The traditional, or coronal and anterior hairline (open), approaches to the brow entail an incision placed within the hair-bearing scalp or at the front of the hairline, respectively. Herein, the muscles responsible for the creases and furrows can be modified or eliminated as needed, excess skin removed and the eyebrows lifted to a more pleasing position.  The endoscopic-assisted (closed) brow lift represents an alternative approach. This is a minimally invasive technique quite similar in principle to the arthroscopic procedure that orthopedic surgeons perform. Herein, several small incisions are placed within the hair-bearing scalp through which instrumentation is passed to effect the desired outcome.  Regardless of the particular technique utilized, the surgeon has very definite control as to the degree of brow elevation achieved and, hence, can respect the patient's wishes for either a conservative or less than conservative result.

For those persons with brow descent who may or may not be candidates for upper blepharoplasty or who have had a previous upper blepharoplasty there exists a relatively little known technique called the transpalpebral, or eyelid, approach to the brow. Herein, either at the time of upper blepharoplasty, utilizing a prior blepharoplasty incision or simply utilizing the natural upper eyelid crease that all occidentals maintain, the muscles of the eyebrow region responsible for both folds and furrows as well as brow descent are approached via the upper eyelid and eliminated. Modification of these muscles will automatically effect passive elevation of the brow.