BROW LIFT SURGERY

BROW LIFT SURGERY

Forehead Lift  |  Browplasty  |  San Francisco, CA

 Shahin Javaheri, MD

Double Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon  |  2nd Generation  |  Implant Specialist & Surgeon Trainer

28+ Years Experience  |  4,000+ Procedures  |  Fellow ASPS & ASAPS  |  ABPS Certified

2100 Webster Street, Suite 502  |  San Francisco, CA 94115  |  (415) 923-3800  |  sfplasticsurgeon.com

Overview

A brow lift — also known as a forehead lift or browplasty — is a surgical procedure that elevates and repositions a descended forehead and brow. When performed by an expert, it reshapes the entire emotional impression your face communicates.

A descended brow compresses the eyelid space, creating the appearance of hooding. It causes horizontal forehead creases from constantly trying to compensate and creates the ‘eleven lines’ between the brows from descending corrugator muscles. The effect is a face that reads as perpetually tired, stressed, or older than its years.

What Dr. Javaheri restores is not just height — it’s the open, rested, alert quality that characterizes a youthful upper face. Every technique is selected based on your unique anatomy, hairline height, and degree of brow descent.

 

The Science: The Facial Thirds Framework Ideal facial harmony divides the face into three equal horizontal thirds: hairline to brow, brow to nose, nose to chin. When the upper third loses its proportion due to brow descent, the entire face appears imbalanced. A brow lift directly restores this foundational ratio — reharmonizing every other facial feature in the process. This scientific framework is why Dr. Javaheri never treats the brow in isolation; he designs every plan with total facial harmony in mind.

 

 What a Brow Lift Addresses

• Descended or sagging brow position that makes you look tired, angry, or the “worried” look
• Horizontal forehead wrinkles and creases
• Vertical frown lines between the brows
• Upper eyelid hooding caused by brow descent (not excess eyelid skin)
• A chronically heavy, stern, or aged upper facial expression
• Genetically low or heavy brows in younger patients

 What It Does NOT Address

A brow lift does not address excess upper eyelid skin (that requires blepharoplasty), mid-face aging, or nasolabial folds. Dr. Javaheri will always be transparent about what brow lifting can and cannot achieve — and will recommend complementary procedures where they truly serve your goals. 

Surgical Techniques

Dr. Javaheri offers two main brow lift approaches. The right technique depends on your anatomy, hairline height, degree of brow descent, and aesthetic goals. All are discussed in detail during your consultation.

1. Temporal Brow Lift

Targeted Lateral Elevation — Outer Brow Focus

The temporal brow lift uses incisions hidden in the temple hairline to specifically elevate the outer (lateral) portion of the brow — addressing the characteristic ‘drooping tails’ that develop as we age. It’s a more targeted procedure, ideal when the medial brow is well-positioned but the outer corners have descended.

This technique can dramatically open the outer eye area, reduce hooding on the lateral upper lids, and restore a youthful arc to the brow without affecting the medial brow position. Particularly effective when combined with upper blepharoplasty.

Quick Specs

Duration	45 min – 1.5 hours
Anesthesia	IV Sedation or Local
Return to Work	5 – 8 days
Strenuous Activity	2 – 3 weeks
Longevity	5 – 8 years
Incisions	2 small incisions in temple hairline

 

Ideal For: Patients with isolated lateral brow descent. Excellent when combined with upper eyelid surgery. Works well for younger patients with early aging signs and those wanting a subtle, targeted result.

2. Hairline (Direct) Brow Lift

Maximum Correction — Forehead Reduction Option

The hairline brow lift places the incision along the anterior hairline rather than behind it. This allows Dr. Javaheri to lift the brow while simultaneously shortening a long or high forehead — a unique capability no other technique offers.

While it does leave a scar along the hairline, this scar is meticulously placed and heals remarkably well in most patients. It’s the best choice for patients with a high forehead who want to avoid the risk of further elevating their hairline, or for those with very significant brow descent requiring maximum correction.

Quick Specs

Duration	2 – 2.5 hours
Anesthesia	General Anesthesia
Return to Work	10 – 14 days
Strenuous Activity	4 – 6 weeks
Longevity	10 – 15 years
Incisions	Single incision along anterior hairline

 

Ideal For: Patients with high or long foreheads, significant brow ptosis requiring maximum correction, or those who want to shorten forehead height while lifting. Also well-suited for patients with fine, fair hair where hairline scars are less visible.

Ideal Candidates

Good candidates share one common thread: a mismatch between how they look and how they feel inside. The brow reads as tired, angry, or aged while the person feels energized and vital.

Classic Candidate (Ages 40–65)

Women and men with visible brow descent, horizontal forehead creases, and/or upper eyelid crowding caused by a fallen brow. Often told they look ‘tired’ or ‘angry’ despite feeling neither.

Younger Patient (Hereditary Low Brow)

Patients in their 30s (or younger) with a genetically low or heavy brow inherited from family. For these patients, a brow lift is corrective rather than rejuvenative.

Male Patients

Men who want to look less tired without losing a masculine appearance. Dr. Javaheri preserves the natural male brow anatomy — lower, flatter, and more powerful in character — while delivering a refreshed result that never appears feminized.

Patients of Diverse Ethnic Backgrounds

Dr. Javaheri tailors every brow lift to respect and enhance your natural ethnic facial identity. Different backgrounds carry different aesthetic ideals for brow position, shape, and arch — and he is experienced in honoring all of them.

The Botox-Plateau Patient

Patients who have relied on Botox brow lifts for years and find they’re no longer achieving the same elevation, or that the ongoing cost makes a surgical solution more practical and permanent.

The Dr. Javaheri Difference

With 28+ years of surgical experience, double board certification, and the unique perspective of a second-generation plastic surgeon, Dr. Javaheri brings a depth of understanding to brow lift surgery that most surgeons simply cannot match.

 

Why Patients Choose Dr. Javaheri for Brow Lift Surgery 2nd Generation Legacy — Plastic surgery runs in his family. His intuitive mastery was shaped before medical school, by a lifetime of immersion in the craft. Nationally Recognized Surgeon Implant Trainer — When other plastic surgeons want to learn advanced techniques, they come to Dr. Javaheri. The standard he teaches is the standard he delivers. Facial Harmony Focus — He never treats the brow in isolation. Every plan account for the eyes, lids, mid-face, and overall composition. Double Board-Certified —ASPS and ASAPS. Natural Results Only — His brow lifts are calibrated so patients look refreshed, never ‘worked on.’ Personal Continuity — He performs every procedure himself and sees every patient through the entire journey — consultation, surgery, recovery, and beyond.

 

Procedures That Pair with a Brow Lift

The face is a unified composition. Dr. Javaheri frequently combines brow lift surgery with other procedures in a single session — maximizing results while minimizing total recovery time.

1. Upper Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

The most natural pairing. A brow lift elevates the brow; blepharoplasty removes excess upper eyelid skin. Together, they completely rejuvenate the eye area — opening the gaze and restoring a bright, youthful appearance that neither procedure alone fully achieves.

2. Facelift (Rhytidectomy)

A facelift addresses the mid and lower face; a brow lift addresses the upper third. Combined, they deliver complete facial rejuvenation — a balanced, naturally youthful result treating every zone of the face as a single aesthetic whole.

3. Fat Transfer to Face

Aging involves volume loss as well as descent. After lifting the brow, targeted fat grafting to the temples, upper lids, and brow area restores the subtle fullness of youth — completing the rejuvenation with dimension, not just elevation.

4. Non-Surgical Maintenance (Botox, Fillers, Opus Plasma)

Following surgery, strategic Botox maintains results by relaxing the muscles responsible for brow descent — significantly extending the longevity of your surgical outcome. Opus Plasma RF Microneedling can also improve forehead skin texture and fine lines as a complementary treatment.

Recovery Timeline

Recovery from a brow lift is typically easier and faster than patients expect. The following timeline reflects the endoscopic technique. Hairline brow lifts require approximately 2–4 additional days at each stage.

 

Surgery Day	1.5–2 hour procedure under general anesthesia or IV sedation. Mild discomfort, tightness, and swelling begin.
Days 1–3	Peak swelling and bruising. Cold compresses, head elevation, and rest are priorities. Prescription pain management.
Days 4–7	Swelling subsides significantly. Bruising fades. Sutures/staples removed at first post-op appointment. Most patients feel comfortable socially.
Days 7–14	Return to work (in-person or remote). Residual swelling is mild. Scalp numbness/itching is normal and resolves over weeks.
Weeks 3–6	All restrictions lifted. Full exercise, social events, and normal activity resumed. Result looking excellent.
3–6 Months	All swelling resolved. Final, complete result visible — a rested, open, beautifully proportioned upper face.

 

* Timeline varies by patient. Dr. Javaheri provides a personalized recovery plan based on your specific procedure and lifestyle.

Brow Lift for Men: A Different Approach

The male brow requires a fundamentally different surgical philosophy than the female brow. While the ideal female brow arches above the orbital rim with a defined peak, the ideal male brow sits at or just at the orbital rim with a horizontal or gently arched shape — flatter, lower, and more powerful in character.

Performing a standard brow lift on a male patient without accounting for this distinction results in a feminized, surprised, or unnatural appearance. Dr. Javaheri has performed countless male brow lifts — and his results are celebrated precisely because patients look refreshed, rested, and definitively masculine.

“Men come to me because they’re tired of looking tired. They don’t want to look younger — they want to look as vital as they feel. That requires understanding masculine facial anatomy at a level most surgeons simply don’t prioritize.”

— Shahin Javaheri, MD

Patient Experiences

★★★★★

“I put this off for years, convinced I’d look ‘done.’ Dr. Javaheri explained exactly how he approaches male brows differently. Three months out — people keep telling me I look great. Nobody has guessed surgery.”

Robert M.

Endoscopic Brow Lift — Male Patient

★★★★★

“I had my brow lift combined with upper eyelid surgery. The transformation was incredible — I look 10–12 years younger but completely natural. Dr. Javaheri’s attention to my specific face was unlike anything I’d experienced.”

Carolyn T.

Endoscopic Brow Lift + Upper Blepharoplasty

★★★★★

“I had a genetically low, heavy brow that made me look perpetually angry. I was only 34. Dr. Javaheri was the first surgeon who truly understood what I was dealing with and how to fix it without making me look overdone.”

Priya S.

Hairline Brow Lift — Hereditary Low Brow

Schedule a Private Consultation

Your consultation with Dr. Javaheri is a private with no pressure, no obligation. You’ll discuss your goals, learn which brow lift technique best suits your anatomy, and leave with a clear, honest picture of what’s possible for you.

 

Contact Information Office: 2100 Webster Street, Suite 502, San Francisco, CA 94115 Phone: (415) 923-3800 Email: info@sfplasticsurgeon.com Website: sfplasticsurgeon.com Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Saturday by appointment   All consultations are strictly confidential.

 Document prepared for Shahin Javaheri, MD — SF Plastic Surgery Center — San Francisco, CA 94115