When someone is considering having a face lift, one of the main questions on their mind is how long will face lift recovery take and when will I be back to normal. The anxiety about recovery time is normal.
In most cases there will be some bruising and swelling after face lift surgery. For many people this bruising and swelling will disappear within a few weeks, but this will depend on how well you heal, as people heal at different rates.
Another factor that will determine healing time is what procedure a person undergoes; some procedures are minimally invasive, which shortens healing time. The more you have done, the longer face lift recovery will take.
For example, if you do not need a lot done, your recovery time will be shorter due to the fact that the procedure will not be as invasive as someone who is going in for a full-face lift, which would require general anesthesia.
Right after surgery, you can expect that your face and neck be bandaged loosely. This is to try and reduce the amount of bruising and swelling the patient experiences. In some cases a drainage tube may be place behind the ear; this is to help ensure that there is no build up of fluids and blood beneath the skin after surgery. Following the surgery, the doctor may prescribe you some pain medication to help you feel more comfortable for the first few days following your face lift.
During your face lift recovery, you will want to allow yourself some time to heal so it is best to take at least a week away from work if possible. For the first two weeks you may experience skin discoloration and numbness, but it is nothing to be alarmed about. Another important step to helping your face lift recovery is to keep your bandages and dressings as dry as possible, for this reason you may not be able to shower or bathe right away. The doctor will tell you when it will be okay get the incisions wet.
For at least three days you will want to keep the head elevated and avoid moving around too much. About 5 days after surgery the stitches will be removed; not long after this you will be able to determine the success of your facelift.
New studies have shown that one reason why face lift recovery times have shortened is that more and more people are going in for partial face lifts at a younger age. For those who choose plastic surgery before the age of 50, there will be less needed to give them the youthful appearance they want, so the surgery required is minimal.Some activities that you will want to avoid during the first two weeks of your face lift recovery include heavy housework, sexual activity.
You will also want to avoid alcohol, saunas and steam rooms for several months after surgery. To ensure that your face lift recovery goes well, you will want to get plenty of rest. The more rest and relaxation you get, the better you will heal. Although a lot of people may not realize it, another thing to avoid after surgery is using a pillow. This can actually damage the skin if used too soon after having a facelift.
It is important that someone who has a facelift be prepared for the fact that their face will look different during the face lift recovery phase. The swelling and different skin texture may be alarming, but it is nothing to worry about, most people will get back to looking normal within a few weeks.
