Lateral Brow Lift

A temporal brow lift, also known as a lateral brow lift, is an effective cosmetic procedure designed to fix sagging, folds, and small wrinkles in the brow area, forehead, and corners of the eyes.

Temporal hooding is nicely corrected with a temporal brow lift, with an incision hidden in the hair laterally. Temporal Brow Lifts will raise the eyebrows up decreasing the amount of lateral hooding on the upper eyelids. With a discrete incision inside or at the temporal hairline, it produces an immediate improvement with virtually no swelling or bruising in the eye area

In those patients where the medial brow is in good position but the lateral brow is flat to downsloping, the temporal lift is a great procedure to improve the aesthetics of the eye.  It gives the eye an elegant more open eyed look without the surprise component.

It is a lower risk procedure than can often being combined with upper blepharoplasty (eyelid lift or upper eyelid / blepharoplasty) to optimize the look of the upper eye region.  

The length of brow lift incisions vary by the type of lift, surgeon's technique, and patient's specific anatomy. The lateral incisions of brow lift generally are around the temples, sides of the head. Incision are hidden within the hair, approximately 1-2cm behind the hairline and anywhere from 2-10cm long.

A further benefit of the procedure is that it can easily be done under local anesthetic in the clinic.  There is almost no downtime from the surgery.

Quick Facts

What is a temporal brow lift?

A temporal brow lift is a quick and effective way to elevate the outer parts of the brow. It is less invasive than a full brow lift and has a shorter recovery time.

Who is an ideal candidate for a temporal brow lift?

An ideal candidate is a man or woman who is in good overall health and wants to get rid of wrinkles and sagging near the brow.

How is a temporal brow lift procedure performed?

For a temporal brow lift, incisions are made at the temples behind the hairline. The excess hooded skin of the lateral eyebrow is then tightened through the small hairline incisions. In addition to removing excess skin, the outer corners of the forehead are lifted. No incisions are required in the scalp directly above the eyes. The incisions are then closed with fine sutures.

There is also a second technique called the temporal brow lift with suture suspension. It uses internal sutures to suspend the muscles and tissue near the brow. It also can be doing through same incision in the upper eyelid while having upper blepharoplasty.

How long does the procedure usually take?

Lateral brow lifts typically take about an hour to perform under local anesthesia.

Will there be scars after the procedure?

Although there will be scars after the surgery, the incisions are usually well-hidden within the hairline or within a deep forehead crease.

Is the procedure painful?

Patients may experience some discomfort or pain, which can be controlled with a low-dose prescription medication.

What is the recovery period like?

Stitches are usually removed within 5-7 days after the brow lift. There will be some swelling and bruising around the eye area for a week. Patients can minimize swelling and bruising by elevating their head while sleeping after surgery. Patients typically resume normal activities within a week after the procedure. Exercise can usually be resume 2 weeks after surgery, and more strenuous activity may require 3-4 weeks before comfortably resuming.

What are the risks and complications for this procedure?

As lateral brow lifts are less invasive than other face lift procedures, the risks are relatively low. However, there may be risk of infection and bleeding, although such complications are rare if patients follow pre-surgery and post-surgery directions. There is also the potential low risk of damage to the frontal branch of the facial nerve, which normally helps elevate the brow.