In general, it takes about six months to heal from a facelift procedure. Any visible scars will usually progress from a pinkish appearance to a white color that's nearly impossible to notice. Sometimes this can take up to one to two years. In most cases, the scarring won't change much in appearance after two years.
In general, it takes about six months for facelift incisions to heal and fade from red and pink to a lighter hue.
The first is scar massage; frequent, vigorous massage of the area. During the second phase of wound healing, the new scar tissue is immature and with adequate massage therapy you can prevent this scar tissue from becoming permanent. That's right! Simply rubbing a scar can improve its appearance.
Facelift recovery time
You should look and feel normal after 2 – 4 weeks. Keep in mind that facelift surgery cannot stop natural aging, so we encourage patients to continue to take care of their skin and make healthy lifestyle choices.
The initial healing phase of a surgical scar revision may include localized swelling, discoloration or discomfort and may take 1 to 2 weeks. Healing will continue for several weeks and as the new scar heals it will slowly refine and fade.
Stage 4: Maturation (strengthening) Even after your wound looks closed and repaired, it's still healing. It might look pink and stretched or puckered. You may feel itching or tightness over the area.
Scars after a facelift are visible but inconspicuous, and generally not noticeable unless examined closely. The facelift procedure scar starts at the sideburn and follows the contour of the ear, extending along the front of the ear and continuing under the earlobe and behind the ear, into the hairline.
While facelift results can be different for every patient, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that, on average, patients felt they looked about 12 years younger after their facelift surgeries.
Swelling and inflammation are normal during facelift recovery. Swelling may occur around the mouth, chin, or jawline, depending on the extent of your facelift procedure and where it was performed. Most patients can expect the majority of their swelling to dissipate after 3 – 4 weeks.
Once the swelling wanes, that tightness feeling should dissipate in time. Your skin will also start to slightly stretch as it adapts to the new shape. You can expect the face to feel tight for a few months following the facelift surgery. The tightness can last for about 2 – 3 months.
Massage therapy should be included as part of your after-care routine to increase blood flow to the area, boost collagen production, and support healthy healing of your incisions. Your facial plastic surgeon can demonstrate the proper way to massage the skin around your incisions when it is okay to do so.
The incision is placed at the junction of the ear and cheek skin to hide the scar. In most patients, the incision will pass behind the tragus (the projection of skin in front of the ear canal). Placing the incision here means there is no telltale scar.
Healing from a facelift
Fortunately, facelift scars will fade over time until they are almost invisible. The skill of the surgeon will have an impact on how well the patient recovers from the procedure and on how well the scars heal. This is why it's essential to choose a surgeon who specializes in facelifts.
Scars from a mini facelift are typically located in natural creases of the skin or areas that are not prominently noticeable, so they are even less detectable to others.
While no non-surgical procedure can match the skin tightening ability of the facelift, they do provide something that facelift surgery cannot: improve skin tone and texture. And as most people know, skin irregularities go far beyond lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
A facelift often will enhance the appearance of your cheek, jaw line and neck region but is considered major surgery. You should think carefully about your specific expectations and communicate your goals to your plastic surgeon.
How long do ears hurt after facelift? Some patients may experience pain or numbness in the ears after their facelift, which can persist for 1-3 months.
Numbness and Tingling Will Fade
These symptoms can persist for quite some time; a common time frame before you can expect them to fade is usually between 2 and 6 months, but it is also considered normal for them to last up to a year.
The answer is, “No,” since many patients do not have the loose skin or sagging fat/muscles that a facelift corrects. Younger patients often find that injectables such as Juvederm or Botox provide the filling or wrinkle reduction that they desire and with a shorter recovery.
There is usually very little actual pain following a facelift, but you may experience a deep bruised sensation as a result of the swelling, and your face may seem heavy. The bandage you will wear the first night may seem quite snug under your chin. Rather than make you feel restricted, we hope it makes you feel secure.
In most cases, a facelift works best for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s when signs of aging begin to become prevalent. Deep lines, wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin are the result of the aging process and can be best corrected through surgical techniques rather than non-surgical ones.
Generally, a ponytail lift involves incisions made high up on the face – above the front of the ear or beyond the hairline. The facial cosmetic surgeon then pulls the ligaments below the skin to adjust and reduce sagging.
While existing scars cannot be waved away via magic wand, you can speed up the fading process by regularly applying certain topical creams, lotions, and gels to them. Some common ingredients in these scar treatments include aloe vera, cocoa butter, Vitamin E, honey, and other hydrating materials.
It can take up to 12-18 months after your injury or operation for a scar to heal. A normal scar will become darker initially and after a period of time this will start to fade. Dark scars can remain for years or indefinitely in people with darker skin.