1. What is a Sub-Brow Lift?
A Sub-Brow Lift is performed through an incision placed just beneath the eyebrow, removing excess skin and soft tissue from the drooped upper eyelid. Because the incision sits along the lower brow border, the resulting scar is almost completely hidden within the brow hair.
Unlike upper blepharoplasty, the existing double-fold line is left untouched. This makes the procedure ideal for patients who want to keep their current eye shape but address the heaviness caused by drooping skin only.
Key Points of the Sub-Brow Lift
Incision Hidden Beneath the Brow
The incision follows the lower brow border so the scar is naturally concealed by the eyebrow.
Double-Fold Line Preserved
The existing crease line is untouched, so the natural eye shape remains the same after surgery.
Short Procedure Time
Approximately 30–40 minutes under local anesthesia, with relatively quick recovery.
⚠️ Important — Brow-to-Eye Distance
Because the Sub-Brow Lift removes skin below the eyebrow, the distance between the brow and the eye becomes narrower after the procedure. Upper blepharoplasty has the same limitation — it also removes upper-eyelid skin, narrowing that distance.
Therefore, an accurate pre-op assessment of your brow-to-eye distance is essential:
- Sufficient brow-to-eye distance → Sub-Brow Lift or Upper Blepharoplasty are options
- Insufficient brow-to-eye distance → Endoscopic Forehead Lift is required to actually lift the brow upward and restore that distance
2. Comparison with Other Eye Procedures
Sub-Brow Lift vs. Upper Blepharoplasty vs. Endoscopic Forehead Lift
| Category | Sub-Brow Lift | Upper Blepharoplasty | Endoscopic Forehead Lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incision Location | Just below the eyebrow | Along the double-fold line | Behind scalp hairline (4 incisions) |
| Effect on Double Fold | Existing line preserved | Line may change or be reshaped | Existing line preserved |
| Correction Principle | Skin removal below the brow | Upper-eyelid skin removal | Lifts the descended brow & forehead |
| Brow-to-Eye Distance | ⚠️ Narrows | ⚠️ Narrows | ✓ Widens (distance restored) |
| Scar Hidden In | Eyebrow hair | Natural eyelid crease | Scalp hair |
| Best Candidate | Significant brow descent with sufficient brow-to-eye distance |
Significant upper-eyelid skin laxity with sufficient brow-to-eye distance |
Short brow-to-eye distance with overall brow & forehead descent |
🤔 Easily Confused — "Sub-Brow Lift" ≠ "Endoscopic Brow Lift"
The names sound similar, but these are two completely different procedures.
Sub-Brow Lift
- • Incision: Just below the eyebrow
- • Method: Removes skin below the brow
- • Effect: Drooping upper eyelid is lifted
- • Limitation: Brow-to-eye distance narrows
Endoscopic Brow Lift (= Endoscopic Forehead Lift)
- • Incision: 4 sites behind the scalp hairline
- • Method: Lifts the descended brow & forehead as a whole
- • Effect: Brow position restored upward
- • Benefit: Brow-to-eye distance widens
👉 Key difference: Sub-Brow Lift removes skin from below the brow; Endoscopic Brow Lift lifts the brow itself upward. Both aim to "improve drooping eyes," but they work in opposite directions. See the Endoscopic Forehead Lift page for details.
3. Good Candidates
Significant Brow Descent
Patients whose eyebrows have dropped, making the upper eyelid look heavy and the eye area feel congested.
Want a Simpler Alternative to Forehead Lift
Patients seeking improvement of periocular sagging without committing to a full endoscopic forehead lift.
Wish to Keep the Current Double Fold
Patients who like their current crease line but feel that drooping skin is now hiding it.
Sufficient Brow-to-Eye Distance
Because this procedure narrows the brow-to-eye distance, it is best suited for patients who have enough distance to spare (if the distance is short, Endoscopic Forehead Lift is recommended instead).
4. Advantages of the Sub-Brow Lift
Natural Outcome
Because the double-fold line is untouched, the overall eye shape stays the same before and after surgery, making post-op changes hard for others to notice.
Relatively Short Procedure
Can be performed under local anesthesia, with an operating time of roughly 30–40 minutes. Recovery is correspondingly quick, allowing earlier return to daily life.
Minimized Scarring
The incision hides at the lower brow border, naturally concealed by the eyebrow hair. With time, the scar becomes almost invisible.
Combinable with Other Procedures
Can be combined with upper blepharoplasty, facelift, or forehead lift to maximize overall anti-aging effect for the upper face.
5. Recovery Timeline
Day of Surgery
Approximately 30–40 minutes under local anesthesia. Cold compression begins immediately. Mild swelling and bruising may appear.
Suture Removal · Return to Daily Life
Sutures are removed. Most swelling and bruising are gone and can be covered with light makeup — most patients return to normal activities the same day.
Settled, Natural Result
The incision settles and is largely hidden by brow hair. The final result is reached over the next 1–2 months.
Before & After
Case #1
Female, 50s / 2 months post-op
Before
brow-lift-before-1.jpg
After
brow-lift-after-1.jpg
Sub-Brow Lift only
Case #2
Female, 60s / 3 months post-op
Before
brow-lift-before-2.jpg
After
brow-lift-after-2.jpg
Sub-Brow Lift + Upper Blepharoplasty
Case #3
Female, 55 / 1 month post-op
Before
brow-lift-before-3.jpg
After
brow-lift-after-3.jpg
Sub-Brow Lift (brow descent correction)
Case #4 - Multi-angle
Female, 58 / 2 months post-op
Front Before
front-before.jpg
Front After
front-after.jpg
Close-up Before
closeup-before.jpg
Close-up After
closeup-after.jpg
Sub-Brow Lift + Facelift
Notice: All images are published with patient consent. Individual results may vary.
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