Is a Sub-Brow Lift Right for You? Who Is a Good Candidate

Not everyone with sagging eyelids is a good candidate for a sub-brow lift.

It depends on the distance between the brow and the eye, forehead wrinkles, and the position of the eyebrows.

At Gangnam Seoyon Plastic Surgery, we have outlined who is and who is not a good candidate.

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■ The Short Answer

A sub-brow lift is a procedure that lifts sagging upper eyelids through an incision just below the eyebrow.

The most important criterion is a sufficiently long distance between the brow and the eye.

If this procedure is performed when the brow has already descended close to the eye,

the brow-to-eye distance becomes even shorter, which can actually make the eyes look heavy and unnatural.

Conversely, when the brow-to-eye distance is long and there is eyelid sagging,

upper blepharoplasty alone may not correct enough or may give an awkward result,

so a sub-brow lift is sometimes performed as well.

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■ What Is a Sub-Brow Lift?

In a sub-brow lift, an incision is made along the lower border of the eyebrow,

some of the sagging eyelid skin and fat is removed, and the tissue is pulled upward.

Because the incision sits right at the lower hairline of the eyebrow,

the incision line becomes naturally hidden within the brow hairs over time.

Rather than treating the eyelid skin alone, this procedure corrects the brow position together with the upper part of the eyelid,

so it works better when the eyebrow has drooped as well.

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■ Who Is a Good Candidate for a Sub-Brow Lift

You may consider a sub-brow lift if any of the following apply to you.

Your brow-to-eye distance is wide.

If, viewed from the front, there is plenty of space between the eyebrow and the eyelid line,

a natural brow-to-eye distance can be maintained even after a sub-brow lift.

Your eyebrows have descended toward the eyes and obstruct your field of vision.

As the forehead and brow muscles weaken, the eyebrow itself droops downward

and weighs down on the upper eyelid. In this situation, if only upper blepharoplasty is performed,

excessive eyelid skin would have to be excised, which can lead to an unnatural result.

Raising the brow position first with a sub-brow lift allows a more natural correction.

Upper blepharoplasty alone does not provide adequate correction.

If you have already had, or are planning to have, upper blepharoplasty and also have brow ptosis,

we will consider combining the two procedures or prioritizing a sub-brow lift.

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■ Who Is Not a Good Candidate for a Sub-Brow Lift

Sagging eyelids do not automatically mean a sub-brow lift is the right choice.

In the following cases, another approach may be more appropriate.

Your brow-to-eye distance is short.

If surgery is performed when the eyebrows already sit close to the eyes,

the brows may come down even further and weigh on the eyes, or the eyes may look heavy.

When the brow-to-eye distance is short,

a sub-brow lift can actually produce an unnatural result, so caution is needed.

If your double eyelid crease is low or asymmetric, or you have no crease at all,

upper blepharoplasty to excise skin or create a crease is the more appropriate option.

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■ Sub-Brow Lift vs. Upper Blepharoplasty: What Is the Difference?

Both procedures correct sagging upper eyelids, but the incision is placed in a different location.

Upper blepharoplasty places the incision on the upper eyelid itself (along the double eyelid crease)

and directly excises the lax, redundant eyelid skin.

It is suited to cases where the eyelid skin itself is the problem.

A sub-brow lift uses an incision below the eyebrow to lift the brow and the upper part of the eyelid together.

It is more effective when the main cause is a descended brow pressing down on the eyelid.

Because the two procedures address different causes, they are sometimes performed together.

Which procedure is right for you depends on brow position, eyelid condition, and whether you recruit your forehead muscles,

and this can only be judged through an in-person examination.

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■ Sub-Brow Lift at Gangnam Seoyon Plastic Surgery

At Gangnam Seoyon Plastic Surgery, Director Choi Dong-il personally handles every step, from consultation to surgery.

Every consultation begins by first confirming whether a sub-brow lift is truly necessary

or whether upper blepharoplasty alone would be sufficient.

To avoid overcorrection or an unnatural result,

we carefully evaluate the brow-to-eye distance, brow density, and the condition of the forehead muscles together.

Consultations can be booked by phone (02-535-8889) or through our KakaoTalk channel.

Clinic hours are 09:30–18:30 on weekdays and 09:30–16:30 on Saturdays.

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■ Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Who is a good candidate for a sub-brow lift?

A. It is suitable when the brow-to-eye distance is sufficiently long, when the brows have descended toward the eyes

and obstruct the field of vision, when upper blepharoplasty alone would not correct enough,

and when you tense your forehead or brows to open your eyes.

Q2. Why is the brow-to-eye distance so important?

A. Because a sub-brow lift lifts the tissue through an incision below the eyebrow,

the brow-to-eye distance tends to become shorter after surgery.

If the eyebrows already sit close to the eyes, the eyes may end up looking heavy

or unnatural after surgery, so this distance must always be checked beforehand.

Q3. When should upper blepharoplasty and a sub-brow lift be performed together?

A. Combining them is helpful when there is a large amount of thick skin and no double eyelid crease.

Q4. Will the scar be noticeable if my eyebrows are thin or nearly absent?

A. The more brow hair you have, the better the incision line is hidden within it.

If the brows are sparse or thin, the scar may stay visible for longer,

so it is important to discuss this thoroughly during the pre-operative consultation.

Q5. Will my eyebrow shape change after a sub-brow lift?

A. Because the incision is made below the eyebrow, the brow line itself does not change significantly.

However, as the brow is lifted, its shape may look slightly different.

Q6. Will my forehead wrinkles go away after a sub-brow lift?

A. If you have been in the habit of using your forehead muscles to help open your eyes,

correcting the sagging with a sub-brow lift can reduce how much you use those muscles, which may help prevent wrinkles.

However, forehead wrinkles that have already formed will not disappear completely with surgery alone.

Q7. How long is recovery after a sub-brow lift?

A. Stitches are removed 5–7 days after surgery.

Swelling gradually subsides over 2–3 months,

and the scar becomes naturally hidden within the eyebrow after about 3–6 months.

Q8. How do you determine during consultation whether a sub-brow lift is right for me?

A. During the consultation, we directly assess the brow-to-eye distance, brow position, the condition of the eyelid skin,

and whether you recruit your forehead muscles.

Based on this, we explain whether a sub-brow lift alone is appropriate,

whether it should be combined with upper blepharoplasty, or whether another approach would suit you better.

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Depending on the individual, side effects such as bleeding, infection, or inflammation may occur after surgery,

and satisfaction with the result is subjective and varies from person to person.

An accurate diagnosis and surgical plan should always be decided through an in-person consultation with a board-certified specialist.

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Director Choi Dong-il

Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

Current: Chief Director, Gangnam Seoyon Plastic Surgery (2015–present)

Former: Director, BK Plastic Surgery (2011–2013)

Former: Director, Regen Plastic Surgery (2013–2015)

Adjunct Professor of Plastic Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine

Chair of the Academic Committee, Eye Plastic Surgery Research Society, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

Adjunct Professor of Plastic Surgery, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital

Full Member, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

Full Member, Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Full Member, Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association

Member, International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (IPRAS)

Full Member, Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand

Full Member, Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons

Member, Academic Committee, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

Expert Reviewer, Editorial Committee, Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons: Former Director of Finance, Current Director of Information

Information and Communications Committee Member and Public Relations Committee Member, Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Full Member, Eye Plastic Surgery Research Society, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

Former Director of General Affairs, Eye Plastic Surgery Research Society, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

Full Member, Rhinoplasty Research Society, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons