As individuals age, the suspensory structures around the periorbital area begin to relax. The result can be a drooping of the eyelids and the position of the eyebrows. Patients who present to have their eyes done are often informed that a significant part of their upper eyelid problem is directly related to their drooping brows. In blepharoplasty excessively redundant skin from the upper and lower eyelids is removed.

In patients with drooping or ptotic eyebrows, the eyebrow position needs to be re-elevated and stabilized first by a brow lift procedure to prevent the brow from being essentially pulled lower by the upper eyelid skin excision. Not every patient that presents for blepharoplasty needs a brow lift, but in the patient who does, it can make all the difference in the quality of the final result of their periorbital cosmetic surgery. Years ago, most brow lifts were performed through large open incisions immediately behind the anterior hairline.

Today brow lifts are more often performed either endoscopically or through two or three small limited incisions in the hair line. The procedure itself involves freeing up the retaining structures around the eyebrows, lifting the brows to the correct level and securing the brows in their new position often with dissolvable devices. Post operatively patients experience some periorbital swelling for the first week but discomfort is minimal. Patients recovering from brow lift and blepharoplasty can usually return to most social and work activities within two weeks.