A scar along the lower edge of the eyebrow is the trade a sub-brow lift asks for: a strip of drooping skin under the outer brow is removed, and your existing lid crease is left alone. Before comparing surgeons in Korea, find out whether your heaviness sits under the brow or in the lid. At ENTER Plastic Surgery in Seoul, Dr. Jang Jin-woo, a Korean board-certified plastic surgeon, operates.
How to choose
Eight things a sub-brow lift surgeon should explain
A sub-brow lift (infrabrow excision) is a small operation with a visible incision line, so the planning matters more than the operating time. Bring these points to every consultation, together with a front photo taken with your eyes open and the forehead relaxed.
Where the fold comes from
Ask whether the hood starts under the outer brow, in the lid, or both. The answer decides between a sub-brow lift and upper blepharoplasty.
Brow height
This operation removes skin under the brow and is not designed to raise a brow that has dropped. If yours sits low, ask whether a forehead approach has been considered.
The incision line
Ask how the cut will follow the lower edge of your brow hair and how far it runs toward the temple.
Skin thickness
Skin just under the brow is thicker than lid skin. Removing it there leaves the thin lid skin, and the crease, in place.
Amount removed
Ask how the strip is measured and what keeps your eyes closing fully afterward.
Your existing crease
If you have a double eyelid line you like, ask how the plan protects it.
Anesthesia
Local anesthesia is the base here, with IV sedation added when needed. Ask which one your plan uses.
Stitch date and flight
Ask the day the stitches come out and build your return around it.
Clinic types
Best Sub Brow Lift in Seoul: Who Offers It, and the Trade-offs
Few visitors arrive asking for a sub-brow lift by name. Most search for hooded-eye surgery, so the operation you are offered can depend on where you ask.
| Setting | How hooding is handled | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic surgery clinic focused on the eyes and forehead | Brow, lid and crease examined by the surgeon who operates | Is my extra skin under the brow, in the lid, or both? |
| Large hospital with several surgeons | Eyelid and brow cases may go to different people | Will one surgeon plan the lid and the brow together? |
| Crease-focused eyelid practice | A new or higher fold may be suggested for hooding | Would a crease operation remove the skin that hangs over it? |
| Agency for overseas patients | Arranges dates, transfers and messages | Which surgeon operates, and which day are the stitches out? |
Whichever route you use, ask for the written plan to name the incision site, the anesthesia and the stitch-removal visit.
Prices
Sub-brow lift cost in South Korea: the surgery card and the sedation line
The clinic's price list shows this operation as one surgery fee. Because the base anesthesia is local, IV sedation is added only when you need it, and it appears as a separate line next to the surgery fee instead of being folded into it.
Both cards are excluding VAT (10% VAT is added at payment). If an upper-lid procedure is planned in the same session, ask for it as its own item, and have the deposit amount and cancellation policy confirmed in writing first.
Prices exclude VAT (10% VAT is added at payment).
Before & after
Sub-brow lift photos at ENTER Plastic Surgery
BEFORE
AFTER
Your doctor
Chief Director · Korean board-certified plastic surgeon
“Natural, yet clearly visible change.”Eyelid and facelift surgery at ENTER is planned and performed by Dr. Jang himself.
- NowChief Director, ENTER Plastic Surgery
- TrainingPlastic surgery, Kyung Hee University Medical Center
- FormerChief Director, Jang Plastic Surgery
- FormerDirector, Secret Plastic Surgery
- MemberKSPRS · KSAPS · ISAPS · ESOPRS · ASPS
Which operation
Matching the hood: sub-brow lift, upper blepharoplasty and the brow lift
Three operations treat a heavy upper face from different points. Telling them apart before you compare quotes saves a wasted consultation.
| Point | Sub-brow lift | Upper blepharoplasty | Endoscopic brow lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the incision sits | Along the lower edge of the eyebrow | In the upper lid crease | Small cuts inside the hairline |
| Skin that is removed | Thicker skin under the outer brow | Thin lid skin above the lashes | None removed from the lid |
| Effect on the crease | Existing line kept | New line made at the incision | Line kept |
| Brow position | Not raised | Not raised | Raised and fixed |
| Base anesthesia at the clinic | Local, sedation if needed | Local, sedation if needed | IV sedation or general |
Some lids need two of these at once. The table compares where each one works; it is not a ranking.
Your stay
Planning the days in Seoul around a sub-brow lift
The clinic's written guidance for this operation gives the figures below. The surgery itself takes 30 to 60 minutes.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day of surgery | Local anesthesia, with IV sedation if needed; you go back to your hotel the same day |
| Days 1–2 | A little blood on the dressing is expected |
| Days 1–3 | Cold compresses over the brow |
| From day 4 | Warm compresses in short rounds (30 seconds warm, 5 minutes rest) |
| Days 5–7 | Stitches removed at the clinic; flying home is possible after this |
| Weeks 1–2 | Bruising and swelling fade; no nose blowing for two weeks |
| Months 1–3 | The brow-line scar and lid contour settle |
One to two clinic visits are planned for dressing and checks. General advice after brow surgery is light walking in the first one to two weeks and no heavy lifting or bending for three to four weeks; your surgeon's instructions come first.
Evidence
What sub-brow excision studies report, and their limits
The published work on this operation is small, single-center and without control groups, so it describes what is possible more than what is typical.
A series of 64 Chinese patients, 49 of whom completed follow-up, recorded better brow and lid measurements and lower appearance anxiety after sub-brow blepharoplasty, with no complications and 93.9% overall satisfaction (Wang, 2025). A modified, extended sub-brow incision was used in 75 patients with severe lid laxity, and lid height measures improved without hypertrophic scars or a hollow-eye look (Qiu, 2024).
A study of 40 Asian women having extended upper blepharoplasty adds a caution. In the over-60 group, two women who did not have the thick sub-brow skin removed looked hooded again a year later (Li, 2023). In older lids, skin under the brow can shape the long-term result. These are the signs to report quickly after surgery:
- Swelling on one side that keeps growing
- Pain that rises after the first two days
- Redness or discharge along the incision
- Difficulty closing the eye fully
- Numbness of the forehead that spreads
At ENTER
How ENTER Plastic Surgery approaches the sub-brow lift
Eyes and forehead are the center of the clinic's surgical work, so the brow, lid and crease are examined together before a sub-brow lift is suggested. Dr. Jang Jin-woo performs the operation in person; memberships include KSAPS in Korea and ASPS in the United States.
The clinic's guidance puts the result at five to ten years, with ageing of the brow area continuing. One operation is the usual plan, and no second stage is scheduled in advance.
To begin, send two photos on WhatsApp or through the form here: one looking straight ahead and one with your eyes gently closed. English-speaking staff are available at the clinic, and you will get an answer as soon as possible.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Long-Term Effects of Extended Upper Blepharoplasty Combined With Subbrow Skin Removal for Correction of Lateral Hooding in Asian WomenJournal of Craniofacial Surgery · 2023 · Li S et al. · doi:10.1097/scs.0000000000009348
Among 40 Asian women having extended upper blepharoplasty, two over-60 patients who kept their sub-brow skin looked hooded again a year later; very low-level evidence.
- A Modified Subbrow Blepharoplasty for Correction of Severe Upper Eyelid Skin LaxityAesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2024 · Qiu Y et al. · doi:10.1007/s00266-024-03973-8
A modified, extended sub-brow incision in 75 patients improved lid height measures in severe laxity with no hypertrophic scars reported; no control group.
- Evaluation of morphological and psychological outcomes after sub-brow blepharoplastyFrontiers in Surgery · 2025 · Wang T et al. · doi:10.3389/fsurg.2025.1658806
In 49 of 64 patients followed after sub-brow blepharoplasty, brow and lid measures and appearance anxiety improved, with 93.9% satisfaction; single surgeon, no control group.
FAQ
Sub-brow lift in Korea: what people ask while comparing
What should a surgeon examine before recommending a sub-brow lift?
Your brow height, the thickness of the skin under the outer brow and whether you already have a crease you want to keep. If the brow has dropped, a sub-brow lift will not raise it, and if the excess is low in the lid, upper blepharoplasty may suit you better.
Is the sub-brow scar easy to see?
It is placed along the lower edge of the eyebrow hair, so brow hair and brow makeup can soften it once it has healed. It stays a real scar, and it goes through a red phase while the area settles over roughly one to three months. Thin or very light brows give it less cover.
Can a sub-brow lift fit into a one-week trip to Seoul?
It can be tight but workable. Stitch removal falls on day five to seven, and the clinic clears overseas patients to fly after that visit. One or two clinic visits are planned, so book flights after you know the stitch date.
Does the sub-brow lift fee cover anaesthesia (UK spelling)?
Local anesthesia is part of the operation. IV sedation, if you need it, is a separate line at ₩300,000 on top of the ₩2,600,000 surgery fee, and both are excluding VAT (10% VAT is added at payment).
Why does age matter for sub-brow skin removal?
Skin under the brow thickens and loosens with age. In a study of Asian women over 60, those who did not have that sub-brow skin removed looked hooded again a year later, so a plan for an older lid should account for skin beneath the brow as well as the lid.
Will a sub-brow lift change the shape of my eyebrow?
It is not meant to move the brow. The operation removes skin below it and closes the incision along the brow edge, so the brow stays where it is. A small change in how the outer brow looks can follow as the skin under it tightens.
Do I need to avoid blowing my nose after a sub-brow lift?
Yes, for two weeks. The clinic's aftercare asks you not to blow your nose during that time and to be careful when sneezing, because the pressure can strain the healing area around the eyes. Cold compresses are used for the first three days.
Google reviews
Reviews on Google Maps
Great experience! Dr. is very sweet and kind. He listened to what I wanted to fix and correct. He explained everything very well. Wasn’t pushy and didn’t try to sell anything extra. This isn’t a clinic that comes out on instagram, which I…
Jennifer LyuA month agoI came to Enter Plastic Surgery on a friend’s recommendation for under-eye fat repositioning. I was pretty nervous going in, but the doctor took the time to explain what would work for my under-eyes, what the procedure involved, and what…
Michael2 months agoThe staff are incredibly friendly, and the consultation was very thorough. I was very worried since it was my first procedure, but the director explained the aftercare in detail, so I felt completely confident trusting them!!
ROOHEUI SHIN (RHS)2 months ago · Translated by Google