A smooth brow lift recovery is all about prioritizing rest, following your surgeon’s instructions, and paying attention to your symptoms and progress. Let’s take a deep dive into these areas and offer some specific tips for improving your brow lift recovery and getting great results!
First, though, what is a brow lift, and what exactly does it do?
Brow Lift Surgery Explained
A brow lift is a cosmetic surgery that aims to give a more youthful appearance to a person’s forehead and brow line. As we age, gravity takes its toll.
For both men and women, this can specifically be seen along the eyebrow line. Men tend to have their actual eyebrows located right on the ridge of the brow bone, whereas women typically have their eyebrows located slightly above the brow bone.
No matter your gender, gravity will slowly pull your eyebrows down over the brow bone with time, and this can create drooping eyebrows and an aged appearance. Sagging eyebrows can also put more weight and stress onto your upper eyelids. This is why many patients will come into our office seeking an upper eyelid lift (the removal of excess skin on the upper lids) when they may, in fact, actually need a brow lift or a combination of a brow lift and upper blepharoplasty (upper eyelid surgery).
A brow lift can lift the brow line and forehead, thereby lifting the upper eyelid slightly as well. It can also smooth out some of the lines and wrinkles that are often found along the brow line and the forehead.
These days, most brow lifts are very simple because they can typically be performed endoscopically. An endoscopic brow lift procedure means that several small incisions will be made along the hairline, and a camera will actually be inserted into these incisions so that your plastic surgeon can see inside and adjust the tissues beneath your forehead. Ultimately, they can release some of the unwanted tension in the brow and adjust the positioning of the skin so that it is anchored higher on your forehead and you get great results.
What Is Brow Lift Recovery Like?
No two brow lift recoveries are exactly alike. This is simply because every patient will have a different procedure technique performed (temporal brow lift, forehead lift, coronal brow lift, etc.), and, moreover, all patients recover differently based on their age, skin quality, genetics, and other factors.
For the most part, patients should have a relatively easy recovery time. You can look at brow lift recovery photos to see examples of how you may look and feel directly after this outpatient procedure and as you embark on the recovery process.
Some swelling and bruising is common. Facial expressions may be difficult to make for the initial recovery period. You’ll want to keep your head elevated and possibly use cool packs to minimize swelling. Pain medication may be needed for the first night and day but should not be needed for the next several weeks of the healing process.
Your surgeon will provide specific instructions based on the types of brow lift surgery they perform. Sometimes, a thin tube will be used at the surgical site to drain out excess fluid after surgery (see brow lift recovery pictures for examples).
Brow Lift Recovery Tips
1. Follow your surgeon’s instructions.
Your surgeon will tell you how to position yourself when you rest and sleep, when you can bathe, how to care for your incision sites, and when you can reincorporate your everyday activities. If you have a sedentary job, you can usually return within the first week or two.
At first, you will need to refrain from physical activity, including heavy lifting. Short, gentle walks are good as they will promote blood circulation and keep you relatively active.
Be sure to attend all of your post surgery follow-up appointments until you reach your final results, which may take several months. Your surgeon will check your incision sites and make sure healing is progressing well.
2. Prioritize rest.
One of the best things you can do after a brow lift is rest. Do not try to do too much. Busy work, chores, and errands should wait at least several weeks. Instead, focus on relaxing and taking part in passive activities like watching movies, talking with friends, reading, or resting.
3. Ask for help.
Don’t be afraid to enlist help from friends and family. You may benefit greatly from having someone around who can help you with cooking, keeping house, and taking care of pets or children. Even if someone can come over every day for just a few hours, this can make your recovery far easier and more pleasant.
4. Lead a healthy lifestyle.
Start by making good choices in the foods you eat. Do not drink alcohol (or smoke) during your recovery, and limit caffeine and high-sodium foods. Try to aim for healthy, well-balanced meals with plenty of protein, which is essential for healing. Drink lots of water.
Likewise, start moving as soon as possible. We mentioned above that taking short, gentle walks is encouraged. Start with these, and when your surgeon allows it, reincorporate other physical activities such as longer walks, light stretching, etc. Over time, you will be able to return to your favorite exercises, including strength training and other forms of cardio. But it’s always best to ease back in.
Call Us Today to Schedule a Brow Lift Consultation
A brow lift can take years off your appearance and give you that youthful freshness you’ve been looking for. It’s also an extremely common procedure, and the natural-looking results mean it’s not obvious when someone’s had it. Celebrity brow lift surgery is more popular than ever, for example, so many of your favorite stars have likely had the procedure, but you may not have realized it.
To learn more about brow lift recovery day by day and how you can schedule an appointment for a consultation with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Rachel Mason, please contact our office today.