Brow lift

A brow lift raises the eyebrow area, making the patient’s eyes appear more open and alert. If you are looking for a moderate lift of around 1–2 millimetres, this can often be achieved by injecting botulinum toxin. The substance relaxes the muscle under the eyebrows, which lifts them slightly.

If more extensive treatment is required, we would recommend a surgical brow lift, which can be combined with a forehead lift if needed and desired. In the case of a simple surgical brow lift, we make an incision along the upper edge of the eyebrow and remove a narrow strip of skin before closing the wound with sutures. An alternative method is making the incision in the scalp along the patient’s hairline.

We will hold an extensive consultation with you to discuss the opportunities, risks and steps involved in a Botulinum Toxin treatment, taking into account your specific circumstances and your individual wishes.

On the day of the treatment, we will carefully disinfect the area to be treated and, if you wish, apply a topical numbing cream. In the next step, we use very fine needles to inject the botulinum toxin at specific points in the relevant areas of muscle below the eyebrows. The treatment takes around 15–20 minutes and takes place on an outpatient basis.

You can carefully cool the treated areas to prevent swelling. Please also follow the aftercare instructions, which we will provide before the treatment at the prevention-center in Zurich.

We will discuss whether a surgical brow lift is the best method for you during an extensive consultation. This appointment allows you to explain what you hope to achieve and find out more about the surgical treatment method, including the opportunities, risks and the precise steps involved. If you choose to have surgery, we will give you information to help you prepare, for example about taking certain medications.

In a conventional brow lift, a narrow strip of skin is removed from the upper edge of the eyebrow, with the remaining skin then sutured together. Once healed, the incision will barely be visible if you have thick eyebrows. If, however, you have thin eyebrows, the incision may be made along your hairline. This makes it almost invisible once healed and allows us to lift your eyebrows from above. The treatment lasts 1–2 hours and is performed under local anaesthetic, sedation or general anaesthetic.

In order to help the wound heal quickly, you should cool the affected areas of skin if necessary and adhere to the aftercare instructions we provide before the treatment.

If you opt for a brow lift with Botulinum Toxin, you should try not to lie on your side or your stomach for the next few hours and avoid touching or massaging the treated areas. Do not exercise or visit the sauna or solarium for 1–2 days after the treatment.

After a surgical brow lift, you should keep your upper body elevated in bed for the first few days. You should take care to prevent the treated areas from getting wet. Avoid exercise for 1–2 weeks after the operation and do not apply make-up to the treated areas for the first three weeks.

It will take several days for the botulinum toxin to take effect, so the results of the treatment will only become visible after 2–5 days.

Following a surgical brow lift, the results will be visible as soon as the swelling has receded and everything has healed. While the speed of the healing process can vary, most customers we treat at the prevention-center in Zurich find that their wounds heal within 2–3 weeks.

The effects of botulinum toxin fade over time, so the results of a brow lift using Botulinum Toxin are not permanent. Most customers at the prevention-center in Zurich find that the effects last for 3–6 months. However, refreshing and regularly repeating the treatment makes it possible to maintain the results for longer.

The results of a surgical brow lift last longer. Nevertheless, the skin’s natural ageing process may lead to the eyebrows sinking again over time. You can prolong the effects of a brow lift by following a healthy lifestyle, eating a healthy diet, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, not smoking and avoiding direct sunlight.

When administered by experienced doctors, Botulinum Toxin injections are a low-risk procedure with minimal side effects. Slight swelling, redness and bruising can develop around the puncture sites. Such symptoms can be effectively concealed with make-up and recede very quickly on their own. We use very fine needles for injections at the prevention-center in Zurich, so there is no cause for concern about scarring.

A surgical brow lift is also a safe procedure. But, as with all operations, complications can occur and include bleeding, swelling and bruising. However, any such effects will fade of their own accord within a few days. The same applies to a temporary feeling of numbness. Any post-operative pain can usually be treated effectively with standard painkillers.

That depends on the treatment method you choose. We would be happy to put a tailored offer together for you following a detailed personal consultation.