My direct brow lift journey for Ptosis
- Eyebrow Drooping?
- Pressure 24/7 like someone pressing your brow down?
- Feeling like there´s a film over your vision?
- Constant dark shadow?
- Feeling unattractive?
- Fed up spending ages on your makeup to even the brows out?
- Had enough because the pressure makes you feel and look tired
Direct brow lift after Bell´s Palsy/Ptosis
Is your eyebrow drooping on one side? Wondering if Botox or fillers could lift it? Living with constant pressure over your eye and a wonky brow can feel extremely uncomfortable, frustrating, and even affect your vision.
I know exactly how that feels. Years after Bell’s Palsy left one side of my face weaker, my right brow kept sinking lower and lower, creating a dark shadow over my eye and a daily reminder of the imbalance. I finally decided to explore a direct brow lift for ptosis, and in this post, I’m sharing my honest, step-by-step journey — from surgery day to recovery, including what worked, what hurt, and what surprised me the most.
Direct Eye Brow Lift for Ptosis from Bell´s Palsy
Eighteen years ago, I developed Bell’s Palsy, a form of facial paralysis that affected the right side of my face. Although I regained most of my movement, my eyebrow and eyelid never fully recovered, and over time, my right brow began to droop lower and lower. As the years passed, I lived with constant discomfort, eye pressure, and a heavy feeling around my brow. I didn’t realize how much strain it caused until recently — my vision had become blurred, and my peripheral vision on the right side was significantly reduced. The dark, heavy shadow over my eye was always there, reminding me of the imbalance. After years of this, I finally decided to look into options and found that a direct brow lift for ptosis correction could truly change how I see — and feel — every day.
Why I Chose a Direct Brow Lift
I decided to have a direct brow lift because, after years of research, it seemed like the most permanent and reliable option to correct my one-sided brow droop from Bell’s Palsy. I had looked into Botox and dermal fillers as less invasive alternatives, but since my issue was only on one side, no one could guarantee that these treatments would give a balanced or long-lasting result. In my opinion, the direct brow lift is not only the safest choice but also the most effective for restoring symmetry and reducing the constant heaviness on my eye.
My Direct Brow Lift Surgery Day
The day of my direct brow lift surgery finally arrived. My surgeon explained that I would be awake during the procedure, feeling some pressure and movement, but that I’d be given light sedation and local anaesthetic to stay comfortable. She also mentioned that full recovery could take several weeks to a few months.
The night before, I barely slept — I spent hours watching surgery videos and worrying about fasting before anaesthesia(a tip: don’t watch videos beforehand — it only adds to the anxiety!).
When I arrived at the hospital, I changed into the usual gown and was taken into the surgical room. While sitting upright, my surgeon carefully measured and lifted my right eyebrow to see how much skin she needed to remove and how high to raise it. What amazed me most was how much pressure my right brow had been putting on the left side of my face — when she lifted the drooping brow, my left one naturally relaxed and lowered. It was the first time I could literally see the imbalance caused by Bell’s Palsy.
Once she was happy with the markings, I lay down. A small needle was inserted into my arm to start the sedation, and then she began injecting the local anaesthetic into my brow. I won’t lie — those injections were quite painful, but it was quick, and honestly, I survived to tell the story!
Soon after, I could feel some gentle pulling and movement, but no real pain. I think they added a little more sedation at that point, because the next thing I remember is my surgeon taking photos and saying it was all done. I was wheeled into the recovery room, given post-surgery care instructions, medication, and a glass of water. A little woozy, but relieved, I was finally on my way home — and the hardest part was officially behind me.
The First Day of My Direct Brow Lift Recovery
When I left the hospital after my direct brow lift, I had only a few thin white surgical strips over my brow — no big bandage or bulky dressing, which really surprised me. Once I got home, the first thing I did was eat (I’d been fasting before the anaesthetic and was starving!).
I spent the entire afternoon resting on the sofa with my head elevated, an ice pack gently placed over my brow and eye area to help reduce swelling. It was sore and tender, but honestly, not nearly as painful as I had expected. There was definite swelling around my right eye, but even through that, I could already see and feel a difference.
The dark shadow that had always covered my right eye was gone, and for the first time in years, my left brow felt relaxed. My vision instantly became clearer, and I realized just how much it had been affected before — almost as if there had been a film over my eyeball that had finally been lifted.
That first afternoon and evening, I focused on rest and recovery. Before bed, I took an ibuprofen for pain relief and managed to sleep on my back, propped up with lots of pillows in a V-shape (similar to a pregnancy pillow). Keeping my head raised definitely helped with the swelling overnight.
Day 2 After my Direct Brow Lift
I couldn´t believe how well I slept and on my back too! I would highly recommend a strong ibuprofen before bed. Today I had a checkup with my surgeon, the day after ptosis surgery, and she was really pleased with how everything was healing. My surgical strips were perfect, so she didn’t need to change the dressing at all. She couldn´t believe there was no bruising.
Day 3 After My Direct Brow Lift
I’m now three days post-surgery after my direct brow lift for ptosis/Bell’s palsy, and things are going well. The area feels bruised, it doesn´t hurt. I also have a little bruising appearing around the eye.
My current aftercare routine is straightforward: I apply Betadine twice a day on top of the strips and a small amount of a special healing cream twice daily. In addition, I’m taking a three-day course of antibiotics as a precaution to prevent infection. Oh and an icepack 3 times a day.
Journey to be continued….
Why I was hesitant?
I was hesitant for numerous reasons.
1. Scared of the pain and length of time for healing.
2. The cost – This was something I had to pay for privately, as health insurance wouldn´t cover it.
3. The scar will be at the top of my eyebrow and could possibly be visible but the Dr said they will do it as close as possible.
4. I have melasma, and I have to be really careful not to let any sun anywhere near my brow, especially whilst it´s healing.
5. Going through the whole procedure, spending all that money and maybe it won´t work.
Would I recommend a direct brow lift?
Yes, 100%. I´m only day 3! I really hope that once all the swelling has gone down, I will finally have “even brows” or as even as they can possibly be. But, the last few days, I can see so clearly. My eyesight is light in weight and vision. As women (of a certain age), we are told that we must endure discomfort, and so I put up with this discomfort for years. I just never truly knew how much pain I was in until it has finally been lifted. Right now, I don´t care if the scar can be seen. I don´t care if melasma gets bad because right now, the pressure has been lifted, and I still cannot believe I have lived like this for so many years. If you suffer with Ptosis, you will know.
What others say
It’s funny how people react when you tell them you’re having a brow lift for ptosis. Most assume it’s purely cosmetic, and their first response is usually something like, “I’ve never noticed,” or “I can’t see what you’re talking about,” or even, “No one’s eyebrows are perfectly even.” Even when you explain the constant discomfort, eye pressure, and vision issues, it often goes unrecognised — because to most people, a brow lift is just for aesthetics.
