Upper Blepharoplasty vs Sub-Brow Lift vs Brow Lift vs Forehead Lift — Complete Guide
Introduction
Aging, genetics, and repetitive facial expression all contribute to changes around the eyes and brow area — including sagging eyelids, heavy brows, wrinkles, and tired appearance. In Korea, surgeons use multiple surgical options to rejuvenate the upper face and eye area, each targeting different structures.
This guide compares:
- Upper Blepharoplasty
- Sub-Brow Lift
- Brow Lift
- Forehead Lift
so you can understand what each does, who it helps most, how it’s done, recovery, and results.
Anatomy Recap: What’s the Difference?
Before diving in, here’s a quick map:
- Eyelid (Lid) → skin just above lashes
- Brow / Eyebrow → bony ridge above eyelid
- Forehead → higher region including glabella and brow muscles
Sagging in these areas may come from:
✔ Excess eyelid skin
✔ Low or drooping brow position
✔ Weak forehead muscle tone
✔ Combination aging changes
1) Upper Blepharoplasty (Upper Eyelid Surgery)
🔎 What It Is
Upper blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that removes excess upper eyelid skin and/or fat and defines the eyelid fold. It’s commonly used to improve vision obstruction, hooded lids, and heaviness.
🛠 How It’s Done
✔ Incision placed within the natural eyelid crease
✔ Excess skin removed
✔ Fat may be trimmed or repositioned
✔ Muscle and support tissue refined
🧑⚕️ Ideal Candidates
- Hooded or heavy upper eyelids
- Excess eyelid skin overlapping lashes
- No significant forehead or brow descent
- Vision obstruction due to eyelid skin
🎯 What It Improves
✔ Eyelid hooding
✔ Defined eyelid crease
✔ Refreshed and open-looking eyes
✔ Improved visual field in some cases
❌ Limitations
Does not lift the brow or treat forehead wrinkles.
📌 Downtime
• Mild swelling/bruising: ~1–2 weeks
• Return to daily: ~1 week
2) Sub-Brow Lift (Partial Brow Lift)
🔎 What It Is
A sub-brow lift elevates the area just under the eyebrow (mainly at the outer or lateral brow) to reduce sagging without lifting the whole brow or forehead.
🛠 How It’s Done
✔ Small incision beneath the brow
✔ Tissue beneath brow elevated
✔ Secured to deeper structures for lift
🧑⚕️ Ideal Candidates
- Mild lateral brow droop
- Brow center sits well
- Minimal forehead wrinkles
- Concern is mainly outer brow sag and lid hooding
🎯 What It Improves
✔ Lifts outer brow tail
✔ Reduces mild upper-lid hooding
✔ Improves eye openness laterally
❌ Limitations
• Minimal effect on mid or inner brow
• Does not tighten entire forehead
📌 Downtime
• Mild swelling/bruising: ~5–10 days
• Faster return than full brow lift
3) Brow Lift (Eyebrow Lift)
🔎 What It Is
A brow lift is surgery that elevates the entire brow (inner, middle, lateral) to a more youthful position, indirectly improving eyelid hooding and eye openness.
🛠 How It’s Done
Common methods include:
- Endoscopic brow lift (hidden incisions behind hairline)
- Temporal/brow incision (near hairline or scalp)
Brow muscles are suspended higher, improving brow position and reducing sagging.
🧑⚕️ Ideal Candidates
- Global brow descent
- Heavy brow that pushes lid skin down
- Tired, aged eye expression
- Mild forehead lines
🎯 What It Improves
✔ Brow position all around
✔ Eye openness
✔ Some forehead creases
✔ Better balance between brow & eyelid
❌ Limitations
• Does not remove eyelid skin directly (may combine with blepharoplasty)
📌 Downtime
• Swelling/bruising: ~10–14 days
• Return to normal: ~1–2 weeks
4) Forehead Lift (Also Called Brow-Forehead Lift)
🔎 What It Is
A forehead lift is a more extensive brow correction that treats brow descent + forehead wrinkles + frown lines.
Sometimes the terms “brow lift” and “forehead lift” are used interchangeably, but in practice:
- Brow lift focuses on brow position
- Forehead lift addresses brow + forehead skin and muscle comprehensively
🛠 How It’s Done
✔ Incisions along hairline or in scalp (endoscopic or open)
✔ Muscles and tissues repositioned
✔ Excess skin addressed
🧑⚕️ Ideal Candidates
- Sagging brow with forehead lines
- Deep frown lines
- Heavy hooding due to brow + muscle descent
- Desire combined forehead and brow smoothing
🎯 What It Improves
✔ Brow height
✔ Forehead wrinkles
✔ Glabellar (frown) lines
✔ Lateral crow’s feet mildly
❌ Limitations
• May be overkill for minimal brow descent
📌 Downtime
• Similar to brow lift, slightly longer if open technique
• 10–21 days noticeable swelling
🆚 Side-by-Side Comparison
FeatureUpper BlepharoplastySub-Brow LiftBrow LiftForehead LiftPrimary TargetEyelid skinOuter browFull browBrow + ForeheadBest forHooded lidsMild outer sagGlobal brow sagBrow + forehead agingIncision LocationEyelid creaseUnder browHairline/templeHairline/temple/scalpRemoves Skin?Yes (eyelid)NoNoYes (forehead)Improves Forehead Lines❌❌Some✔DowntimeShortShort-moderateModerateModerate-longCombination with OtherCommonOftenOftenOften
Choosing the Right Option
If your main issue is excess upper eyelid skin
➡️ Upper blepharoplasty
If your brow is mostly in place but droops slightly at the outer tail
➡️ Sub-brow lift
If your brow is low or heavy overall
➡️ Brow lift
If you have brow sag + forehead wrinkles
➡️ Forehead lift
Combinations often used
✔ Brow lift + upper blepharoplasty
✔ Sub-brow lift + upper blepharoplasty
✔ Forehead lift + brow lift + eyelid surgery (complex aging)
Recovery & Results Timeline
- Upper Blepharoplasty: Swelling ~7–10 days; final results ~2–3 months
- Sub-Brow Lift: Swelling ~5–10 days; results ~1–2 months
- Brow Lift: Swelling ~10–14 days; results ~3–4 months
- Forehead Lift: Swelling ~10–21 days; results ~3–6 months
Final contour continues to refine over months.
Safety & Decision Tips
✔ Request pre-surgery imaging or simulation
✔ Clarify incision placement and scar expectations
✔ Evaluate brow vs eyelid contribution to sagging
✔ Choose a surgeon experienced in all four techniques
Final Thoughts
These four procedures target related but distinct anatomic and aesthetic issues. The right choice depends on where the sagging begins, skin excess location, brow position, and forehead dynamics, not just how the eyes look superficially.
