Is a Brow Lift Painful?

Most patients describe brow lift surgery as surprisingly comfortable. Local anesthesia or sedation ensures that you remain relaxed and pain-free throughout the procedure. Mild soreness, tightness, or numbness may occur postoperatively, but these symptoms are temporary and manageable with prescribed medication and cool compresses.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

Patients attend one preoperative consultation, their surgery appointment, and several follow-up visits to monitor healing. Dr. Harley also provides his personal cell phone number for follow-up phone calls and text messages after the procedure. This approach ensures not only that the procedure is tailored to your specific anatomy, but also that you receive aftercare that supports your results developing beautifully and safely.

How Long Until I See Results?

With brow lift procedures, the initial result is slightly overcorrected and will settle over time. Early improvements can be seen within one to two weeks as swelling subsides, with final results emerging after several months once tissues fully settle. The outcome is a smoother forehead, elevated brows, and a refreshed, naturally youthful expression that can last a decade or longer with proper skincare and sun protection.

Can I Combine a Brow Lift With Other Procedures?

Yes. Most patients combine a brow lift with procedures such as eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), a facelift and neck lift, or a resurfacing procedure for a more intensive facial rejuvenation. Dr. Harley can design a tailored treatment plan to enhance multiple areas while maintaining natural harmony and proportion.

What Are the Risks Associated With a Brow Lift?

When performed by an experienced, double board-certified surgeon like Dr. Harley, complications are rare. However, as with any surgery, risks may include temporary numbness, mild asymmetry, or scarring. Dr. Harley’s experience and commitment to patient safety minimize these risks and ensure the best possible aesthetic outcome.

Cashiers, North Carolina

Brow Lift

Introduction

Introduction to Brow Lift

Do people keep asking if you’re tired, even when you’ve had a full night’s sleep? Or maybe you’ve noticed that your expression in the mirror doesn’t match how energized or happy you feel. As we age, gravity, sun exposure, and repetitive facial movements gradually pull the brows downward, creating drooping skin, deep forehead lines, and a heavy or stern look that can make you appear older or even upset when you’re not.

A brow lift can be the subtle, transformative change that brings your natural vitality back to the surface. At the practice of Dr. David Harley, located in Cashiers, NC (close to Asheville, NC, and Greenville, SC, area) every brow lift is performed to enhance your unique features. Whether you want to rejuvenate your look or address more subtle drooping, he’ll help you achieve harmony and lift that elevates your overall appearance.

What is a Brow Lift?

A brow lift, also known as a forehead lift, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that elevates the brow and smooths forehead creases. By tightening the underlying tissues and repositioning the skin, Dr. Harley restores balance to the upper face, particularly around the eyes and temples. The procedure not only reduces deep horizontal lines but also corrects frown lines between the brows and lifts sagging skin that may contribute to hooded eyelids, which results in a softer, more youthful, and naturally alert appearance.

Types of Brow Lift Procedures We Offer

This approach, also known as a trichophytic brow lift, places the incision just behind the hairline and is ideal for patients who want to avoid noticeable scarring. The transfollicular technique provides a lift of the entire brow and forehead. The incision for this procedure allows hair to grow through the incision line, camouflaging it while providing an effective lift and wrinkle reduction.

Who Are the Best Candidates For a Brow Lift?

Ideal candidates for a brow lift are healthy adults with low or uneven brows, for whom Botox may no longer give a youthful look. Many prospective patients complain of forehead wrinkles, and often they cite a heavy, tired, unhappy, or unapproachable expression. Those with a flat brow may desire a more youthful appearing arched brow. Dr. Harley will assess your facial structure, hairline position, and overall goals to determine which technique best complements your features. In addition, patients considering eyelid surgery often benefit from combining both procedures for comprehensive upper-face rejuvenation, and Dr. Harley will discuss this option with you as well.

What Are the Benefits of a Brow Lift?

A brow lift enhances more than just the forehead; it revitalizes your entire expression. Benefits include smoother forehead lines, reduced frown lines, and improved brow position for a more awake, youthful appearance. Many patients also notice improved symmetry between the eyes and brows, and an overall brighter, friendlier facial aesthetic. For some, the lift can even improve peripheral vision previously obscured by sagging skin.

What’s the First Step?

You will need to start with a private in-person or virtual consultation with Dr. Harley. This one-on-one process will allow the doctor to carefully analyze your facial anatomy, discuss your aesthetic goals, and review all surgical options, including incision placement, anesthesia, and expected outcomes. The consultation and discussion with Dr. Harley helps ensure that your surgical plan is personalized, safe, and aligned with your vision for natural, long-lasting rejuvenation.

For nearly 20 years, the practice of Dr. David Harley has been a destination practice. As a patient, you will be fully supported and fully connected throughout the process and beyond. Your journey will begin with a consultation, whether virtual, via telephone, or in person, followed by a trip to Cashiers, NC, for the procedure. Our concierge-type practice provides white glove service from beginning to end. You will be assisted with any questions you might have regarding travel arrangements and accommodations.

What to Expect on the Day of Brow Lift Surgery

On the day of your procedure, Dr. Harley and his team will welcome you into their state-of-the-art facility and help you settle into a comfortable surgical suite, answering any last-minute questions and reviewing your individualized care plan. You will then receive oral sedation combined with local anesthesia, which helps keep you asleep and numb throughout your procedure.

The procedure will go by quickly for you, since you will be relaxed and asleep, and you will have no pain. Once the procedure is completed, you will be awakened and a soft elastic dressing will be applied. Your caregiver, hopefully a friend or family member, will transport you to your local accomodations, where you will relax comfortably and rest until your follow-up appointment the following day.

A faded, high-exposure landscape painting in soft white and grey tones, depicting a river, trees, and a distant figure with sheep.

Brow Lift Recovery

Your Guide to Post-Brow Lift Care

After surgery, mild swelling, bruising, and tightness are common for the first week. Dr. Harley provides detailed aftercare guidance, including how to manage swelling, when to return to work, and which activities to avoid temporarily.

Most patients feel comfortable resuming light activities within 7–10 days, though complete healing and final results continue to refine over several weeks.

Once swelling subsides, after a full recovery of approximately 6-8 weeks, you’ll notice smoother skin, lifted brows, and a naturally lifted and youthful appearance for years to come.

Brow Lift Cost

The cost of your brow lift will depend on your individual characteristics and goals, as well as the complexity of your case. After your consultation, Dr. Harley’s team will provide a detailed quote based on your exact treatment plan.

Why Choose Dr. Harley?

Dr. David Harley’s reputation makes him a trusted name in facial rejuvenation throughout the Asheville, NC, and Greenville, SC, areas and beyond. As a double board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon affiliated with the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ABO-HNS) and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS), his dual expertise ensures both cosmetic excellence and medical integrity. Patients value his attention to detail, natural aesthetic sensibility, and commitment to individualized care.

Dr. Harley, wearing a black surgical cap and face mask, adjusts a pair of specialized surgical loupes with integrated lighting on his head.

Brow Lift FAQ’S

Patients attend one preoperative consultation, their surgery appointment, and several follow-up visits to monitor healing. Dr. Harley also provides his personal cell phone number for follow-up phone calls and text messages after the procedure. This approach ensures not only that the procedure is tailored to your specific anatomy, but also that you receive aftercare that supports your results developing beautifully and safely.
With brow lift procedures, the initial result is slightly overcorrected and will settle over time. Early improvements can be seen within one to two weeks as swelling subsides, with final results emerging after several months once tissues fully settle. The outcome is a smoother forehead, elevated brows, and a refreshed, naturally youthful expression that can last a decade or longer with proper skincare and sun protection.

Schedule Your Consultation

If you’ve noticed that your expression doesn’t reflect your energy or confidence, it may be time to consider a brow lift with Dr. Harley. We encourage patients across Cashiers, NC, Asheville, NC, and Greenville, SC, to schedule their consultation today. Give us a call or fill out our online intake form to get started.

Accessibility: If you are vision-impaired or have some other impairment covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act or a similar law, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to using this website, please contact our Accessibility Manager at (828) 547-0234