How Do Sub-Brow Lift Scars Change Over Time?

“Won’t a sub-brow lift leave a very noticeable scar?”

This is one of the things patients are most curious about when consulting about a sub-brow lift.

A sub-brow lift involves making an incision just below the eyebrow and pulling the sagging upper-eyelid skin upward.

Therefore, many people considering the procedure worry that the incision line may be highly visible.

However, the incision line from a sub-brow lift gradually settles over time,

and in many cases becomes less noticeable as it blends naturally with the eyebrow hairs.

• How Is a Sub-Brow Lift Different from Upper Blepharoplasty? -

An important feature of a sub-brow lift, unlike upper blepharoplasty, is that it does not directly involve incising the existing double-eyelid crease.

Sub-brow lift. Under-brow lift. Lower-brow lift. Middle-aged eye surgery. Sub-brow lift incision. Sub-brow lift scar.

Upper blepharoplasty involves removing skin from the upper eyelid

and, when necessary, creating a new double-eyelid crease or revising the existing crease.

In contrast, a sub-brow lift approaches the area from below the eyebrow and lifts the sagging upper-eyelid skin upward.

Sub-brow lift procedure. Under-brow lift procedure. Lower-brow lift procedure. Source: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

• If you want to preserve the existing double-eyelid crease as much as possible, or

• do not want to undergo a new double-eyelid procedure, but

• want to improve sagging of the upper eyelid,

A sub-brow lift may be a good option.

It is particularly commonly performed for people who experience a heavy feeling around the eyes as the upper eyelids sag with age,

but want to maintain the natural shape of their existing double eyelids.

• Early-60s Woman, Before and After a Sub-Brow Lift -

This case involved a woman in her early 60s.

Before surgery, the upper-eyelid skin had sagged with age and was seen covering the eyes.

Before and after a sub-brow lift. Sub-brow lift review. Before and after an under-brow lift. Before and after a lower-brow lift. This is a partial-face model who consented to publication.

The sagging upper-eyelid skin was lifted upward through a sub-brow lift,

and after surgery, the eyes appeared more open and defined.

The important point is that the sagging skin was improved without significantly changing the shape of the double-eyelid crease.

• How Does a Sub-Brow Lift Scar Change After Surgery? -

In this case, changes in the scar could be observed at 1, 2, and 3 months after surgery.

Sub-brow lift scar. Changes in a sub-brow lift scar. Recovery after a sub-brow lift. Under-brow lift scar. Lower-brow lift scar. This is a partial-face model who consented to publication.

After 1 month

At around 1 month, a slight reddish tint remains in the scar.

The tissue around the incision has also not yet become completely soft, so the area may appear slightly lumpy.

At this stage, the wound at the surgical site has healed, but the scar-tissue response is at its most pronounced.

After 2 months

At around 2 months, the redness of the scar gradually decreases, and the incision line becomes noticeably less visible.

The surrounding tissue also gradually softens, and the overall appearance begins to look more natural.

Because the incision is located directly below the eyebrow, the scar blends with the eyebrow hairs and becomes even less noticeable.

Therefore, in many cases, the scar does not significantly interfere with daily life after only about 2 months of recovery.

After 3 months

By the third month, the scar becomes more stable.

After 3 months, the scar is barely noticeable unless it is closely and carefully examined.

In particular, the eyebrow hairs blend naturally with the incision line, making the signs of surgery even less apparent.

Scars continue to change over the course of several months after surgery.

In general, redness and firmness may appear during the early postoperative period,

and the scar gradually stabilizes as collagen is rearranged and the tissue softens over time.

Therefore, the maturation process of a sub-brow lift scar may continue for approximately 6 months to 1 year.

Although this case already showed a considerably natural appearance at 3 months,

the color and texture of the scar may become even more similar to the surrounding skin as more time passes.

Because the incision in a sub-brow lift is located directly below the eyebrow, the shape and hairs of the eyebrow,

as well as the boundary of the skin, have the advantage of naturally concealing the scar.

Therefore, rather than judging the result based only on the scar immediately after surgery,

it is important to allow sufficient time for the scar to mature and stabilize.

Scar maturation process. Scar remodeling process. Scar-tissue maturation.

A scar is not completed on the day of surgery; it is the result of a process that develops over several months.

For all surgeries, not only sub-brow lifts, the scar maturation and remodeling process should be understood as

a natural part of recovery that every patient goes through.

Sub-brow lift review. Before and after a sub-brow lift. Sub-brow lift in the 60s. Under-brow lift in the 60s. This is a partial-face model who consented to publication.