Differences Between Upper Eyelid Lift and Upper Blepharoplasty, and Brow Lift Scars: Explained by a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

Hello, I’m Insoo Baek, CEO and lead surgeon at Gannet Plastic Surgery.

As interest and demand for anti-aging continue to grow, many people are looking into various youthful-looking procedures and surgeries.

I want to remove wrinkles around my eyes.

My eyes look droopy, and my impression has changed.

I want surgery, but I’d like the recovery period to be short.

...and so on. Each person has different concerns and needs.

Especially these days, many people come in already having learned a lot through blogs, YouTube, and other sources, which can make consultations easier.

One of the questions I often get during consultations is what the difference is between “upper blepharoplasty” and “brow lift.”

So today, I’d like to talk about the differences between brow lift surgery and upper blepharoplasty. ^^ It’s a short and easy post, so please focus for just 4 minutes~!

If you prefer video over text, you’re welcome to check it out in video form as well~

Causes of drooping eyelids

First, before learning about brow lift surgery, shall we look at why the eye area starts to droop?

Among all parts of the face, the eye area is where aging begins the fastest.

The skin around the eyes is the thinnest, and because there are no sebaceous glands, wrinkles tend to form more quickly.

And when the eyes start to droop, the outer area around the eyes (the part marked by the arrow in the photo above) begins to sag first.

This is because the frontalis muscle in the forehead does not extend to part of the outer brow.

As a result, the inner area does not sag much, but the outer area begins to droop and eventually affects the eye shape.

That is why many people in their 50s and older say, “My eyes are turning triangular.”

What is upper blepharoplasty?

Upper blepharoplasty is performed by removing sagging skin or fat from the drooping eyelid, pulling the muscle, and then closing the incision.

The incision is made along the upper eyelid area, and the upper blepharoplasty scar can sometimes be noticeable.

So some people feel hesitant about this surgery.

In addition, upper blepharoplasty creates a double eyelid crease during surgery.

Even people who already have a double eyelid may find that the crease is slightly modified or becomes more defined,

and people without a double eyelid may end up with a crease, so this should be considered.

That said, one advantage is that after surgery, the eyes can look clearer and more refreshed.^^ In addition to aesthetic benefits, it can also provide functional benefits such as resolving the problem of the brows poking into the eyes

or improving the ability to open the eyes.

Advantages of a brow lift

A brow lift, which is somewhat different from upper blepharoplasty, is a method of making an incision above or below the eyebrow and lifting the drooping eyelid.

When the space between the eyes and eyebrows is wide, I recommend an “underbrow lift.”

When the space between the eyes and eyebrows is narrow, I recommend an “overbrow lift.”

Rather than deciding this on your own, it is better to design the plan through consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

A brow lift can also be performed together with non-incisional double eyelid surgery (buried suture double eyelid surgery).

So if sagging skin is corrected with a brow lift and the double eyelid crease is created with buried-suture double eyelid surgery, you can get a synergistic effect that results in clearer-looking eyes.

Brow lift scars

One of the things many people ask about is the scar from a brow lift.

Brow lift scars are not as severe as many people expect.

Of course, the scar will be visible for the first 1–2 weeks, but it gradually fades,

and once the eyebrow grows back after surgery, it helps cover the area.

Because the sagging skin is addressed from beneath the eyebrow, the brow lift scar is less noticeable than with upper blepharoplasty, and recovery tends to be faster.

Also, one thing I pay close attention to during consultations is the patient’s eyebrow shape and makeup style.

Depending on how the eyebrows are filled in, or whether the patient has permanent makeup, I can carefully determine the incision line.

Especially for people with permanent makeup, the eyebrow position and shape tend to be consistent, so it is convenient to use that area as the incision site. As mentioned earlier, there is no need to worry too much about brow lift scars.

And to keep scars from remaining noticeable, careful suturing is essential.

We suture as delicately as possible so you can feel less burdened about scarring.

Brow lift vs upper blepharoplasty

That does not mean a brow lift is always better than upper blepharoplasty.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is best to make a careful decision through consultation.

To summarize, a brow lift is recommended for people who want a faster recovery

and only want a natural correction without a major change in appearance.

Upper blepharoplasty is much more helpful than an underbrow lift if there is ptosis, meaning the strength to open the eyes is weak,

or if there is a significant problem such as severe drooping of the eyelid itself.

Brow lift surgery is often performed by people in their 50s and older.

Many decide to undergo it before major family events, their children’s formal introductions, or weddings.

However, even if you are younger, if you have eye drooping depending on your features, or if eyelid sagging is blocking your field of vision, you may consider a brow lift that can bring about a natural change.

As for which of these surgeries is right for you and will be most helpful,

please be sure to decide after consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

<Before and after brow lift at Gannet Plastic Surgery>

<Before surgery - After surgery (1 month)>

<View related brow lift article>

This has been Insoo Baek, director of Gannet Plastic Surgery.

Thank you for reading this long post.^^

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