Face Lift Recovery

A pressing concern that any individual interested in obtaining face lift surgery is related to the recovery time. In this day and age, very few people are able to commit an extensive period of time to allowing their bodies to heal from a surgical process. However, the amount of face lift recovery time is reasonable and the recovery process will not overtly interrupt with the patient's regular schedule.

Following their facelift surgery, a patient will be up and about within two days. However, it is highly recommended that the patient spend the week immediately following the surgery resting and allowing their body to recuperate. Although the patient does not generally feel significant discomfort following the surgery, their plastic surgeon may prescribe medication to the patient as a safety precaution. In instances where a patient is feeling a severe or persistent pain, they should contact their plastic surgeon immediately.

During the week following your surgery, your body will begin the healing process and the visible scars, swelling, and bruises that were evident immediately after the surgery will begin to subside. A plastic surgeon will provide specific instructions to the patient on ways to accelerate the healing process. However, some suggestions includes:

• Keeping your head elevated as a way to keep swelling down.
• To avoid irritation to your skin, which is tender and numb following the surgery, you should be particularly gentle with your face and hair.
• Avoid strenuous activity such as heavy housework and running for at least two weeks.
• Limit physical exercise to walking and mild stretching during this time.
• Avoid alcohol, steam baths, and saunas for several months.

While a patient's plastic surgeon will recommend mild lifestyle changes that are designed to assist the body's recuperation, the surgical tools used during facelift procedure will be removed shortly after the successful treatment. Patients that had a drainage tube inserted during the surgery will have it removed within two days following the surgery. Bandages used during the surgery will be moved from one to five days following the surgery. During that same time span, the majority of your stitches will also be removed. However, considering its fragility, stitches or metal claims that are present in a patient's hairline will remain but only for a few days longer.

One of the hardest adjustments that a facelift patient encounters immediately following the surgery involves their actual physical appearance. A patient's face will be distorted from swelling and bruising following the treatment and many patients have a hard time psychologically adjusting to this. However, the results of facelift surgery take time to set in. Usually by the third week, the patient is enjoying their new look and the swelling, bruising, and scarring that was visibly present following the surgery has now disappeared.