Endoscopic forehead lift

Endoscopic Brow Lift in Istanbul short incisions hidden behind the hairline, usually day-case, in a 7–8 day plan

An endoscopic brow lift raises low or heavy brows and softens forehead lines through short incisions hidden behind the hairline. It suits healthy adults with drooping brows and a normal-height forehead. Plan about 7–8 days in Istanbul.

  • 7–8 days in Istanbul
  • 1–3 hours, usually day-case
  • Stitches or clips out before you fly

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Editorially reviewed by the Vivid Clinic Surgical Board · Last reviewed September 2026

Woman with her hair pulled back pressing her fingertips to her forehead just above the brows, against a blue background
At a glance

What is an endoscopic brow lift, and what to expect

An endoscopic brow lift, also called an endoscopic forehead lift, lifts the eyebrows and forehead tissue back to a more rested position. The surgeon works through three to five short incisions behind the hairline, using an endoscope (a thin camera) to see underneath. Heavy brows often push skin onto the upper lids, so lifting the brow first can open up the eyes.

Medical illustration of small endoscopic brow lift incisions placed behind the hairline
Short incisions sit behind the hairline.Illustration
Procedure time
1–3 hLonger when combined
Stay in Istanbul
7–8 daysStitches or clips out before you fly
Back to desk work
7–10 daysUsually a day-case
Swelling settles
2–3 weeksStrenuous exercise after 3–4 weeks
Final result
Month 3Brows relax from an early higher position
Results last
Many yearsThe face continues to age naturally
See all procedure details
Endoscopic brow lift at a glance
Procedure timeTypically 1–3 hours, depending on technique and any combined surgery
AnaesthesiaGeneral anaesthesia, or local anaesthesia with sedation
Hospital stayUsually day-case; overnight stay if combined with other surgery
Recommended stay in Istanbul7–8 days
Stitches or clipsRemoved around day 7–10, before you fly
Back to desk workUsually 7–10 days
ExerciseWalking from day 1; strenuous exercise after 3–4 weeks
Visible swellingMostly settles in 2–3 weeks
Final resultAround 3 months
Results lastMany years; the face continues to age naturally
Candidacy

Who is an endoscopic brow lift right for — and who should wait?

An endoscopic brow lift may suit you if

  • Your eyebrows sit low or flat, making you look tired, cross or sad
  • Upper-lid hooding improves when you lift your brows with your fingertips
  • You have forehead or frown lines from constant brow raising
  • Your forehead is normal or short in height, with reasonable hair density

It may be wiser to wait if

  • Your forehead is very high, because an endoscopic lift can raise the hairline slightly
  • You have significant hair loss at the front
  • You have uncontrolled blood pressure or bleeding problems

Good candidates are healthy, non-smoking and have realistic expectations. Mild brow heaviness may respond to toxin injections first.

Three approaches

Brow lift options at Vivid Clinic

Three mainstream approaches exist. Your surgeon recommends one based on your brow shape, forehead height and hairline.

Diagram comparing endoscopic brow lift, temporal brow lift and hairline forehead reduction incision sites
Three approaches, three different incision patterns.Illustration
Main technique

Endoscopic brow lift

Small incisions behind the hairline, camera guidance and internal fixation lift the whole brow. Scars sit hidden in the hair. It suits most people with a normal forehead height.

Lifts
The whole brow: inner, middle and outer
Incisions
3–5 short cuts behind the hairline
Best for
A normal forehead height
Shorter operation

Temporal (lateral) brow lift

Lifts only the tail of the brow through incisions in the temporal hairline. It suits people whose inner brows sit well but whose outer brows droop.

Lifts
The outer brow tail only
Incisions
In the temporal hairline
Best for
Drooping brow tails
For a high forehead

Hairline (trichophytic) forehead reduction

The incision sits just at the front hairline. The surgeon can lift the brows and, if desired, remove a strip of forehead skin to lower the hairline.

Lifts
The brows, and can lower the hairline
Incisions
Along the front hairline
Scar
Usually discreet; more visible if hair is swept back

A brow lift is commonly combined with upper blepharoplasty, a fox eye lift or a facelift. Read more in our temporal and lateral brow lift article and our endoscopic mid facelift article.

Step by step

How an endoscopic brow lift is done

The operation is planned around your ideal brow height and shape. It is performed through short incisions behind the hairline, and you usually return to your hotel the same day.

  1. Planning

    Sitting upright, brow height, shape and incision sites are marked.

  2. Anaesthesia

    General anaesthesia, or local anaesthesia with sedation.

  3. Incisions

    Three to five short cuts in the scalp; hair is parted.

  4. Release

    Under camera view, tissues are released and frown muscles adjusted.

  5. Lift and fix

    Brows are raised to the marked position and secured.

  6. Closure

    Stitches or clips and a light head dressing, then rest.

Illustration of a surgeon assessing brow height and forehead lines during an endoscopic brow lift consultation
Step 1: brow height, hairline and eyelid skin are assessed together.Illustration
Illustration of a patient resting with a light head dressing in a hotel room after an endoscopic brow lift
Step 6: a light dressing supports the forehead for the first days.Illustration
Your Istanbul journey

Seven to eight days, fully coordinated

Day 1

Arrival

A VIP transfer takes you from the airport to your hotel. Your patient coordinator explains the plan, with interpreter support if needed.

Day 2

Consultation and surgery

An in-person assessment, photographs, blood tests and surgery at the partner hospital. Most patients return to the hotel the same evening.

Days 3–6

Dressing check and rest

The head dressing is checked or removed at Vivid Clinic on day 3. Then rest with your head raised, cold compresses and short walks.

Days 7–8

Stitches out, fit to fly

Stitches or clips are removed and brow position is checked before you fly. The 24/7 support line stays available at home.

Send your brow photos. Get an honest answer.

With your forehead relaxed, plus one photo with your brows raised, a plastic surgeon reviews your brow height, forehead and eyelids. You hear whether an endoscopic, temporal or hairline lift suits you. Free, no obligation.

Recovery

Brow lift recovery timeline

Expect brows that sit higher and more evenly, with softer forehead and frown lines, while you still look like yourself. The brows usually look a little high at first, then relax.

  1. Week 1Tightness across the forehead, with swelling and bruising that may spread to the eyelids.Scalp numbness is common
  2. Days 7–8Stitches or clips removed; brow position checked before you fly.
  3. Week 2Most people return to desk work; hair can usually be styled gently to cover incisions.
  4. Weeks 3–4Visible swelling has largely settled; light exercise resumes, heavier training after about four weeks if your surgeon agrees.
  5. Months 2–3Brows settle into their final shape; scalp sensation keeps returning, sometimes over several months.

How long an endoscopic brow lift lasts

An endoscopic brow lift is long-lasting, typically for many years, although ageing continues. You can explore results from Vivid Clinic patients in our before and after gallery; individual outcomes vary.

In the first week, sleep with your head raised, use cold compresses around the eyes and take short walks. Swelling can drift down to the eyelids; this is normal.

Timeline graphic of endoscopic brow lift recovery from day one to three months
Most swelling settles within two to three weeks.Illustration
Choosing an approach

Endoscopic brow lift vs Botox brow lift

In short: an endoscopic brow lift repositions and fixes tissue, so results typically last many years. A toxin brow lift gives a temporary lift of a few millimetres.

CriterionEndoscopic brow liftBotox (toxin) brow lift
Is it surgery?Yes — short incisions behind the hairlineNo — injections
What it changesRaises the whole brow and forehead; softens forehead and frown linesRelaxes the muscles that pull the brows down
Size of liftTo the height planned by your surgeonA few millimetres
How long it lastsTypically many yearsAround 3–4 months, then repeated
Often suitsHeavy brows that cause hoodingMild brow heaviness

If your concern is eyelid skin or bags, see our blepharoplasty page and hooded eyelids guide. For the outer eye corner and brow-tail angle, see the fox eye lift page; toxin options are in our Botox Turkey guide. All options are on our face aesthetics page.

Price and packages

What determines your endoscopic brow lift quote

A brow lift in Turkey is priced only after a surgeon has reviewed your photos. The consultation is free, and suitability and safety come first.

Your all-inclusive package

Typically covers:

  • Surgery
  • Anaesthesia
  • Pre-operative tests
  • Medication
  • Hotel accommodation
  • VIP transfers
  • Patient coordinator and interpreter
  • Post-operative checks

Your price depends on

  • Technique: endoscopic, temporal or hairline approach
  • Extent: whole brow or brow tail only, and whether frown muscles are treated
  • Combined procedures, such as upper blepharoplasty, fox eye lift, mid-face lift or facelift
  • Anaesthesia, day-case or overnight stay, and extra hotel nights
Why Vivid Clinic

Why patients choose Vivid Clinic for an endoscopic brow lift

Meet our medical team
  • Care reviewed by a plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon
  • Accredited partner hospitals with anaesthetic monitoring
  • Technique matched to your brow height, forehead and hairline
  • All-inclusive coordination, multilingual coordinators and interpreters
  • 24/7 aftercare line in Istanbul and after you return home
5.0 157 Google reviewsVivid Clinic Google Business Profile · checked September 2026 Read reviews

Medical review

This page was medically reviewed by a plastic surgeon on the Vivid Clinic team.

Portrait of Prof. Dr. Özgür Pilancı, plastic surgeon on the Vivid Clinic team

Prof. Dr. Özgür Pilancı

Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeon

  • Plastic surgery specialist since 2006 (Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul)
  • Associate professor since 2015
  • Trained in endoscopic facial procedures at the University of Alabama
View profile
Safety

Risks of an endoscopic brow lift and how we reduce them

Every surgical procedure carries risk, and some patients need a touch-up procedure.

Possible effects

  • Swelling, bruising, and temporary or longer-lasting scalp numbness
  • Brow asymmetry, or over- or under-correction
  • A slightly raised hairline, or hair thinning around the incisions
  • Visible scars, infection or bleeding
  • Rarely, weakness of the nerve that raises the brow

How we reduce them

  • Measuring brow height, forehead height and hairline before choosing the technique
  • Conservative, natural lifts rather than a surprised look
  • Camera-guided surgery that protects key nerves
  • Accredited partner hospitals with anaesthetic monitoring
  • A check before you fly, written aftercare and remote follow-up

Travelling from the UK? Read the NHS guidance on cosmetic surgery abroad. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also explains the brow lift.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the endoscopic brow lift

How long should I stay in Istanbul after an endoscopic brow lift?

Most patients plan 7–8 days. You arrive on day 1, have your consultation, tests and surgery on day 2, and usually return to the hotel the same evening. The dressing is checked on day 3. Stitches or clips are removed around day 7–8, when your surgeon checks brow position and clears you to fly. If you combine the lift with eyelid or facelift surgery, an extra day or two may be advised.

Will an endoscopic brow lift raise my hairline or leave visible scars?

The incisions are short and sit behind the hairline, so they are usually hidden by hair once healed. Because the whole forehead is lifted, the hairline can move up slightly, which matters if your forehead is already high. In that case your surgeon may suggest a hairline (trichophytic) approach. It lifts the brows while keeping or lowering the hairline, at the cost of a fine scar at the hair margin.

Should I choose an endoscopic brow lift or a temporal brow lift for drooping brow tails?

If only the outer third of your brows droops and your inner brows sit well, a temporal brow lift is often enough. It is shorter and lifts just the tail through small temple incisions. If the whole brow is low, or you have frown lines and forehead creases too, an endoscopic brow lift treats the entire brow line. Your surgeon will recommend one after measuring brow height at consultation.

Can an endoscopic brow lift be combined with upper blepharoplasty?

Yes, and the combination is common. The brow lift is planned first, because raising the brows reduces how much eyelid skin needs removing. The surgeon then trims only the remaining excess, which helps avoid a tight or over-operated look. Doing both in one session means one anaesthetic and one recovery. Surgery takes longer, though, and swelling around the eyes may last a few extra days.

How long do endoscopic brow lift results last compared with Botox?

An endoscopic brow lift repositions and fixes tissue, so results typically last many years, although the skin continues to age. A toxin brow lift relaxes the muscles that pull the brows down and gives a lift of a few millimetres. It lasts around three to four months before treatment is repeated. Some patients use toxin afterwards to soften new lines, which your surgeon can advise on.

When can I return to work after an endoscopic brow lift?

Most people return to desk work after about 7–10 days, usually during the second week. By then, hair can usually be styled gently to cover the incisions. Bruising and swelling may spread to the eyelids in the first week, and visible swelling mostly settles in 2–3 weeks. Walking is fine from day 1, and heavier training usually waits about four weeks, until your surgeon agrees.

What photos should I send for an endoscopic brow lift assessment?

Send front and side photos of your face with your forehead relaxed, plus one with your brows raised, via WhatsApp or our online form. A plastic surgeon at Vivid Clinic reviews your brow height, forehead and eyelids. You hear whether an endoscopic brow lift, a temporal lift or a hairline approach fits you. You then receive a personalised treatment and travel plan for Istanbul. The consultation is free.

Free assessment

Plan your endoscopic brow lift in Istanbul

Send front and side photos with your forehead relaxed, plus one with your brows raised. It is free and there is no obligation.

  1. Share your details and photosHere, or by WhatsApp on +90 545 742 3565.
  2. Medical review within 24 hoursHonest advice on an endoscopic, temporal or hairline brow lift, and your recommended plan.
  3. Your personalised Istanbul planDates, hotel, transfers and your coordinator’s contact.

Get my free brow lift plan

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