Should you get a Brow Lift or a Blepharoplasty?

A brow lift and a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) both refresh the upper face, but they treat different problems. Dr. Shervin Naderi, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, explains how they differ and how to tell which one, or both, you need.

The two are easy to confuse, because a brow that has dropped can look like extra eyelid skin. Knowing the differences between a brow lift and blepharoplasty, from what each surgery involves to how long recovery takes, makes the choice much clearer.

Brow Lift vs. Blepharoplasty: Which Procedure Is Right for You?

A brow lift corrects sagging eyebrows and reduces forehead wrinkles, enhancing the upper face’s appearance.
Blepharoplasty, also known as eyelid surgery, removes or repositions excess skin and fat in the upper and lower eyelids to refresh the eye area.
Which one is right for you depends on whether the main problem is a low brow, extra eyelid skin, or both.
Both procedures can significantly rejuvenate facial appearance but target different areas and issues.
An exam by a facial plastic surgeon is the best way to decide between a brow lift and blepharoplasty, based on your goals and facial structure.

Understanding Brow Lift and Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

What Is a Brow Lift?

A brow lift, also known as a forehead lift, treats drooping brows and a furrowed forehead. Dr. Naderi’s main technique is an endo-style brow lift through small incisions at or just behind the hairline. Rather than pulling the brow up, it releases the tissues and resets the brow to where it used to be, so patients look rested, not surprised.

What Is Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)?

Blepharoplasty, commonly called an eyelid lift, removes excess eyelid skin and removes or repositions fat so the eyes look more rested and alert. Dr. Naderi is conservative with skin removal, because taking too much leaves the lids tight and can make a face look older, and he often uses fat grafting to restore lost volume. Lower lids are done through an incision hidden inside the lid. When weighing blepharoplasty vs brow lift, the key question is whether the main concern is drooping brows or excess skin on the upper eyelids.

Achieving Your Aesthetic Goals with Facial Surgery

How a Brow Lift Rejuvenates the Forehead

A brow lift targets the forehead region to combat aging signs and aims to:

Achieve a youthful appearance.
Smooth the forehead area.
Diminish wrinkles.
Reduce sagging that makes you look tired.

How Blepharoplasty Refreshes the Eye Area

Blepharoplasty addresses concerns around the eyes, specifically:

Sagging skin that contributes to a fatigued look.
Puffy upper or lower lids that make the eyes look older and more tired than you feel.

Comparing Recovery Times and Procedures

Brow Lift Surgery: Process and Recovery Explained

Surgical Process: Lifts a low, heavy brow back into a better position. Dr. Naderi performs every brow lift under general anesthesia at Prince William Surgery Center, and surgery takes about an hour and a half.
Recovery Period: Swelling and bruising are strongest in the first week. Most patients are back at work in 1 to 2 weeks. There is no exercise for the first month, with full activity by about 3 months, and it usually takes about 3 months to feel comfortable with your result.

Blepharoplasty Surgery: What to Expect During Recovery

Surgical Process: Corrects droopy eyelids by removing extra skin, muscle, and fat when necessary. Dr. Naderi performs eyelid surgery under general anesthesia in the operating room at Prince William Surgery Center. Upper eyelids take 60 to 90 minutes, and upper and lower eyelids together take about two hours.
Recovery Time: Expect bruising and swelling at first. Most patients look presentable in about 10 to 14 days and are back at work in 1 to 2 weeks. Upper lid stitches come out about a week after surgery, and there is no strenuous exercise for a month.

Risks and Complications to Consider

Common Risks of Brow Lift Surgery

Temporary numbness, often improving over time
Nerve damage: may result in a permanent loss of feeling or muscle weakness on the forehead or scalp

Potential Risks of Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

Infection
Visible scarring
Difficulty in fully closing the eyes
Dry eye syndrome

Patients should have a thorough discussion with their surgeon regarding these potential issues before undergoing surgery.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Brow Lift or Blepharoplasty?

Are You the Ideal Candidate for a Brow Lift?

Good candidates for a brow lift have drooping brows that make them look tired or unhappy, often with deep horizontal forehead lines or frown lines. They should be in good overall health and have realistic expectations about the result.

Are You the Right Candidate for Eyelid Surgery?

Good candidates for upper or lower blepharoplasty have under-eye bags or sagging upper eyelid skin that makes them look tired. They should be in good health, not smoke, and have realistic expectations. Eyelid surgery at The Naderi Center is a cosmetic procedure, and at your consultation Dr. Naderi will tell you whether the eyelids, the brow or both are the real issue.

How These Procedures Impact Your Facial Appearance

Brow Lift: Enhancing Upper Facial Aesthetics

Enhances facial expression and identity
Repositions the forehead and brow skin and muscles
Lifts sagging eyebrows
Smooths forehead creases
Results in an alert and rested appearance

Blepharoplasty: Focusing on the Eyes

Focuses on enhancing facial expression
Surgically addresses eyelids
Removes excess loose skin and fat
Defines the eye area more clearly
Revitalizes appearance

Book a Consultation

Thinking about eyelid surgery? Meet Dr. Shervin Naderi, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, at our offices in Reston, VA and Chevy Chase, MD.

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Call Reston (703) 481-0002 or Chevy Chase (301) 222-2020.

Should You Combine a Brow Lift with Blepharoplasty?

When to Consider Combining Brow and Eyelid Surgery

Combining a brow lift with blepharoplasty makes sense when both the forehead and the eyelids have dropped, because treating only one area can leave the upper face out of balance. Whether you need both is decided at your consultation.

In Dr. Naderi’s experience, about 9 out of 10 older patients who come in for upper eyelid surgery also need their brow reset. What feels like extra eyelid skin is very often a brow that has dropped, and removing eyelid skin alone can pull a low brow down even further. That is why he examines your brows, eyelids and forehead together at your consultation.

Advantages of Combining Brow Lift and Blepharoplasty

Undergoing both a brow lift and blepharoplasty can offer several benefits:

The brows and eyelids are improved together, so the upper face looks balanced.
One recovery period instead of two separate ones.
One operation and one anesthesia instead of two.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I need a brow lift or eyelid surgery?

If your brows have dropped, what looks like extra eyelid skin is often the brow pushing down on the lid. In Dr. Naderi’s experience, about 9 out of 10 older patients who come in for upper eyelid surgery also need their brow reset. He examines your brows, eyelids and forehead together before recommending either one.

Can a brow lift and eyelid surgery be done at the same time?

Yes. When both the brows and the eyelids have dropped, the two are often combined in one operation under general anesthesia at Prince William Surgery Center, so you go through one recovery instead of two.

How long is recovery from a brow lift or eyelid surgery?

Most patients are back at work in 1 to 2 weeks after either surgery. After eyelid surgery, most people look presentable in about 10 to 14 days, and strenuous exercise waits about a month.

Will a brow lift make me look surprised?

It shouldn’t. Dr. Naderi’s endo-style brow lift releases the tissues and resets the brow to where it used to be instead of pulling it up, so patients look rested rather than surprised.

When will I see the final results?

Eyelid surgery results settle in at about 3 to 6 months. After a brow lift, it usually takes about 3 months to feel comfortable with the result.

How to Choose the Right Procedure for Your Needs

Dr. Naderi takes the time to understand your goals and what bothers you about your upper face.

Depending on what he finds, he may recommend a brow lift, eyelid surgery, both, or neither, and he will explain why.

Not sure whether you need a brow lift or eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)? Consult with Dr. Shervin Naderi to find the right plan for you.

Dr. Naderi is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who performs every brow lift and eyelid surgery under general anesthesia at Prince William Surgery Center. You can meet him at The Naderi Center for Plastic Surgery and Dermatology in Reston, VA, or Chevy Chase, MD, or start with a virtual consultation.

See the Doctor

Questions about what you just read? Ask Dr. Naderi in person. Book a consultation in Reston or Chevy Chase, or start with a virtual consultation from home.

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