscopic lateral brow lift in Sydney with Dr Turner is $13,500 on its own, for an operation of about 1.5 hours, and most other brow lifts are a similar fee. This all-inclusive fee covers the surgeon’s fee, the specialist anaesthetist’s fee, the private hospital and theatre fees, and routine post-operative reviews.

Brow lift with upper blepharoplasty and fat grafting: $18,000, for about 2 hours
Brow lift added to a facelift: about 45 minutes and $6,244 added to the facelift fee, as shown on the facelift cost page and in the facelift cost calculator

Fees reflect theatre time, complexity and the procedures combined, and every fee is confirmed in an itemised written quote after consultation. The consultation fee is $450. Pre-operative tests, if needed, and medications are billed separately.

A brow lift is a cosmetic operation, so there is no Medicare rebate or private health insurance benefit. Where excess upper eyelid skin affects vision, upper eyelid surgery may be eligible under its own Medicare item. The article on brow lift cost explains what goes into a quote.

Choosing a Surgeon for a Brow Lift

Patients most often worry about four outcomes after a brow lift: a brow lifted too high, uneven brows, a raised hairline or a visible scar. Each depends as much on planning as on the operation. It is reasonable to check that your surgeon is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon on the public AHPRA register, operates in accredited hospitals with a specialist anaesthetist, and assesses your eyelids and hairline as well as your brows. The guide to choosing your plastic surgeon covers what to ask.

Dr Scott J Turner is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon who was awarded FRACS in 2013 and holds AHPRA registration MED0001654827, both independently verifiable.

A referral from your GP or another registered medical practitioner is required before a cosmetic surgery consultation. Two pre-operative consultations are held, the first of which may be by video and the second in person, and a cooling-off period of at least seven days after the second consultation applies before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid. The first consultation covers your goals, your medical history and the options. The in-person consultation includes examination of the brows with the forehead relaxed, the upper eyelids, the hairline and any asymmetry, and confirms the plan, the written quote and consent. Screening for psychological factors is part of the assessment, with referral for formal evaluation where indicated. To arrange a consultation, contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a brow lift?

A brow lift is surgery that raises a descended eyebrow and the forehead tissue above it. It is also called an eyebrow lift, browplasty or forehead lift. It is most often used where a low outer brow is pushing skin onto the upper eyelid and making the eyes look heavy or hooded. Dr Turner’s main operation is the endoscopic lateral brow lift, performed through short incisions behind the hairline.

Is an eyebrow lift the same as a brow lift?

Yes. Eyebrow lift, brow lift, browplasty and forehead lift describe the same operation: surgery to reposition a descended brow. Patients often say eyebrow lift when describing heaviness over the eyes, while surgeons more often say brow lift. The technique is chosen for the individual, whichever name is used.

Can a brow lift fix hooded eyes?

It can when the hooding comes from the brow. A low outer brow pushes skin down over the eyelid crease, and lifting the brow moves that skin back up. If the brow sits well and the hooding is excess eyelid skin, upper eyelid surgery is the operation that treats it. Many people have some of both, and both can be treated in one operation.

Which is better for me, a brow lift or blepharoplasty?

Neither is better in general, because they treat different things. A brow lift raises a low brow, while upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin, and sometimes fat, from the upper eyelid. The brow is examined with the forehead relaxed to see which is responsible. Where both contribute, both can be done together, with the brow lifted first so that the eyelid skin is assessed against the new brow position.

Do I need a brow lift with a facelift?

In Dr Turner’s assessment, most facelift patients benefit from a brow lift as part of the same operation, but it is not needed in every case. A facelift lifts the midface, jawline and neck but not the brow, and the lifted tissue can bunch in the temple if the brow stays where it is. Where a brow lift is included, younger patients with a good, stable brow position usually have a smaller lateral brow lift, most others have the full endoscopic lateral brow lift, and patients with a higher hairline may have a pretrichial brow lift that brings the hairline forward. A brow lift adds about 45 minutes to a facelift, and whether one is needed is decided at examination.

What is an endoscopic brow lift?

An endoscopic brow lift uses 3 to 5 short incisions behind the hairline and a small camera to release the attachments holding the brow down. The brow is then lifted and held with internal fixation while it heals. Dr Turner’s main operation is the endoscopic lateral brow lift, which places the emphasis on the outer brow, where descent usually starts. The incisions sit in the hair, and the hairline usually changes only slightly.

How much does a brow lift cost in Sydney?

An endoscopic lateral brow lift in Sydney with Dr Turner is $13,500 on its own, for an operation of about 1.5 hours, including the surgeon’s fee, the specialist anaesthetist’s fee, the private hospital and theatre fees and routine post-operative reviews. Most other brow lifts are a similar fee. With upper blepharoplasty and fat grafting, for about 2 hours, the fee is $18,000. Added to a facelift, a brow lift adds about 45 minutes and $6,244 to the facelift fee. The consultation fee is $450, and every fee is confirmed in an itemised written quote after consultation.

What is recovery like, and when can I return to work?

Swelling and bruising peak in the first 3 days, and any removable skin sutures are taken out at about 7 days. Most patients return to work and social activities at about 2 weeks. Light exercise usually resumes at 3 to 4 weeks and strenuous exercise at 4 to 6 weeks. Forehead tightness eases and the brow settles over 1 to 3 months, with some refinement up to 6 months, while scalp numbness usually takes 6 to 12 months to settle. Recovery varies between patients.

Where are the scars after a brow lift?

With an endoscopic or lateral brow lift, the incisions sit just inside the hairline and are usually hidden in the hair; hair around them can thin for a time and usually regrows over 6 to 12 months. A pretrichial brow lift, which Dr Turner uses only with hairline lowering, leaves a scar along the front of the hairline that usually fades to a fine line but can remain visible. A gliding brow lift adds temporary suture marks on the forehead from the net, which then fade. Scars should be protected from the sun for the first 6 months.

What are the downsides of a brow lift?

All surgery carries risk. Common, usually temporary effects are bruising, swelling, scalp numbness and forehead tightness. Less common are uneven brows, a change in the hairline, a visible scar, hair thinning near the incisions, prolonged numbness, wound healing problems, and dry or irritated eyes. Rare but serious risks include injury to the nerve that controls brow movement, which is usually temporary but can be permanent, bleeding that needs a return to theatre, and infection. A brow can also be lifted too high or not enough, or descend again over time. The risks for your situation are discussed at consultation.

How long does a brow lift last?

Results are long-lasting but not permanent. A brow lift typically lasts 5 to 10 years, depending on the technique, the tissues, sun exposure and lifestyle, while ageing continues around the lifted position. Revision is possible if the brow descends significantly in later years.

Will a brow lift change my hairline?

It depends on the approach. An endoscopic or lateral brow lift usually changes the hairline only slightly. A pretrichial brow lift, which Dr Turner uses only with hairline lowering, brings the hairline forward. A coronal brow lift raises the hairline, and Dr Turner almost never recommends it. If your hairline is already high, forehead reduction may be discussed alongside the brow lift.

Can a brow lift help uneven eyebrows?

Often, where the unevenness comes from one brow sitting lower than the other. Small differences are common and are planned for in any brow lift. Where the brows are markedly uneven, or after earlier brow surgery, Dr Turner may recommend a gliding brow lift, because each side can be lifted by a different amount. Some asymmetry can remain after any brow lift.