Brow Lift in Edinburgh
Brows that have started to sit lower than they used to can make the whole face look tired, even when you are not. The direct brow lift at Waterfront is a one-hour procedure under local anaesthesia — you walk in, you walk out, and the lift is visible the same day.
Contents
Overview
Brow lift Edinburgh
- TYPE OF ANAESTHETIC
Local - LENGTH OF PROCEDURE
1 hour - HOSPITAL STAY
Walk in walkout - RECOVERY
1 week off work, 4 weeks before strenuous exercise
What the procedure involves
A direct brow lift raises the eyebrows by removing a precise strip of skin (and sometimes a small amount of muscle) immediately above the brow, then closing the incision so that the scar sits hidden within the natural contour of the upper brow. At Waterfront, the procedure is performed under local anaesthesia as a walk-in, walk-out treatment.
What happens on the day:
- Preparation: the forehead and brow area are cleaned, and local anaesthesia is applied to numb the region.
- Incision: a precise incision is made directly above each eyebrow, placed in the natural contours of the brow to keep the scar discreet.
- Lifting: a measured strip of excess skin (and, where needed, a small amount of muscle) is removed, and the brow is lifted to its new position.
- Closure: the incisions are closed with fine sutures, removed at follow-up about a week later.
The procedure typically takes around one hour. Because it is done under local anaesthesia rather than general, recovery is faster and the risks associated with general anaesthesia do not apply. The lift is visible immediately and is deliberately over-corrected at first, as the brow drops slightly over the following weeks; final position is judged at around six months.
Benefits and expected outcomes
A direct brow lift can address:
- Brows that sit lower than they used to and make the face look tired or angry when it isn’t
- Heaviness above the eye that contributes to upper-eyelid hooding
- Asymmetry between the two brows
- Forehead furrows that have deepened with brow descent
What it does not address: the upper eyelid itself. If hooding is mostly skin-related rather than brow-related, an upper eyelid procedure may be more appropriate, alone or in combination. Your consultant will be honest at the consultation about which approach (or combination) suits your face.
Before and after images
Ideal Candidates
A direct brow lift suits patients who:
- Have noticed their eyebrows sitting lower than they used to
- Feel they look tired or angry when they are not, because of brow position
- Want a more lasting result than non-surgical options can give
- Are in good general health with realistic expectations about a subtle, not dramatic, change
A consultation is a conversation, not a commitment to surgery. If we feel a brow lift is not the right answer for you — for example, if upper eyelid surgery or a non-surgical option would serve you better — we will say so honestly.
Risks and considerations
The direct brow lift is performed under local anaesthesia and is generally a low-risk procedure. Like any surgery, it carries a defined set of risks that any patient should understand before deciding to go ahead. These include:
- Scarring: incisions sit directly above the brow, placed in the natural contour to keep them discreet. Scars typically fade over months but are permanent. In rare cases scars can become thickened (hypertrophic) or raised (keloid).
- Asymmetry: brows may heal slightly unevenly. Careful measurement during surgery aims to minimise this, but small differences can occur.
- Changes in sensation: temporary numbness or altered sensation near the incision can occur. This usually improves over weeks to months but, rarely, can be long-lasting.
- Infection: as with any surgery, there is a small risk of infection at the incision sites.
- Bleeding or fluid collection: occasionally blood or fluid can collect under the skin and may need drainage.
- Over- or under-correction: the brow is deliberately lifted slightly higher than its final position at surgery, because it drops a little as healing progresses. In a small number of cases the final position is higher or lower than intended and a revision may be considered.
Aftercare and recovery
Your recovery is led by the consultant who performed your surgery. A nurse reviews you at one week, and your consultant sees you again once everything has settled. Between appointments, our team are available whenever you have a concern — you do not need to wait for a scheduled review. Practical guidance on dressings, activity and returning to work is in our aftercare guide.
What is the cost of a brow lift?
The guide price for a direct brow lift at Waterfront Private Hospital is from £4,400. The price includes the surgeon’s fee, the local anaesthetic, the procedure room fee, and all post-operative reviews until you are fully discharged.
Where appropriate, a brow lift can be combined with upper eyelid surgery, facelift or fat transfer to the face in the same operation. Combined procedures are quoted individually after consultation.
The full price for your individual case can only be confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery. Our consultation fee with a consultant plastic surgeon is £200.
Frequently asked questions about brow lift surgery
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my brow lift?
What exactly is a direct brow lift?
How is a direct brow lift different from other brow lift techniques?
Why is the direct brow lift performed under local anaesthesia?
How do I know if I’m a good candidate for a direct brow lift?
Are there non-surgical alternatives to a direct brow lift?
Can the procedure change my facial expression?
Can a direct brow lift help with vision problems caused by sagging eyebrows?
Can a direct brow lift be combined with other facial procedures?
How soon will I see the results of my brow lift?
Will I be able to wear makeup after my brow lift?
What if I am not happy with the result of my brow lift?
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
How much does a direct brow lift cost?
What is recovery like after a brow lift?
Recovery from a direct brow lift is relatively quick because the procedure is performed under local anaesthesia and the incisions are small.
Most patients return to desk-based work within a week. Bruising and swelling are at their most noticeable in the first few days and largely settle within two weeks. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for about four weeks. Sutures are removed at around one week.
The brow is deliberately over-corrected at surgery and will drop slightly over the following weeks. A routine post-operative review usually takes place at around six months, once the final position has settled. Your consultant is available before then if anything concerns you — they will respond directly and arrange to see you as often as needed until things are settled. There is no generic aftercare team between you and your surgeon.
Excellent care
Everyone I met at Waterfront Private Hospital was friendly, helpful and thorough, and went the extra mile, including the whole medical and admin teams which were fantastic.
Mr Will Anderson carried out my surgery with great care and professionalism and listened carefully to, and addressed, all of my concerns. Thank you!
I’ve also had excellent communication with Debbie and Janey in emails and phone calls, sometimes over weekends/on days off.
The standard of care has been superb and I would return without hesitation.
My thanks to the whole team.
Mary
Dec 2023
Author
Mr Awf Quaba, MB ChB, FRCS, GMC 3034912, is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon with over 35 years of experience and a co-founder of Waterfront Private Hospital in Edinburgh. He specialises in cosmetic facial and breast surgery, has published over 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and is a full member of BAAPS.
