Knowing what to expect from a facelift recovery process can help ease fears and anxiety and encourage you to prepare for the procedure. This can include preparing a comfortable resting area, having someone drive you to and from the surgical center, and following postoperative incision care instructions.
Swelling
It is not uncommon to experience some swelling after a facelift procedure. This is caused by fluid accumulation in the affected areas due to the body’s natural healing process. As the area heals, the fluid will dissipate, and swelling will subside. In some cases, a bulge may be more pronounced on one side of the face, which is normal for recovery.
To help minimize swelling after a facelift, we recommend sleeping with your head elevated as much as possible. This can be done by propping your head up with pillows while you sleep.
You can also wear a compression garment to promote circulation and reduce facial swelling. If you do not have a compression garment, we will happily provide one for the first week after your facelift.
If you are experiencing tingling or lightning sensations in the ears, this is also normal, as these are small sensory nerves that reconnect during the healing process. Itching and burning can also occur, which is normal because the skin has been separated from underlying tissues during a facelift surgery.
You should avoid putting heat on your face or near the incision sites to prevent heating the swelling. The cold can help to reduce the swelling by constricting blood vessels and reducing fluid retention in the affected area.
Bruising
Swelling and bruising typically reach their peak three to four days after surgery. By this time, you should be able to return to most of your daily activities. Still, it would help if you avoided strenuous exercise and other activities that put your incision sites at risk for injury until your surgeon advises.
A facelift involves elevating skin and tissue in the neck area to tighten or remove excess fat, muscle, and connective tissues. The skin is then re-draped over the newly-sculpted areas. This procedure can be performed with sedation and local anesthesia or under general anesthesia for a more complete rejuvenation.
Bruising can be a side effect of most cosmetic surgeries, including facelifts. It occurs when the surgical procedure impacts your blood vessels, causing fluid buildup. Bruises can range from dark to light in color and gradually transform over time. Some bruising can last as long as one month, depending on the patient’s unique reaction to surgery and healing.
Makeup can be used to conceal bruising, but you must follow your surgeon’s post-surgical instructions for skin care and maintenance. Attending all follow-up appointments for your facelift is essential to help monitor your recovery progress. Patients who miss or skip these appointments may be at risk for complications, such as infection.
Preparing for a facelift plastic surgery involves understanding what actions to avoid beforehand, ensuring a smoother recovery and optimal results, as discussed in the article about pre-surgery precautions.
Discomfort
While recovering from facelift surgery, it’s normal to feel some discomfort. This is typically a result of the medications you’ve been given and the swelling in your face.
To help alleviate this, we suggest you try sleeping on two pillows to keep your head elevated and consuming plenty of fluids. You may also want to consider taking over-the-counter pain medication to help relieve the discomfort.
By the end of the first week, bruising and swelling should begin to fade. You may also experience a tingling sensation in the area as your facial muscles start to wake up again. This is a common occurrence and nothing to be concerned about, but it’s important not to take more pain medication than your surgeon prescribes.
A facelift is a surgical procedure that tightens your tissues and muscles and eliminates excess skin to give you a youthful appearance. It can be performed using sedation, local anesthesia, or general anesthesia for quicker recovery.
To perform a facelift, we use a small incision to access the underlying structures of your face. The fat is sculpted or removed to provide more definition, and the incisions are then stitched or taped closed.
A drainage tube may be placed to drain any fluid from the incision sites. We remove this by day three and apply antibiotic ointment and new bandages to the area.
After undergoing facelift plastic surgery, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential post-operative issues, including common complications, as discussed in the related article.
Pain
A facelift (rhytidectomy) can address sagging skin and wrinkles in the neck, cheeks, and jawline. It can also reduce fat, tighten muscles, and give a refreshed appearance. While it will not stop aging, it can make you look five to ten years younger than you would without surgery.
In the first few days after a facelift, swelling can cause your neck to feel heavy. You may also notice some bruising around the ears and jawline. Fortunately, these side effects should not last long and will begin to fade in the weeks following surgery.
By the end of the first week after surgery, most patients can stop pain medications and should start feeling better overall. However, swelling, bruising, and tightness can still be present. You will also be able to begin washing your face and incision sites.
After undergoing facelift plastic surgery, it’s intriguing to observe how the convergence of Hollywood’s influence and technological advancements plays a significant role in shaping modern cosmetic procedures, as discussed in the related article.
During this time, it is important to avoid rubbing the area as it can lead to scarring. Incisions usually have a pinkish hue but will eventually fade to an unnoticeable color.
If you have followed our recovery tips, most bruising should have disappeared, and swelling should be minimal. You can return to work and perform most activities at this stage, though we will advise you to limit strenuous exercise until the facelift is completely healed.
