For the last several years, if your brow area was sagging, you had the option of going in for a surgical brow lift. This is still an option several people choose, but it is one that patients are taking advantage of less often. That's because there is now another procedure to help tighten and tone your brow area: a thread lift. Here's a closer look at thread lifts and how they differ from brow lifts.

What is a thread lift?

A thread lift is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure intended to tighten the brow area and alleviate folds and wrinkles on the eyebrow part of the face. Your doctor will feed a special kind of thread under your skin, across your brow area. This thread will have little barbs on it so it can hook into the under layers of the skin. Then your doctor will tighten this thread, which will pull your skin tight and raise your brow. 

What are the advantages of a thread lift over a traditional brow lift?

A thread lift is less invasive than a brow lift. Although the skin is pierced, there are no large incisions. The recovery time is therefore much shorter with a thread lift than with a brow lift. There is also a lower risk of infection and serious side effects with a thread lift. You don't have to take nearly as much time off after a thread lift, either. A day or two of rest should be more than enough. Patients who have brow lifts have to take closer to a week off work, in most cases.

What is the recovery process like?

The recovery process is pretty simple for most people. You can expect your forehead to be a bit bruised and swollen after the procedure. This will last a few days. You should be able to cover most of the discoloration with makeup, if desired, and you can use ice and NSAID pain relievers to keep swelling under control. Your doctor will likely tell you to avoid hard workouts for a week or two after the procedure. But once a week has passed, you should mostly be back to normal, but with a much tighter, more toned brow.

If you've been considering a traditional brow lift, you may want to look into having a thread lift performed instead. It's a less invasive process, and it works well for patients with mild to moderate sagging. For more information, contact a local brow lift service, such as Desert Bloom Skin Care, near you.