One of the first signs of aging is often the gradual descent of the brow and forehead. As we age, the eyebrows droop and frown lines form on the forehead and above the nose. The purpose of the brow lift (forehead lift) is to restore the eyebrows and forehead to a more youthful position and to reduce or eliminate some of the frown lines. The forehead lift also can improve the sagging eyebrows and decrease the extra skin in the upper eyelid (called “hooding”) that sometimes develops.

Brow lifts are often but not always done in conjunction with other techniques to rejuvenate the aging face. Most commonly, a brow lift is performed with an upper eyelid-lift (upper blepharoplasty) since the two procedures make the upper face look younger. A brow lift may also be combined with a face-lift and neck-lift (rhytidectomy) for complete treatment of the face.

The forehead lift is most commonly done on men and women between 40 and 60 years of age. A careful assessment of a patient's brow and forehead usually reveals differences between the two sides of the face. At the consultation, these asymmetries will be noted and any procedure will account for these differences. Most importantly, your goals and motivations will be discussed to gain a full understanding of your desired outcome and the realistic possibilities of surgery.

With the advances of modern cosmetic surgery, several surgical approaches are available for patients undergoing a brow lift. In the forehead lift, the muscles and tissues are weakened or removed to smooth the forehead, raise the eyebrows and minimize the furrows. The surgery can be done using the traditional method through an incision in the hairline or using an endoscope (a video instrument which minimizes the incision). The various approaches will be discussed with your surgeon.