What Is Endoscopic Brow Lift?
Endoscopic brow lift is a brow and forehead lifting technique performed through small incisions within the scalp. Depending on the hair pattern and whether a temporal lift is also added, between 2 and 5 incisions are usually made within the hair, each approximately 2–3 cm long. These incisions are not in a visible area; because they remain within the hair, the scars usually go unnoticed.
Through these incisions, the tissues are released down to the level of the forehead and brow. With the help of the endoscope, the work is performed in a controlled way while protecting the nerves that move the brow and the sensory nerves of the forehead. The brow and forehead are then elevated and fixed to the skull.
Which Fixation Method Do You Use?
There are different fixation methods for this technique. My preferred method is fixation with an absorbable system of the Endotine / Endochor type.
This has several important advantages:
- it is more controlled and safer than classical drill-hole fixation methods
- the likelihood of damaging hair follicles is lower
- as a result, the risk of permanent hair thinning or baldness is reduced
- the system is not permanent and dissolves in about 6 months
- however, it provides sufficient fixation during the critical healing phase, especially during the first 2–3 months
In other words, it provides effective support during healing without leaving permanent foreign material in the patient.
Which Patients Is It More Suitable For?
Endoscopic brow lift is especially suitable in patients whose inner brow has descended more significantly. In particular, it can be very effective in patients with:
- inner brow descent
- crowding in the inner upper eyelid area
- a more tired, hollow, or even angry expression
- a short forehead
Its lifting strength is particularly strong in the inner brow region. It can affect the entire brow, but its strongest effect is seen in the inner portion.
In Which Patients Is It Less Suitable?
Because this method lengthens the forehead to some degree, it must be selected very carefully in patients who already have a high forehead. In patients with a long forehead, it may pull the hairline slightly farther back. For this reason, other methods may be more suitable in:
- patients who already have a high forehead
- patients who do not want the hairline to move farther back
- some patients with a tendency toward baldness
In such patients, either the lengthening of the hairline is accepted, hair transplantation may be considered later, or other methods such as brow lift combined with forehead shortening through the hairline may be preferred.
Which Part of the Brow Does It Affect Most?
Although endoscopic brow lift can affect all parts of the brow, its strongest effect is seen in the inner part. It does affect the outer brow as well, but its lifting strength on the outer side is more limited.
For this reason, in patients whose dominant issue is outer brow descent, it may be more appropriate to combine it with other methods to increase the effect on the outer portion. My personal approach, when needed, is to support it with the gliding brow lift technique.
Does Endoscopic Brow Lift Give a Natural Result?
Yes. Our goal is to create a natural result. What makes a result look natural or artificial is not simply the name of the technique, but the patient’s anatomy, the pattern of aging, and how the surgery is planned.
A “surprised look” or an excessively elevated brow usually does not result from raising the brow too much alone, but from lifting it in the wrong direction and in the wrong patient group. Because I use this method only in patients who truly need it and with proper planning, we do not often see exaggerated results of this kind in my practice.
In particular, if unnecessary and excessive lift is applied in the midline, a surprised appearance can occur. This is something we specifically plan to avoid.
Will It Leave a Scar?
Because the incisions are hidden within the hair, the scars are usually invisible. One of the most common questions is whether it causes hair loss.
There may be temporary, limited hair thinning of around 5% around the incisions. However, this usually improves within a few months and recovers by about 6 months at the latest. The fixation system we use reduces this risk even further.
Will the Brow Look Too High During the First Months?
During the first few months, the lifting effect may look more noticeable. Later, as the tissues settle, the brow moves into a more natural position. For this reason, the early appearance is not the same as the final result.
This is an important point that should be explained to the patient from the beginning.
Is It Performed Together with Upper Eyelid Surgery?
Yes, it is often evaluated together. In fact, it is usually not correct to think of the brow and upper eyelid independently.
In some patients, once the brow is lifted sufficiently, the heaviness of the upper eyelid also decreases and separate eyelid surgery may no longer be necessary. In other patients, the best result requires both procedures to be planned together.
Short FAQs
Does endoscopic brow lift leave a scar?
Because the incisions are within the hair, the scars are usually not visible.
Will my brows be lifted too high?
This is not expected with the right patient selection and proper planning. A surprised look is usually related to the wrong technique or the wrong vector.
Will my forehead look longer?
Yes, this method can lengthen the forehead to some degree. For this reason, it is selected carefully in patients who already have a high forehead.
Will the result look natural?
Yes. In the right patient and with proper planning, our goal is to achieve a natural result.
