It’s natural to be anxious about a surgical procedure, and to wonder what you should expect. After a facelift, you may be wondering if your experience and your healing process are normal. Plastic surgeon Stephen T. Greenberg has guided hundreds of patients through their facelift recovery processat his Manhattan practice. While your experience may vary, this timeline should give you a general idea of what to expect as you recover from your facelift procedure.
Immediately After Your Facelift Surgery
When you wake up after your facelift surgery, you may find that you are experiencing some of the following common side effects:
- Redness and swelling at the surgery site
- Bruising or soreness around the face
- Tightness of the skin
These symptoms may persist for days after your procedure. While all of this is normal, stay aware in the following days. Excessive redness or tightness, severe pain, hotness of the skin near the surgery site, or fever can all be signs of an infection and should be treated immediately.
Most facelifts are outpatient procedures, so be sure to arrange for a ride home following your surgery. Your plastic surgeon will likely have a list of aftercare instructions, as well as prescriptions for any antibiotics or pain medications you may need. Now is the time to discuss any concerns and voice any questions that you may have before heading home for some much needed rest.
One to Six Months After Your Facelift Surgery
Most patients report that they are able to go back to their daily routines as usual after about a month of recovery, with many able to resume work and everyday tasks as early as two weeks after surgery. You may still feel some soreness or tenderness around your face, especially near your incision sites, but this should continue to fade throughout the month. Remember not to rush anything that you do not feel comfortable with, and continue to avoid any especially strenuous activities that could put undue pressure on the muscles and skin of your face until your plastic surgeon agrees that you are ready.
Your face will continue to heal and reduce its swelling and tenderness for months after your surgery, and the true final results of your facelift may not be totally clear until up to six months after surgery, so be patient. By this time you should be completely healed and, with your surgeon’s approval, able to resume all activities as normal.
Learn More about Facelift Surgery From a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Today
Everyone is different, and the recovery timeline that everyone experiences after surgery is different as well. With the proper aftercare and guidance from a skilled plastic surgeon, you can be sure that your recovery process unfolds as simply and smoothly as possible.
If you are considering a facelift procedure, don’t let concerns about recovery hold you back – get informed instead. Contact Stephen T. Greenberg and his team at Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery to schedule a consultation and learn more about the facelift surgery and recovery process today.