A feminizing eyebrow lift raises the brows and changes their shape, moving the highest point of the arch outward and lifting the body of the brow clear of the bony rim of the eye socket. It is a short operation with a disproportionate effect on how the upper face reads.
It is rarely performed alone in facial feminization. Because reducing the brow bone allows the brows to settle lower, the lift is usually planned as part of the same operation, through the same access.
How much does a brow lift cost in 2026?
Typical market ranges for surgeon, anaesthesia and facility fees. Indicative, not quotes.
| Country | Typical range | Approx. in EUR |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $8,500 – $16,500 | €8,000 – €15,000 |
| Canada | C$11,000 – C$19,000 | €7,500 – €13,000 |
| United Kingdom | £6,000 – £10,000 | €7,000 – €12,000 |
| Turkey (Hetzner Health partner surgeons) | €1,800 – €3,000 | €1,800 – €3,000 |
| Usually included | Usually extra |
|---|---|
| Surgeon’s fee and surgical team | Flights to and from Turkey |
| General anaesthesia and anaesthetist | Hotel nights beyond the planned stay |
| Day-case theatre or one hospital night | Brow bone or forehead surgery, if added |
| Pre-operative assessment and blood tests | Eyelid surgery, if added |
| Fixation devices and dressings | Botulinum toxin maintenance later |
| Post-operative medication | Travel insurance |
| Transfers and interpreter for every appointment | Revision surgery, if it is ever needed |
About these figures: indicative ranges for budgeting, not an offer. See our Medical Disclaimer before relying on any figure here.
What is eyebrow feminization?
Brow position and shape differ measurably between typical male and female faces, and the difference is one of the features people read fastest without being able to name it.
| Feature | Typical starting point | Feminization goal |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical position | On or just below the bony orbital rim | Clearly above the rim |
| Shape | Flat, with little arch | Gently arched |
| Peak of the arch | Central, or absent | Towards the outer third, above the lateral limbus of the eye |
| Tail of the brow | Level with or below the head of the brow | Slightly higher than the head |
| Distance to the lash line | Short, contributing to a heavy look | Longer, opening the upper lid |
| Skin between brow and lid | Often hooded by a bony overhang | Smoother once the ridge is reduced and the brow lifted |
These are averages, not a specification. Faces vary, and a brow placed by formula rather than by eye looks operated on. The target is a brow that fits your own proportions.
Which technique is right?
| Endoscopic | Coronal / pretrichial | Temporal (lateral) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incisions | 3–5 short cuts behind the hairline | One long incision across the scalp | Two short cuts above the temples |
| Best for | A lift on its own | When the forehead bone is being reshaped anyway | Outer-brow droop only |
| Lift achievable | Good across the whole brow | Greatest, with full control | Outer third only |
| Numbness | Least | Most | Minimal |
| Forehead shortening | No | Yes, if pretrichial | No |
| Typical use in FFS | Standalone lift | Combined with brow bone reduction or hairline lowering | Fine-tuning |
If you are having brow bone reduction or forehead feminization, the coronal or pretrichial route is usually chosen simply because the exposure is already being made.
Who is a good candidate?
| You are likely suitable if | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Your brows sit low or flat on the orbital rim | This is what the operation corrects |
| You are having, or have had, brow bone reduction | The brow needs repositioning once its bony support is reduced |
| Your upper eyelid skin is heavy because of brow position, not lid excess | Lifting the brow treats the cause; removing lid skin treats the symptom |
| You are in good general health and do not smoke | Nicotine impairs healing along scalp incisions |
| You can stay in Turkey 8–10 days | Sutures come out on day 7–10 |
| You accept a high brow position for the first weeks | Over-correction at the start is intentional |
When should surgery be postponed or avoided?
- Dry eye or incomplete eyelid closure — raising the brow can worsen both and needs assessment first.
- Previous upper eyelid surgery where skin has already been removed — lifting the brow further may make it impossible to close the eyes comfortably.
- A very high existing hairline, if an approach behind the hairline would raise it further. Technique choice changes.
- Facial nerve weakness or asymmetry that has not been assessed.
- Uncontrolled hypertension or a clotting disorder, until stabilised.
- Ongoing nicotine use, including vapes and patches.
Order of operations matters: if you are considering both a brow lift and upper blepharoplasty, the brow should be settled first. Removing eyelid skin before the brow is lifted is the classic route to an eye that will not close properly.
What preparation is needed?
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| At enquiry | Photographs with the face relaxed and with the brows raised, front and three-quarter views |
| At planning | Assessment of brow symmetry, eyelid skin, eye closure and tear film |
| 4+ weeks before | Stop smoking, vaping and all nicotine |
| 2 weeks before | Pause aspirin, anti-inflammatories, fish oil, vitamin E and ginkgo unless advised otherwise |
| 2 weeks before | No botulinum toxin, so the surgeon assesses your true muscle balance |
| 1–4 weeks before | Pause or adjust oestrogen if your surgeon requests it |
| On arrival in Turkey | Bloods, anaesthetic review, brow position marked with you sitting upright |
How is the procedure performed?
- Brow position is marked with you sitting upright and your face relaxed, and the intended arch agreed with you.
- General anaesthesia is given; the lift alone takes one to two hours.
- Access is made — short endoscopic ports behind the hairline, or the existing coronal incision if forehead work is being done.
- The forehead and brow tissues are released from the underlying bone down to the orbital rim, so the brow is free to move.
- The depressor muscles are weakened where appropriate — the muscles between the brows that pull them down and inward.
- The brow is repositioned, with more elevation laterally than medially to create an arch rather than a stare.
- Fixation is applied — resorbable devices, sutures anchored to bone, or bone tunnels — holding the position while healing sets it.
- Closure, with a light head dressing.
What does recovery look like?
| Time | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Forehead tightness, swelling, sometimes bruising around the eyes; brows sit distinctly high |
| Days 4–7 | Swelling improving; gentle hair washing usually allowed |
| Day 7–10 | Sutures removed, wound check |
| Weeks 2 | Most people comfortable in public and back at desk work |
| Weeks 4–6 | Brows beginning to settle towards their intended position |
| Weeks 6–12 | Position largely settled; numbness and itching improving |
| Months 3–6 | Final brow position and shape |
Aftercare:
- Head elevated for the first week.
- No heavy lifting, bending forward or strenuous exercise for three weeks.
- Nothing tight across the forehead or scalp for six weeks.
- No hair colouring or chemical processing for six weeks.
- Avoid frowning exercises and heavy brow expression in the first two weeks where you can.
- Sun protection on any visible scar for a year.
The high phase is normal. Brows are deliberately set above their target because tissues relax. Judging the result in the first month is misleading, and asking for an adjustment then is premature.
What are the risks and possible complications?
- Temporary numbness or tingling of the scalp and forehead, usually resolving within six months
- Asymmetry of brow height or arch, sometimes requiring adjustment
- Over-elevation producing a surprised appearance, or under-correction
- Temporary weakness of forehead movement from stretching of a nerve branch; permanent weakness is rare
- Hair loss around the incisions, usually temporary
- Visible or widened scarring
- Haematoma under the forehead flap
- Infection, uncommon
- Dry eye or difficulty closing the eyes fully, particularly if eyelid skin has previously been removed
- Gradual relapse of position over years
- Anaesthetic and thromboembolic risks common to any general anaesthetic
This list is not exhaustive. Your individual risk depends on your anatomy, eyelid function and health, and belongs in a documented consent discussion with the operating surgeon. Seek urgent care for expanding swelling, fever, severe pain or any change in vision.
Can it be combined with other procedures?
| Combined with | Why it is often done together |
|---|---|
| Brow bone reduction | Reducing the bony shelf lowers the brows; the lift compensates and feminizes the shape |
| Forehead feminization | Same exposure, no additional incision or recovery |
| Hairline lowering | One incision serves the lift, the bone work and the advancement |
| Blepharoplasty | Done after the brow is positioned, so no more lid skin is removed than necessary |
| Fox eye surgery | Lifts the outer corner of the eye itself, complementing the lateral brow lift |
What results can you expect?
A higher, arched brow with its peak towards the outer third, more visible upper eyelid, and an upper face that reads as more open. Combined with brow bone reduction, the change in the eye region is one of the most striking in facial feminization.
The result is long-lasting but not permanent in the way bone surgery is. Tissues continue to age and some settling over years is expected. What the lift cannot do is change the shape of your eye, the quality of your eyelid skin or the bone above it.
On before-and-after photographs: each shows one patient’s tissue quality, starting position and healing. They are a record, not a prediction.
How Hetzner Health arranges the process
- Online assessment — photographs, including brows relaxed and raised, reviewed by a partner surgeon.
- Planning — whether you need a lift alone or as part of upper-third surgery, and which approach fits.
- Written plan and quote — technique, combinations, inclusions listed.
- Travel — you book flights; we arrange hotel, transfers and an interpreter.
- Pre-operative day — bloods, anaesthetic review, brow position marked and approved with you sitting upright.
- Surgery — day case or one hospital night, coordinator reachable throughout.
- Day 7–10 — sutures out, wound check, written aftercare.
- After you are home — remote review at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, with the final position assessed at three to six months rather than earlier.
Before you decide: this page is general information and does not replace an examination. Brow position, eyelid function and tear film need to be assessed in person before this operation is planned.