Surgery · Recovery

Sub-brow Lift Recovery

Two weeks to look settled, a month to leave the brow alone

Apgujeong, Seoul | Board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Jonghwan Choi
Timings from Rewind's written aftercare · KHIDI-registered for international patients

Sub-brow Lift Recovery Sub-brow Lift Recovery Sub-brow Lift Recovery Sub-brow Lift Recovery 
Recover

Downtime, in short

How long is downtime after a sub-brow lift?

The periods Rewind sets

Plan on one to two weeks before the visible part eases, and about a month of care after that. Rewind's post-operative sheet for brow lifting says bruising and swelling usually settle within one to two weeks. The sub-brow page adds that the operated area should not be pulled strongly for roughly a month, and that alcohol, smoking and saunas are avoided for a period. Sunscreen is used on the healing line to help prevent scarring and pigmentation.

Timings on this page come from Rewind's Korean surgical page for the sub-brow lift and its written post-operative instructions. The clinic publishes no suture-removal day, anaesthesia type or operating time for this procedure, so none is invented here.

When are the stitches removed? Rewind does not publish a fixed day for this operation. The surgeon sets it and writes it into your follow-up plan. For a visitor this is the date that matters most, because the return flight should come after it.

Downtime here means the period when the brow area looks operated on. What limits a visitor is bruising, swelling and a freshly closed line under each brow that has to be left alone, more than any instruction to stay in bed.

Private recovery room at Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong
Fig. 01 — The first rest after surgery happens inside the clinic
Result

Before & After

Where recovery ends up: the two sub-brow lift cases Rewind has published

These are the settled results recovery is working toward. Neither caption states how many weeks after surgery the later photograph was taken, so they show an end point and not a timetable. Case 02 carried lower-eyelid surgery in the same session, which adds its own swelling below the eyes.

Rewind patients — brow and upper lid after healing

Before a sub-brow lift with no other operation, brows and upper lids After recovery from a sub-brow lift with no other operation, brows and upper lids BEFOREAFTER
case 01
Sub-brow lift alone: one incision line under each brow to heal
Individual results may vary.
Before a sub-brow lift with lower-eyelid surgery, brows and eyes After recovery from a sub-brow lift with lower-eyelid surgery, brows and eyes BEFOREAFTER
case 02
Sub-brow lift with lower-eyelid surgery: two operated areas recovering together
Individual results may vary.

The patients in both pairs were operated on at Rewind and gave written consent for these unretouched clinic photographs. Make-up differs between the visits in case 02. Individual results may vary. During recovery, bleeding, infection, prolonged swelling, a difference between the two brows, numbness or altered feeling near the incision and a line that thickens can all occur.

Healing

What is healing

Four parts of sub-brow lift recovery that settle at different speeds

Recovery is easier to plan once it is broken into the tissues doing the healing. After a sub-brow lift there are four, and they do not finish together.

part 01
Bruising
The most visible sign, around the brow and the upper lid. Rewind's instructions for brow lifting expect it to ease within one to two weeks, and severe pain is a reason to come back to the clinic.
part 02
Swelling
Swelling makes the lid look heavier and the two sides less even than they will be. Resting well and keeping facial expressions calm are part of the clinic's instructions for this stage.
part 03
The fixation
The skin anchored to the periosteum needs time to hold. This is why strong pulling on the area is avoided for about a month, even once the bruising has gone.
part 04
The line under the brow
The incision keeps changing for months as it matures. Sunscreen is part of the aftercare to limit scarring and darkening while it does.
Timeline

The timeline

The sub-brow lift recovery timeline, from surgery day to the first month

The stages below follow Rewind's written instructions. Where the clinic gives no figure for a stage, this page gives none either.

01Day 0

Rest in the recovery room, with the new lines left alone

You rest in the recovery room first; when you can leave is confirmed at the consultation. From the start the area is spared strong stimulation, swelling is managed and exaggerated facial expressions are avoided, as the brow-lift sheet asks.

02Week 1–2

The first fortnight after a sub-brow lift: bruising and swelling ease

Rewind expects bruising and swelling to ease within one to two weeks. The pace differs from person to person, and one brow can settle faster than the other without anything being wrong.

03Review

Stitches out on the day the surgeon sets

No suture-removal day is published for this operation. The surgeon fixes it with you, and it is the appointment to protect when you book a flight home.

04Month 1

A month without strong pulling on the brow

For about a month the operated area is not pulled strongly. Alcohol, smoking and saunas stay off the schedule for a period, since each of them feeds swelling or slows healing.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi operating with loupes and headlight at Rewind Plastic Surgery
Fig. 02 — Recovery starts with how carefully the line is closed
Rewind

Why plan it this way

Why Rewind plans sub-brow lift recovery around review visits

For a patient who lives abroad, the difficult part of recovery is rarely the bruising. It is making sure the checks the surgeon needs happen before the flight home.

01Calendar

Review days are fixed against the days the clinic opens

Rewind is closed on Thursday and Sunday, and Saturday hours end at 16:00. Review dates, including the day the stitches come out, are set at the consultation so a flight is not booked in front of them.

02Swelling

Early unevenness is read by the person who operated

Uneven swelling can make one brow look higher or one lid heavier in the first days. The surgeon who drew the excision knows what was removed on each side and can tell swelling from a real difference.

03Continuity

One plastic surgeon from theatre to the last check

Every review is held by the medical director who operated, and the clinic is KHIDI-registered for international patients. If something worries you after you have flown home, the notes from each visit are with the same surgeon.

Dr. Jonghwan Choi checking a patient's face during a follow-up consultation
Fig. 03 — Review visits take place at the same desk as the first consultation
Theatre

Surgery day

What sub-brow lift surgery day looks like at Rewind, up to going home

Patient being prepared for surgery at Rewind Plastic Surgery

Fig. 04 — Preparation before the incision under the brow

Patient lounge at Rewind Plastic Surgery, Apgujeong

Fig. 05 — The lounge where review visits begin

The operation and the first rest afterwards both take place at Rewind, on the fourth and fifth floors of the Richro Building in Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul. Anaesthesia type and time in theatre are not published for this procedure; both are confirmed at your consultation, together with when you can leave and when you return for the first check.

Bruising and swelling: usually ease in one to two weeks
Stitches: removal day set by the surgeon
No strong pulling on the area: about one month
Alcohol, smoking, saunas: avoided for a period
Sunscreen on the healing line
Reviewed by Dr. Jonghwan Choi
Dr. Jonghwan Choi, board-certified plastic surgeon

Board-certified plastic surgeon

Certified in Korea as a specialist in plastic surgery; he holds each sub-brow lift review himself. Rewind cares for patients from abroad under KHIDI registration M-2025-01-08-09288.

Cost

Pricing and recovery

Sub-brow lift pricing in Seoul, set against the recovery each option asks for

Recovery changes with the plan. A single sub-brow lift heals as one set of lines; adding an operation adds another area to look after during the same stay.

Sub-brow liftOne incision line under each brow; the recovery described on this page
₩2,900,000
Lower blepharoplastyCombined in case 02; adds its own under-eye aftercare to the same stay
₩3,900,000
Upper blepharoplastyThe crease-line alternative, with its own published recovery
₩3,900,000

Each figure is a list price with the anaesthetic fee included; VAT comes on top. Choosing an operation for a shorter recovery makes little sense if it does not match the cause of the heaviness, so the operation is decided first and the stay is planned around it.

Fit

Fitting it into a trip

Who can plan a compact sub-brow lift recovery, and who should allow longer

A compact stay is realistic when

  • The sub-brow lift is the only operation in the session
  • Review visits, including stitch removal, fit on the clinic's open days
  • You can avoid alcohol, smoking and saunas for the period set
  • Visible bruising for up to two weeks does not clash with work or events
  • Nothing in your health history slows wound healing

Build in extra days after a sub-brow lift when

  • Under-eye surgery or other facial work is planned in the same session
  • The brows or lids have been operated on before
  • A wedding, photographs or public work falls in the first fortnight
  • A clotting problem, blood-thinning medication or poor healing is present
  • Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or inflammation near the brow on the planned date

Rewind does not restrict this operation to middle-aged patients. At any age, the length of the stay is decided by the plan and the review visits, and age has little to do with it.

After

Rules and warning signs

Sub-brow lift aftercare at Rewind: what to avoid, and when to call

These are the instructions Rewind gives for this surgery, gathered in one place and in the order you will need them.

From day one
Calm face, calm brow
Avoid strong stimulation of the area, manage swelling, keep facial expressions restrained and rest properly. Rubbing or pressing on the brow should wait.
One to two weeks
Bruising fades
Bruising and swelling usually ease over this period. Severe pain is a reason to return to the clinic promptly and never something to wait out.
About one month
No strong pulling
The operated area is not pulled strongly. Alcohol, smoking and saunas are set aside for a period, and the surgeon tells you at review when each can return.
Months after
Sun on the line
Sunscreen on the incision helps prevent scarring and pigmentation while the line under the brow matures.

Contact the clinic promptly for severe or increasing pain, fever, bleeding that does not stop or a wound that opens. A difference between the two sides, numbness near the incision and a line that thickens are recognised after this surgery and are assessed at review. Surgery is postponed while there is infection or inflammation near the brow.

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 recovery: what patients ask before flying in

How long is downtime after a sub-brow lift?
Rewind's aftercare for brow lifting expects bruising and swelling to ease within one to two weeks. After that, the operated area is still not pulled strongly for about a month, and alcohol, smoking and saunas are avoided for a period set by the surgeon.
When are the stitches removed after a sub-brow lift?
Rewind does not publish a fixed day for this operation. The surgeon sets the removal date with you and writes it into your follow-up plan, and for a visitor it is the appointment that the return flight should be booked after.
Can I travel home before the stitches come out?
Plan the stay so that stitch removal and the first check happen in Seoul. Ask for the review dates in writing at your consultation, and book flights after the last one the surgeon wants to see you for.
Why does one brow look more swollen than the other?
Swelling rarely leaves both sides at the same pace, so early photographs often look uneven. The surgeon compares the two sides at review, once the swelling has gone down, and a difference that persists is assessed then.
When can I wear make-up near the brows again?
Rewind publishes no make-up date for this operation. Keep products off the healing lines until the surgeon clears them at review, and use sunscreen on the lines as the clinic asks, since protecting them from sun is part of the aftercare.
Is exercise allowed during sub-brow lift recovery?
Rest is part of the instructions, and saunas are listed among the things to avoid. Anything that raises swelling or pulls at the brow works against the healing, so ask the surgeon at review when harder exercise can return.
Does adding under-eye surgery lengthen recovery?
It adds a second area to heal in the same stay, as in case 02 on this page, where lower-eyelid surgery shared the session. That operation has its own aftercare, so the combined plan and its review dates are settled at the consultation.
What signs after surgery mean I should call the clinic?
Severe or worsening pain, fever, bleeding that does not stop or a wound that opens. Rewind's sheet for brow lifting specifically asks patients with severe pain to come back, so contact the clinic promptly and do not wait for the next review.
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
Booking

Reservation

REWIND,booking

Tell us what you are considering — we reply as soon as possible, in your language.

Visit

REWIND,visit

For international patients — interpreter-assisted, from your first message to your follow-up.

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
WhatsApp · Instagram
Interpreter-assisted
consultations available
Registration
KHIDI Registered
Registered institution for
international patients
Reg. M-2025-01-08-09288

Scientific evidence

Published research on eyelid-area healing, complications and follow-up care

Four papers inform this page: a Korean sub-brow series treating hooding and a hollow upper lid in one stage, a review of complications after Asian eyelid surgery and how they are managed, a systematic review linking continuity of care with patient outcomes, and a peer-review study of safety in outpatient surgery. They describe published patient groups; the recovery periods on this page come from Rewind's own written instructions.