Surgery · Scars

Sub-brow Lift Scar Visibility

One fine line under each brow, placed where the brow can hide it

Apgujeong, Seoul | Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Jonghwan Choi
Incision immediately beneath the brow · KHIDI-registered for international patients

Sub-brow Lift Scar Sub-brow Lift Scar Sub-brow Lift Scar Sub-brow Lift Scar 
Line

The scar, in short

How visible is the scar under the eyebrow after a sub-brow lift?

Where the line sits

The scar is a single fine line under each brow, placed immediately beneath the eyebrow along its lower edge. Rewind makes the incision small and describes the resulting line as hard to notice, because the brow hair and the shadow of the brow sit right beside it. It is still a surgical scar. In the early months it is pinker and firmer than the skin around it, and how quietly it settles varies between individuals, with brow density, skin type and healing all playing a part.

Statements on this page come from Rewind's Korean surgical page for the sub-brow lift and its written post-operative instructions, which name the incision site and ask for sunscreen to protect the healing line. The clinic publishes no incision length and no scar timetable for this operation, so neither is given here.

Does the scar hide in the brow hairs over time? Partly. The line runs along the border of the brow and not through the middle of it, so the hair covers its upper edge while the lower edge sits on bare skin. As the redness fades, the line usually reads as part of the brow outline. Full, dark brows give it more cover; sparse, light or tattooed brows give it less.

The trade-off is a line on the face in exchange for leaving the eyelid itself untouched. Upper-lid surgery hides its scar inside the crease; the sub-brow route places it at the brow so that the crease, the lashes and the lid margin are never opened.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi examining the brow area of a patient at consultation
Fig. 01 — The brow edge is examined before the line is planned
Result

Before & After

The brow line in two sub-brow lift cases

These photographs are front views of the brows and eyes. They are not scar close-ups, and the page does not present them as proof of how any individual line heals. What they do show is where the incision sits relative to the brow in a finished result.

Rewind patients — brow edge and upper lid, front view

Before a sub-brow lift performed alone, brows and upper lids at normal viewing distance After a sub-brow lift performed alone, brow edge and upper lids at normal viewing distance BEFOREAFTER
case 01
Sub-brow lift only; the incision runs along the lower edge of each brow
Individual results may vary.
Before a sub-brow lift with lower-eyelid surgery, brows and eyes at normal viewing distance After a sub-brow lift with lower-eyelid surgery, brow edge and eyes at normal viewing distance BEFOREAFTER
case 02
Sub-brow lift with lower-eyelid surgery in the same session; brow line as in case 01
Individual results may vary.

Rewind photographed both patients at the clinic; the images are unretouched and are published with written consent. Make-up differs between the visits in case 02. Individual results may vary. A line that widens, becomes raised or darkens, a difference between the two sides and altered feeling near the brow are recognised after this surgery, alongside bleeding, infection and swelling.

Factors

What decides visibility

Four things that decide how noticeable a sub-brow lift scar becomes

Two people can have the same operation and end up with lines that look quite different. Most of the difference comes from four factors, and only some of them can be controlled.

factor 01
The brow beside the line
Dense, dark brow hair beside the incision gives the line an edge to hide against. Thin, light or tattooed brows leave it more exposed, which is worth discussing before a date is booked.
factor 02
Tension on the closure
The skin is fixed to the periosteum before closure, so the repair is not held by the skin edges alone. Strong pulling on the area is avoided for about a month while that holds.
factor 03
Your own healing
Some skin forms thicker scars than others. A history of raised or widened scars on other parts of the body tells the surgeon something useful about how this line may behave.
factor 04
Sun and friction
Rewind's instructions ask for sunscreen to help prevent scarring and pigmentation, and for strong stimulation of the area to be avoided while it heals. Both are in your hands.
Closure

Placing the line

How the sub-brow lift incision is placed and closed at Rewind

The operation has three published steps, and each one affects the scar. The fourth stage below is what happens after surgery, when the line starts to mature.

01Design

The incision is drawn along the lower border of the brow

The drooping lid is examined and the excision designed against the brow. Keeping the line on the border lets the brow outline absorb it; drawing it too far down would leave it on open skin.

02Excise

A fine incision, with the loose skin removed behind it

Rewind incises finely just beneath the brow and removes the stretched skin. The width of the strip is limited by the design so that the closure does not have to stretch across a gap.

03Anchor

Fixation takes the load off the sub-brow scar

The remaining skin is fixed to the periosteum, drawn upward and sutured with care. The anchor carries the lift, so the stitched edges only have to meet.

04Mature

Pink and firm at first, paler with time

Like any incision, the line goes through a period of redness and firmness before it softens. Rewind publishes no timetable for this, and the surgeon reviews how it is maturing at your follow-up visits.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi operating under loupe magnification at Rewind Plastic Surgery
Fig. 02 — Closure under the brow is done under magnification
Rewind

Why the line is discussed early

Why Rewind talks about the sub-brow scar before the operation is booked

For many patients the scar is the deciding question. The clinic treats it as part of the choice between operations from the first consultation.

01Trade-off

A brow line or a crease line: two places for the same scar

Rewind lists both the sub-brow lift and upper-lid surgery. The upper-lid scar sits inside the crease and is covered as the fold settles; the sub-brow scar sits at the brow and leaves the crease untouched. Knowing where each line goes is part of choosing.

02Brows

Your brows are looked at as closely as your lids

The density, colour and any tattooing of the brows decide how much cover the line will have. If a line at the brow edge would sit on largely bare skin, that is said plainly at the consultation.

03Follow-up

Every sub-brow scar is reviewed by the surgeon who sutured it

Dr. Jonghwan Choi operates on and follows up every case, so the person checking how your scar is maturing is the one who designed and sutured it. The clinic is KHIDI-registered for international patients.

Consultation room at Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong
Fig. 03 — The consultation room where the incision plan is explained
Theatre

In the operating room

Where the line under the brow is made and first looked after

Operating theatre at Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong

Fig. 04 — The theatre where the incision is made and closed

Private recovery room at Rewind Plastic Surgery

Fig. 05 — A quiet room for the first rest after surgery

Rewind is on the fourth and fifth floors of the Richro Building in Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul. The same surgeon marks the line, operates and checks the healing at each review. Consultations are by appointment on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday until 19:00 and on Saturday until 16:00, and reviewing your brows with the surgeon is part of that first visit.

Line: immediately beneath the brow, along its lower edge
Incision: fine, one on each side
Load: carried by fixation to periosteum
Crease and lash line: not incised
Aftercare: sunscreen on the healing line
Reviewed by Dr. Jonghwan Choi
Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeon

Board-certified plastic surgeon

Korean specialist certification in plastic surgery; he designs, closes and reviews every sub-brow incision at the clinic. Rewind treats international patients under KHIDI registration M-2025-01-08-09288.

Cost

Pricing

What each scar placement costs: sub-brow lift and its alternatives in Seoul

Each of these operations places its scar somewhere different. The prices are listed together so that the choice of line can be made with the cost already known.

Sub-brow liftLine immediately beneath the brow; the crease is not incised
₩2,900,000
Upper blepharoplastyLine inside the crease, covered as the fold settles
₩3,900,000
Endoscopic forehead lift with Endotine fixationIncisions within the scalp, for a brow that has descended
₩4,500,000

All three are list prices with the anaesthetic fee included; VAT is added. Scar care after surgery, such as sunscreen, is simple and is explained at your review; any further treatment of a line would be discussed with the surgeon first.

Fit

Who accepts the line

Who is comfortable with a sub-brow lift scar, and who should think again

The brow line usually suits you when

  • Your brows are reasonably full along their lower edge
  • You want your existing crease and lash line left untouched
  • The heaviness is loose skin hanging from just under the brow
  • Earlier scars on your body have healed flat and pale
  • You can protect the line from sun while it matures

Reconsider, or discuss first, when

  • Your brows are sparse or light and the line would sit on bare skin
  • You have had raised or widened scars after earlier surgery or injury
  • Brow tattooing is planned soon, or an existing tattoo sits on the line
  • The brow itself has fallen, which points to a forehead lift with scalp incisions
  • Slow healing, bleeding problems, pregnancy or infection near the brow

Age alone is not a reason to rule the operation in or out. Rewind states that it is offered at any age when the condition of the lid calls for it.

After

Caring for the line

Caring for a sub-brow lift scar while it matures

Scar care after this operation is mostly a matter of leaving the line alone and keeping sun off it. Rewind's instructions set the order.

First days
No stimulation
Strong stimulation of the area is avoided and swelling is managed. Restrained facial expressions keep the new closure from being pulled.
One to two weeks
Bruising clears
Bruising and swelling usually ease over this period, which makes the line itself easier to see and assess at review.
About one month
No pulling on the line
The area is not pulled strongly for roughly a month. Alcohol, smoking and saunas are avoided for a period, since they can slow healing.
Months after
Sunscreen, every day
Sunscreen on the line helps prevent scarring and pigmentation while it is still pink. A line that is darkening or thickening is worth showing the surgeon.

A scar that becomes raised, widens, itches persistently or darkens should be reviewed with the surgeon. Infection, a difference between the two sides and altered feeling near the brow are other recognised effects of this surgery, and severe pain is a reason to contact the clinic promptly.

Doctor

Professional

At Rewind, one board-certified plastic surgeon carries every case — from the first consultation to the final follow-up. Because a face is a story, and a story deserves a single author.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeonRewind,
Dr. Jonghwan Choi presenting at an academic session
Fig. 06 — Academic presentation, thread-lifting session

Rewind's Doctor

Dr. Jonghwan Choi Medical Director

One surgeon, from the first
consultation to the last follow-up.

A board-certified plastic surgeon devoted to anti-aging lifting — with the precision and restraint built through years of craniofacial practice.

Board-certified plastic surgeon (Plastic Surgery)
10 peer-reviewed publications
Medical Director, Rewind Plastic Surgery
Korean Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons
Former chief director, Apgujeong Y&T Plastic Surgery
Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
J Craniofac Surg · JKMS · Arch Craniofac Surg
Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
Ask

Questions

Sub-brow lift scar: what patients ask about the line

How visible is the scar under the eyebrow?
Rewind places a fine incision immediately beneath the brow and describes the resulting line as hard to notice, since brow hair and shadow sit beside it. It is still a scar: pinker and firmer in the early months, and how quietly it settles differs from person to person.
Does the scar hide in the brow hairs over time?
Partly. It runs along the lower border of the brow, so the hair covers one edge while the other sits on skin. As the redness fades the line usually reads as part of the brow outline, and full, dark brows cover it better than sparse or light ones.
Is the sub-brow scar more visible than an upper blepharoplasty scar?
They sit in different places. Upper-lid surgery places its line inside the crease, where it is covered as the fold settles, while the sub-brow line sits at the brow edge and leaves the crease untouched. Which suits you depends on your brows, your crease and the cause of the heaviness.
Can I have my brows tattooed after a sub-brow lift?
Rewind publishes no timing for brow tattooing after this operation. Tattooing works on the skin next to the healing line, so ask the surgeon at review when the area is ready, and mention any tattooing you already have at the consultation.
Can I cover the line with make-up while it heals?
Keep products off the incision until the surgeon clears it at review, since strong stimulation of the area is to be avoided while it heals. Once it has closed and been checked, brow make-up is often the simplest way to blend the line into the brow.
What makes a sub-brow lift scar more likely to thicken?
A personal tendency to raised or widened scars, tension on the closure, sun on the healing line and friction. The fixation to periosteum takes the pull off the skin edges, and sunscreen with a month of no strong pulling covers the parts that are in your control.
How long does sunscreen matter for the brow line?
Rewind's aftercare asks for sunscreen to help prevent scarring and pigmentation while the line heals, and publishes no end date. Keep using it while the line is still pink, and ask the surgeon at review whether it has matured enough to stop.
What happens if the scar stays noticeable?
Show it to the surgeon at a follow-up visit. A line that is raised, wide or darker than expected is assessed by the same surgeon who closed it, and whether anything further is worthwhile is discussed then with its own plan.
Voices

Google Reviews

What our patients say.

G 5.0 ★★★★★ 51 Google reviews · Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong — live-synced from Google Business Profile
★★★★★

Came to REWIND to get my facial treatment and i'm absolutely obsessed about it💞 the doctor is so kind and is an expert! Everyone must visit!

YunHee Hong2 weeks ago
★★★★★

There are just way too many cosmetic clinics in Korea and I'm so happy I found Rewind Clinic in Gangnam. Dr. Choi was so kind and patient while explaining the different face-lifting options, from threads to mini-lifts to deep-plane lifts…

J. S.5 months ago
★★★★★

I found Rewind clinic through a Korean chat forum and many local clients highly recommended it. The clinic is brand new, featuring large, clean rooms and many private waiting areas so it doesn't give off that "factory" clinic vibe. All the…

J. Siou5 months ago
★★★★★

Really nice environment. Doctor is easy to communicate and understands my visions. Waited two weeks to make a review and I confirm the results exceeded my expectations and I am super happy with it. Can't wait to come back!! :))

Kristie Chu5 months ago
★★★★★

I received a thread lift at Rewind Plastic Surgery. The clinic was clean and the atmosphere was comfortable. The consultation was thorough, and I felt confident because they kindly explained everything tailored to my facial condition. They…

한주연2 weeks ago · Translated by Google
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Location
Apgujeong, Gangnam
4F & 5F, Richro Building,
812 Nonhyeon-ro,
Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Hours
Mon·Tue·Wed·Fri 10:00–19:00
Sat 10:00–16:00
Closed Sundays & Thursdays
Lunch 12:00–13:00
Consultation
In your language
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Interpreter-assisted
consultations available
Registration
KHIDI Registered
Registered institution for
international patients
Reg. M-2025-01-08-09288

Scientific evidence

Published research on excision below the brow and on limiting eyelid-area scars

The first paper describes indications and outcomes for excision below the brow in Asian upper eyelids, the operation this page covers. The other two concern a different eye operation, inner-corner surgery, and are included for their attention to scar design and to how periorbital lines can thicken. None describes Rewind's patients or predicts how an individual line will heal.