Is a Gender-Affirming Brow Lift Painful?

During surgery, you’ll be under anesthesia and won’t feel any pain. Afterward, mild discomfort, tightness, and tenderness in the forehead area are normal. These sensations are typically well-managed with prescribed pain medication and usually improve within a few days.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

You’ll typically have an initial consultation, your surgery appointment, and several follow-up visits to monitor your healing progress. Most patients see Dr. Block-Wheeler two or three times after surgery to ensure recovery is going smoothly.

How Long Until I See Results?

Some improvement is visible immediately after surgery, but swelling and bruising can temporarily obscure the final outcome. Over the following weeks, your results become more refined. The full effect of your brow lift is usually seen around three months after surgery, with subtle continued improvements over time.

Can I Combine a Gender-Affirming Brow Lift With Other Procedures?

Yes. For those pursuing a feminizing result, the brow lift often pairs beautifully with procedures such as shaping the forehead bone, rhinoplasty, mandibular reshaping, or eyelid surgery to create a softer, more open expression. For our patients who are seeking a masculinizing brow lift, combining it with our jaw contouring procedure, implants, or even facial fat grafting can create a stronger, more angular appearance that enhances definition. During your consultation at The Block-Wheeler Clinic in San Francisco, Dr. Block-Wheeler will walk you through your options and create a cohesive surgical plan.

What Are the Risks Associated With a Gender-Affirming Brow Lift?

The most common side effects after a gender-affirming brow lift include mild swelling, bruising, numbness, and temporary tightness around the forehead or scalp. These effects are part of the normal healing process and generally resolve within a few weeks. Potential risks can include: Infection: Though uncommon, proper wound care and antibiotics minimize this risk. Scarring: Incisions are placed in discreet areas, such as along or within the hairline or natural creases, and scars typically fade significantly over time. Asymmetry: Subtle differences between the brows can occur during healing but often improve as swelling resolves. Nerve changes: Temporary numbness or tingling in the forehead or scalp may occur, but usually subsides as nerves recover. Prolonged swelling or bruising: In rare cases, swelling may take longer to subside depending on your skin type and healing response.

Brow Lift in San Francisco, CA

Brow Lift

Introduction

Introduction to Gender-Affirming Brow Lift

The brow area is one of the most defining parts of facial expression and gender identity. A gender-affirming brow lift at The Block-Wheeler Clinic in San Francisco helps align your outer appearance with your inner sense of self by refining the position and contour of your brows. Whether your goal is to achieve a softer, more feminine arch or a stronger, more traditionally masculine brow shape, this procedure helps create facial harmony that feels true to who you are.

Dr. Nikolas Block-Wheeler specializes in facial and head & neck plastic surgery, combining advanced surgical precision with an understanding of the nuances that define masculine and feminine facial structures.

What is a Gender-Affirming Brow Lift?

Our gender-affirming brow lift is designed to adjust the position, angle, and contour of our clients’ eyebrows and forehead in a way that reflects their gender identity. While the general technique is similar to a traditional brow lift, the goals and artistry behind it are highly individualized.

For feminizing brow lifts, we often raise the brows to a slightly higher position, smooth the forehead, and create a gentle arch that opens the eyes and enhances softness. For our masculinizing brow lift, we focus on reshaping or refining the brow to create a more horizontal, defined, or subtly heavier appearance that complements masculine bone structure.

Who Are the Best Candidates For a Brow Lift?

The best candidates for our gender-affirming brow lifts are those seeking to refine their facial appearance to better reflect their gender identity better better. You may be a good candidate if you:

Feel that your brow shape or forehead structure doesn’t align with your gender presentation
Notice sagging or heaviness around the upper face that alters your expression
Are in good general health and are non-smokers

During your consultation at The Block-Wheeler Clinic in San Francisco, Dr. Block-Wheeler will assess your facial anatomy, discuss your goals, and explain how a brow lift can help achieve your desired look.

What Are the Benefits of a Gender-Affirming Brow Lift?

A gender-affirming brow lift can help our clients refine the balance and character of their face. They often describe feeling more confident and aligned with their reflection after surgery.

Key benefits include:

Gender harmony: The shape and position of the brows can dramatically shift how the face is perceived. Feminizing lifts create softer, higher arches, while masculinizing approaches enhance definition and strength.
Refreshed appearance: By smoothing lines and lifting the forehead, the face looks naturally more awake and relaxed.
Improved self-expression: Your brows are central to how you express emotion. Adjusting their position can help your face better match how you feel inside.
Long-lasting results: Unlike temporary treatments, a brow lift provides structural improvement that can last for many years.
Enhanced balance with other features: Adjusting the brows often complements other facial procedures, creating a cohesive and harmonious profile.

What’s the First Step?

The first step toward a gender-affirming brow lift is scheduling a private consultation at The Block-Wheeler Clinic. During this appointment, Dr. Block-Wheeler will take the time to learn about what you hope to achieve with our gender-affirming brow lift, answer any questions you may have about the procedure, and perform an examination of your brow position, forehead projection, and hairline placement to determine the best surgical approach.

You’ll also have the opportunity to review some of Dr. Block-Wheeler’s before-and-after photos of patients who have undergone similar procedures, giving you a realistic sense of your potential outcome.

What to Expect on the Day of Gender-Affirming Brow Lift Surgery

During surgery, Dr. Block-Wheeler creates small incisions along your hairline or within the scalp, depending on your anatomy and desired outcome.

Through the incisions, Dr. Block-Wheeler gently lifts and adjusts the skin, underlying tissues, and muscles of the forehead. Excess skin may be removed to smooth wrinkles and refine the brow position. Once the adjustments are complete, the tissues are secured in their new position, and the incisions are closed with fine sutures to minimize scarring.

Afterward, you’ll spend some time in recovery while the anesthesia wears off.

Gender-Affirming Brow Lift Recovery

After your surgery, we tell our clients to expect some swelling, tightness, and mild bruising around the forehead and upper eyelids. These tend to fade within 10 to 14 days. During this time, it’s helpful to keep your head elevated and apply cold compresses to help minimize swelling.

Most of our patients will take one to two weeks off from work or school, depending on the intensity of their recovery.

Finally, your sutures will be removed within a week.

How Much Does a Gender-Affirming Brow Lift Cost in San Francisco, CA?

The cost of a gender-affirming brow lift in San Francisco will mostly depend on the technique used, the complexity of the case, and any additional procedures performed at the same time.

During your consultation at The Block-Wheeler Clinic, you’ll receive a cost estimate for your gender-affirming blow lift.

Our Ethos

Why Choose Dr. Block-Wheeler?

Dr. Nikolas Block-Wheeler combines advanced surgical skill with an artist’s understanding of facial harmony. As a dual-trained otolaryngologist and fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon, he has the expertise to achieve results that look natural and authentic.

At The Block-Wheeler Clinic in San Francisco, Dr. Block-Wheeler focuses on individualized care, so every client of his feels supported and understood throughout their journey.

Brow Lift FAQ’S

Yes. For those pursuing a feminizing result, the brow lift often pairs beautifully with procedures such as shaping the forehead bone, rhinoplasty, mandibular reshaping, or eyelid surgery to create a softer, more open expression.

For our patients who are seeking a masculinizing brow lift, combining it with our jaw contouring procedure, implants, or even facial fat grafting can create a stronger, more angular appearance that enhances definition.

During your consultation at The Block-Wheeler Clinic in San Francisco, Dr. Block-Wheeler will walk you through your options and create a cohesive surgical plan.
The most common side effects after a gender-affirming brow lift include mild swelling, bruising, numbness, and temporary tightness around the forehead or scalp. These effects are part of the normal healing process and generally resolve within a few weeks.

Potential risks can include:
- Infection: Though uncommon, proper wound care and antibiotics minimize this risk.
- Scarring: Incisions are placed in discreet areas, such as along or within the hairline or natural creases, and scars typically fade significantly over time.
- Asymmetry: Subtle differences between the brows can occur during healing but often improve as swelling resolves.
- Nerve changes: Temporary numbness or tingling in the forehead or scalp may occur, but usually subsides as nerves recover.
- Prolonged swelling or bruising: In rare cases, swelling may take longer to subside depending on your skin type and healing response.

Patient Reviews

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
He was so wonderful. He gave me hope for wonderful results.

He didn’t pressure me, didn’t upsell me, and said my results could be a game changer. He was right! I am happy with my results and so thankful that I did it! I highly recommend working with Dr. Block-Wheeler. If you want an outstanding.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Dr. Block-Wheeler is truly amazing. He listened carefully to my concerns and made me feel completely at ease.”

He never pressured me, and his honest approach gave me confidence in my decision. The results exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t be happier.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“I felt supported every step of the way with Dr. Block-Wheeler. His kindness and professionalism made all the difference.”

He explained everything clearly, ensuring I understood the process. My results are better than I imagined, and I feel like the best version of myself. I can’t thank him enough for his skill and care.

Schedule Your Consultation

A consultation with Dr. Block-Wheeler is the best way to start your gender-affirming brow lift.

You may schedule your consultation online at The Block-Wheeler Clinic in San Francisco, and take the next step toward feeling fully confident in your reflection.

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 (415) 320-7720