- Introduction & Overview
A brow lift (forehead lift or browplasty) is a surgical or non‑surgical procedure to elevate a drooping or heavy brow, smooth forehead lines, open the eye region, and restore a youthful expression.
At MACS Clinic in Watford, we offer multiple techniques tailored to individual anatomy, goals, and recovery preferences.
- Dynamic Brow Lift — Botulinum Toxin (“non-surgical”)
Description
- Uses Botulinum toxin A (e.g. Botox/Dysport) injected into specific depressor muscles (corrugator, procerus, medial orbicularis) to relax them, allowing elevator muscles (frontalis) to pull brows upward unopposed
- Procedure time: ~10–15 minutes
- No incisions, no anaesthetic beyond injections (topical/local), no downtime
Advantages
- Minimally invasive, fast, little to no bruising or scarring.
- Immediate recovery—clients can return to normal activities.
- Ideal for mild to moderate brow ptosis or maintenance in younger patients
Limitations
- Results are temporary (≈ 3–4 months), requiring repeat treatments for maintenance
- Offers subtle lift only—cannot remove skin or reposition tissues
Complications / Risks
- Common: minor bruising, redness, soreness.
- Rare: ptosis of brow or eyelid, muscle weakness in nearby areas, mild headache; very rare serious effects (e.g. swallowing or speech issues) if mis‑injected
- Should be administered by experienced injector to avoid asymmetry or drooping
- Surgical Brow Lift Techniques
These are surgical methods that reposition tissues and often remove skin. Typically performed under local + sedation or general anesthesia, depending on case and patient preference
- Direct (mid-forehead) Brow Lift
- Technique: Direct excision of skin and underlying tissue just above the eyebrow.
- Anaesthetic: Local + sedation or general.
- Surgical time: ~60–90 minutes.
- Recovery time: Moderate; visible scar above brow; return to normal in ~1–2 weeks.
- Advantages: Precise control of brow shape and height; especially helpful in facial palsy or severe sagging
- Limitations: Obvious scarring, limited suitability (e.g. high hairline male patients).
- Complications: Scar dissatisfaction, sensory changes, asymmetry, minor wound healing issues
2. Subperiosteal Brow Lift (open forehead lift)
- Technique: Through a coronal or pre‑trichial incision, soft tissue is elevated in subperiosteal plane (beneath periosteum).
- Anaesthetic: General anaesthesia usual.
- Surgical time: ~2–2.5 hours.
- Recovery time: 10–14 days for bruising; up to 6 weeks for full healing.
- Advantages: Durable, full correction across forehead height, forehead shortening options.
- Limitations: More invasive, risk of alopecia, sensory changes, longer scar.
- Complications: Nerve injury (e.g. supraorbital, supratrochlear), hairline alteration, sensory loss, infection, hematoma
3. Endoscopic Brow Lift
- Technique: Several small incisions behind hairline; endoscope lifts forehead in subperiosteal plane, tissues released and anchored.
- Anaesthetic: Local + IV sedation or general.
- Surgical time: ~2 hours
- Recovery: Bruising ~10 days; most resume normal in ~2 weeks.
- Advantages: Minimal scarring, less sensory/hair issues, faster recovery, high satisfaction (> 98%)
- Limitations: Requires surgeon skill/experience; less durable than open methods in some cases; limited correction if severe sagging
- Complications: Temporary nerve paresthesia, alopecia, asymmetry, hematoma, re‑operation; permanent nerve injury rare
4. Gliding Brow Lift (GBL) with Oswald Haemostatic Net
- Technique: Via small subcutaneous incisions, the skin is undermined in forehead and temporal area; brow elevated and stabilized using a temporary hemostatic net (e.g. Oswald net).
- Anaesthetic: Local + sedation; tumescent infiltration.
- Surgical time: ~75–90 minutes.
- Recovery: Minimal bruising, most back to routine within 1 week.
- Advantages: Minimal incisions, very low complication rates (no hematoma/infection/alopecia reported in series), effective and stable lift
- Limitations: Newer technique, less long‑term data vs endoscopic or open.
- Complications: Rare; series report negligible scar, sensory or motor issues
5. Temporal (Subgaleal) Brow Lift
- Technique: Incisions at the temporal hairline; dissection in subgaleal plane to lift lateral brow and tail.
- Anaesthetic: Often local + sedation; can be office‑based.
- Surgical time: ~90 minutes
- Recovery: Minimal bruising; most return in ~7–14 days.
- Advantages: Minimal scarring, quick recovery, effective lateral lift where needed.
- Limitations: Limited to lateral brow only; central or medial ptosis not addressed
- Complications: Mild wound issues, sensory changes, rare alopecia, usually minimal
- Post-operative Recovery Guidance
- Advise cold compresses, head elevation, limited bending/strenuous activity for first few days.
- Sutures removal typically ~5–7 days.
- Bruising usually resolves in ~10 days; swelling subsides over 2–4 weeks.
- Avoid vigorous exercise and heavy lifting for ~2 weeks.
- Sun protection and scar care as directed. Final result may take up to 3–6 months settling
- General Limitations & Complications (Surgical)
- Nerve injury: temporary or rarely permanent (frontal branch of facial nerve, supraorbital/supratrochlear nerves).
- Hemorrhage or hematoma, infection, wound dehiscence.
- Scarring, alopecia near incision, asymmetric lift or relapse.
- Rare need for revision surgery
- Procedure Duration Summary
- Botox brow lift: ~10–15 minutes.
- Direct, gliding, temporal lifts: ~60–90 minutes.
- Endoscopic: ~2 hours.
- Open subperiosteal lift: ~2–2.5 hours.
- Choosing the Right Option for You
At MACS Clinic, your surgeon will consider:
- Degree and location of brow ptosis (medial, lateral, central).
- Forehead skin quality, presence of wrinkles.
- Hairline position, scarring concerns.
- Desire for longevity vs downtime.
- Willingness to accept visible scars.
- Combined procedures (e.g. blepharoplasty).
You may benefit from a Botulinum‑toxin lift as a trial or adjunct to surgery, or as a standalone when structural changes aren’t needed. Surgical lift techniques offer varying degrees of permanence, lift magnitude, invasiveness, visible scarring, and recovery length.
- BOTULINUM TOXIN “Dynamic Brow Lift” Section
- Quick procedure (~10–15 min) under local injection only.
- Advantages: fast, minimal downtime, no scarring, subtle lift, suitable for early or mild drooping.
- Limitations: temporary (≈ 3–4 months), limited lift, not appropriate for moderate‑severe ptosis.
- Complications: bruising, risk of droopy eyelid or brow if mis‑injected, headaches; rare serious effects (speech/swallowing)
- Final Notes
- Brow lift results are long‑lasting but not immune to future aging—skin loses elasticity, and ptosis may gradually recur over years.
- Optimal outcomes rely on collaboration between experienced surgeon, anaesthetist, nursing/wound care team, and proper patient selection
- All patients undergo pre-operative medical assessment to ensure suitability and plan anaesthetic safely.
MACS Clinic Watford – Patient Information Leaflet
Contact us to schedule a consultation. We’ll tailor everything to your anatomy and goals—ensuring safety, clarity, and a youthful result aligned with your expectations.
Contact MACS Clinic
- Phone: 020 7078 4378
- WhatsApp: 07792 648 726
- Email: enquiries@macsclinic.co.uk
- Website: macsclinic.co.uk
BOOK a FREE Video Consultation: https://calendly.com/macsclinic/free-video-consultation?month=2025-01
