Forehead lifts and Brow lifts: what's the difference?

Yes, I would agree this is very confusing and is often times used interchangeably.

FOREHEAD LIFT:

Forehead lifts are generally accomplished via incisions at the hairline or in the scalp. There are many different techniques which can be: 

1. under the skin and over the muscle (subcutaneous),
2. under the muscle
3. under the covering layer of the bone (subperiosteal)

Incisions can be:

1. at the hairline or in the scalp using 2 inch incisions (limited open)
2. extending across the enitre hairline or scalp (open pretrichal or coronal)
3. using multiple small scalp incsions (endoscopic) from ear to ear

Goals:

1. One can be to shorten the forehead and move the hairline forward to eliminate a high hairline.
2. Another goal can be to actually lift the eyebrows to a higher location.

BROW LIFT:

A brow lift is any method which can elevate the brows. To some degree this includes the forehead lift but also includes several other approaches:

1. Incisions directly across the middle of the forehead typically in a older male with deep creases and a receding hairline which makes hiding the incision in the scalp difficult.
2. Immediately above the eyebrow (direct brow lift). Although this seems obvious it tends to leave a visible hairless scar.
3. Incisions through the upper eyelid carried out at the time of upper lid tuck (trans-blepharoplasty brow lift). More often than not this does not really achieve significant lifting but keeps the eyebrow from drifing down with the eyelid procedure and is more of a brow pexy than a brow lift.

I hope this helps. I understand your confusion.