Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Facelift Recovery

Many patients in Orange County are interested in facelifts, but worry that they’ll have to spend weeks in bed recovering. But the recovery process after a facelift is actually a lot less painful than you might think.

How long will it take? In most cases, you’ll be able to return to work and your daily routine in as little as 3 weeks.

Here, we’ll give you all the information you need about the recovery process after a facelift.

How long will recovery after a facelift take?

Patients often want an exact number on how long it will take to recover. But your recovery time will depend on a lot of different factors, including your health, age, the surgeon you choose, and the amount of work you want done.

That said, most patients will feel like themselves within a few weeks and be able to return to work. But it’s crucial that you pick a skilled surgeon. They can minimize the stress that the surgery puts on your body, decreasing the recovery time.

And facelifts are an outpatient procedure. That means you won’t have to spend the night at a medical center, and can rest in your own bed after the procedure is done.

How much pain is there after a facelift?

Like with any surgical procedure, you can expect some pain after a facelift. Fortunately, most of the postoperative pain can easily be managed with safe doses of pain medication.

And the pain tends to go away after about a week, so you won’t have to take pain medication for long. After a week, you should only be experiencing some light pain and tenderness.

What about scarring?

People often worry that a facelift just isn’t worth the risk of scarring. However, facelifts actually leave barely any visible scars- that is, if you choose a skilled surgeon.

An experienced plastic surgeon chooses incision sites that are hidden from view. And they will make the incision as small as possible. That means that no one will notice any scarring from the surgery.

If you want to minimize scarring, it’s important that you avoid intense UV light. This can make scars much more visible. You should stay out of the sun as much as possible the first few weeks after the surgery. And once you get back to your normal routine, use sunblock to protect the scar tissue.

Standard recovery after a facelift

So, what’s a typical timeline after a facelift? Here’s an idea of what you can expect:

• Week 1: There will be noticeable swelling and bruising, and you’ll probably need prescription painkillers the first few days. You should also try to have someone around the house to help out with your day to day routine
• Week 2: The swelling and bruising should reduce dramatically, although you may still have some puffiness. You may not feel fully back to normal, but you’ll be able to start a light exercise routine- this can also help speed up your recovery!
• Week 3: Bruising should be gone, and there should be little swelling. You should be able to return to work, and can continue increasing your amount of exercise
• 1 Month: The scars will show noticeable improvement, and you should be looking and feeling normal again
• 1 Year: It can take up to a year for the scars to fully heal. But remember, they are in places that are barely visible

And do remember that recovery times can vary widely depending on your age, health, and the amount of work done during the procedure.

But most people will be able to get back to their normal routine in just a few weeks.

What about complications?

Although most facelifts have few serious side effects or complications, you should watch out for these symptoms:

• Any large bulging on your face
• Excessive bleeding from the surgery site
• High temperature
• Severe pain more than a few days after the operation
• Excessive itchiness
• Swelling or bruising that is not improving

If you have any of these symptoms, you should contact your surgeon right away.

A surgeon that is there for you every step of the way

A great plastic surgeon knows that relationships are important. That’s why Dr. Klicker is there for you every step of the recovery process.

If you have any questions about your recovery, or symptoms of a complication, contact Dr. Klicker. In most cases, side effects aren’t serious, and he can walk you through what you can do to be comfortable as you recover.