Brow Lift Surgery

Aging is inevitable, but your brow area is often the first to see noticeable signs of aging. A brow lift procedure can address these concerns to create a more refreshed and youthful appearance.

Brow lift surgery in Reno, Nevada

As we age, gravity and natural skin laxity—how loose your skin becomes—can lead to visible signs of aging including:

Brow drooping, which can cause a tired or even angry expression.
Forehead wrinkles, which are horizontal lines that become more prominent.
Frown lines, where deep furrows develop between your eyebrows.
Excess forehead skin, creating a hood over your eyelids, obstructing your vision and making you look perpetually fatigued.

Using the latest endoscopic technique, Dr. Virden’s modern approach allows for precise lifting and repositioning of your brows, achieving a natural, youthful, and more alert appearance without distorting your hairline. (Brow lift surgery can also be combined with a facelift for a more comprehensive facial rejuvenation.)

Ideal Brow Lift surgery Candidates

If you have any of these noticeable signs of aging, you may be a good candidate for brow lift surgery: excess forehead skin, drooping brows, deep frown lines, or horizontal forehead wrinkles. Good candidates for this procedure are also people who are in good overall health, have realistic expectations about what this surgery can address, and who desire a more youthful appearance.

If you think you’d be a good candidate for a brow lift, book an appointment with our team today.

What to expect during your brow lift surgery

Endoscopic brow lift surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure where you’ll be placed under general anesthesia. Dr. Virden will make a few small incisions strategically hidden within your hairline and will carefully address underlying tissues to lift and smooth your brow area. Any excess skin contributing to folds or a heavy brow are removed, and your underlying muscles and soft tissues may be repositioned to create a smoother, more youthful appearance.

The entire procedure takes one to two hours, depending on the extent of correction needed.

Post-Surgical Care and Recovery

Following your brow lift surgery, Dr. Virden and our team will provide detailed aftercare instructions to promote healing and optimal results. You can expect some swelling, bruising, discomfort, tightness, and numbness around your brow and forehead, but medications can help manage that pain. Bruising and swelling can last around two to three weeks.

You should plan to rest at home with your head elevated for several days to minimize swelling, applying ice packs and changing your bandages as needed.

You’ll be restricted from strenuous exercise and activities for about four to six weeks, but most patients see significant improvement and return to work within one to two weeks.

You will notice the final results of your brow lift around four to six months after your procedure.

Brow Lift Surgery FAQs

What is brow lift surgery?

A brow lift is a cosmetic surgical procedure that addresses visible signs of aging in your brow area including drooping brows, forehead wrinkles, deep frown lines, and excess forehead skin.

Dr. Virden uses a modern endoscopic technique for brow lift surgery to restore a brighter, more youthful appearance to your upper face.

How Long Does a Surgical Brow Lift Last?

An endoscopic brow lift may last five to ten years, but factors like age, sun damage, genetics, and your overall lifestyle are important to maintain longevity.

Is Eyebrow Lift Surgery Painful?

During the procedure, you’ll be placed under general anesthesia. Immediately after, you may experience side effects like discomfort, tightness, and numbness around your brow and forehead. The extent of your procedure and your individual pain tolerance also play a role in pain levels.

Does a Brow Lift Help Hooded Eyes?

Yes, a brow lift can help with hooded eyes, but it depends on the cause of the hooding.

If the hooding is caused by drooping brows, a brow lift can help lift your brow tissue and address the hooded appearance. If the hooding is primarily due to excess skin on your eyelids themselves, a brow lift alone may not be the most effective solution. A case like this may require a blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), or a combination of brow lift and blepharoplasty.

During your consultation, Dr. Virden will carefully examine your eyelids and discuss the cause of your hooding to determine the best course of treatment.

What Age Should You Get a Brow Lift?

There’s no single ideal age for a brow lift. The best time for this surgery depends on individual factors rather than a specific number, including visible signs of aging or a genetic predisposition. A consultation can help determine if you’re an ideal candidate for this procedure.

Does Insurance Cover a Brow Lift?

Brow lift surgery is considered elective and not covered by insurance.

Is It Better to Get a Brow Lift or Blepharoplasty?

A brow lift targets the upper third of your face (your brow area), specifically addressing drooping brows, forehead wrinkles, and excess forehead skin that contributes to hooded eyelids.

Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, focuses solely on your eyelids, correcting puffiness or bagginess under your eyes, drooping upper eyelids that obstruct your vision, and excess skin on your lower eyelids.

If you have drooping eyelids and eyebrow concerns, both procedures can be performed if your doctor decides that’s the best course of action.

Awake, Alert, Ageless

Many patients fear that a brow lift will leave them looking permanently surprised, unnaturally wide eyed, or like they have obviously had plastic surgery. A plastic surgeon with experience in brow lift surgery will focus on creating a younger, natural-looking appearance that refreshes the face. Using simulation software, the surgeon and patient can decide how dramatic or how subtle they want the results to be. After brow lift surgery, patients will look more awake, more alert, and more like the age they feel.