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Facial Feminization Surgery: Brow Lift

A  brow lift, or ‘feminizing brow lift,’ is a procedure that lifts the skin of the forehead to raise the position of the eyebrows on the face. Oftentimes, this procedure will also remove frown lines, some wrinkles, and sagging skin. 

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Richman on April 29th, 2025.

Why Get a Brow Lift?

Generally speaking, cisgender males tend to have eyebrows that are positioned on top of their bony brow ridge, whereas cisgender females tend to have eyebrows that are positioned slightly or completely above them. You can request a consultation for a gender-affirming brow lift and other facial feminization procedures here.

Surgical Techniques

Brow Lift Forehead Feminization

This procedure can be conducted alongside other forehead feminization procedures, such as a hairline advancement and a brow bone reduction or forehead contouring procedure. A brow bone that is done simultaneously with other forehead feminization procedures involves:

• Procedure: If you undergo a simultaneous hairline advancement or lowering surgery, your surgeon will create an incision along the hairline at the top of the forehead. The hairline will be pulled down to reverse the effects of testosterone on a receding hairline. Simultaneously, your forehead skin will be pulled up, lifting the eyebrows.
• Scarring: This procedure leaves a faint scar at the top of the forehead, just below the hairline. Due to its strategic placement, most patients who follow scar care instructions find that the brow lift scar is barely noticeable. 

Endoscopic Eyebrow Lift

An endoscopic brow lift or a closed brow lift is another option for patients who are uninterested in undergoing other simultaneous forehead feminization procedures.  

• Procedure: A “closed” brow lift is conducted by creating two small incisions in the scalp, positioned above the eyebrows. An endoscope, which is a tube with a tiny camera and a light, is inserted.  Pins are placed within the forehead to lift the skin and in turn, raise the eyebrows.
• Scarring: An endoscopic brow lift leaves no visible scarring because the incisions are made inside the scalp. 

Brow Lift Recovery and Long-Term Results

Generally speaking, the recovery from brow lift surgery depends on the method used. Keep the following points in mind:

• Initial recovery: After surgery, patients will likely be taking prescription medications to manage pain and inflammation. We recommend our patients ice their foreheads for 20 minutes every hour during the first 4 days after surgery to help manage inflammation. Sleeping at least a 30-degree incline can also help with this.

• Physical activity limitations: Patients will need help with day-to-day tasks during the first two weeks after surgery. Afterwards, you can resume some of your normal activities. Patients can resume more rigorous physical activities and lift 25 lbs or more after six weeks, but you should still avoid contact sports and prolonged inversions. 
• Changes in sensation: It is very common for patients to experience facial tightness, numbness, and discomfort post-op, which may make certain facial expressions difficult.

• Localized pain: Patients who undergo the endoscopic brow lift may have dissolvable plates, sutures or or specialized pins called endotines left in the forehead. A forehead feminization or brow bone setback procedure leaves titanium plates secured into the forehead. As a result, patients may experience some localized pain and discomfort for the first few months of recovery.
• Long-term results: Whenever possible, your surgeon will try to “overlift” the eyebrows. This is because, over the first three months, gravity’s pull will slightly lower the position of the eyebrows. At three months post-op, you will be able to see the final results of your surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which type of brow lift surgery is better? 

Both an “open” or hairline brow lift and a “closed” or endoscopic brow lift produce natural results that feminize the face and reduce frown lines, sagging skin, and wrinkles. The endoscopic approach is oftentimes preferred by patients who have darker skin tones or have a history of keloid scarring, and therefore may be more at risk for unfavorable scarring in more noticeable areas of the face.

Is a brow lift permanent?

Generally speaking, the results of a brow lift are permanent. However, with age, it is normal for the forehead skin to loosen and sag. While this can slightly lower the position of the eyebrows, the body generally keeps them in the same position; as a result, with aging, it is more common to experience more forehead lines than the eyebrows dropping significantly.

What is the difference between a brow lift and an eyelid lift or blepharoplasty? Does a brow lift help hooded eyes?

An upper blepharoplasty removes skin from above the eyelid, below the eyebrow. This reduces hooded eyes, resulting in a less “droopy” appearance, giving the eyes more prominence. A brow lift also gives the eyes a more prominent appearance by raising the position of the eyebrows. A brow lift can slightly raise the skin above the eyes, but it cannot undo hooded eyes. 

Are there non-surgical alternatives to a brow lift? Can Botox lift the brows?

Yes, by relaxing the muscles that pull the eyebrows down, Botox can give the eyebrows a more lifted look. However,  the use of Botox does not yield permanent results.

Transfeminine patients who went through a full, first testosterone puberty often require a surgical brow lift to position the eyebrows above the brow bone. Likewise, insurance will not cover Botox injections as medically necessary, gender-affirming care. Conversely, FFS is covered by many insurance providers.