Because every facelift procedure is different, every patient's recovery is also different. In general, you can expect to make a full recovery from your procedure in about two to three weeks.
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.
Expect to look worse before you look better. Do not panic; this is normal. There will be swelling and bruising. As swelling and bruising fades, you will begin to see the results.
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.
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.
Facelift is also considered major surgery based on a longer recovery time than following lesser invasive treatments. Swelling may linger for several months, however the majority of swelling and bruising resolves over the first few weeks post-operatively.
Windblown Look: caused when the surgeon stretches the facial skin beyond a natural point, making the face look pulled back and unnatural. Visible Scars: poor technique could lead to visible scars near the hairline or the ear, which can be hard to cover with makeup.
Because the procedure lifts and pulls back loose facial and neck skin, as well as connective tissue, it causes bruising and swelling, which subsides significantly by the end of week two. It will take more than two weeks for incisions to fully heal and all post-operative swelling to completely resolve.
As regards numbness, the nerves need time to reattach to the skin and tissues that have been lifted. This can also take up to six months or more but occurs continually over time starting shortly after surgery.
Recovery for a mini lift typically takes a few weeks, usually between 1 to 3 weeks to fully recover from the procedure. We generally recommend you set aside 1 week following the procedure, as this is when the majority of healing will take place.
Most patients wear their compression garments for about two weeks after their facelift, neck lift, or neck liposuction procedures. This depends on several factors including the rate at which you heal.
You must wear the chin strap continuously for the first two weeks after surgery except while eating and showering/cleaning incisions. The strap helps fight the forces of gravity immediately after surgery and helps improve any swelling.
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.
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.
Massage after a facelift helps with:
The gentle upward massage strokes of a lymphatic facial soothe the pain receptors that signal the brain to interpret discomfort. Massage also increases circulation through healing tissues, which reduces pain.
Facelift fails are most likely to occur when a surgeon doesn't have the level of training and experience required to do a good job with the procedure you want. This is why you should be sure to look for a facial plastic surgeon for any facial surgery, not simply a plastic surgeon.
An unnatural, pulled appearance can be difficult to explain. Fixing these complications requires time, patience, and an experienced surgeon that specializes in plastic surgery of the face. It is not uncommon to have to repeat the facelift, but with the revision focusing on the muscle layer instead of the skin.
When performed correctly by the hands of a skilled surgeon, facelift results can be some of the most natural looking of any cosmetic procedure and can leave you with a rejuvenated and more youthful facial appearance.
Injectable treatments will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but they will not remove excess skin, improve skin laxity, or eliminate skin sagging. The only way to effectively treat these issues is through surgery. A facelift will provide much more long-lasting results than non-surgical options.
Facelift surgery will not affect your smile when performed appropriately. You can help to ensure the most pleasing and reliable results by choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon to perform your procedure.
You will feel some pain for 2 to 4 days after surgery. You may have some trouble opening your mouth for several days. The skin around the incision probably will be numb. You may have some itching or shooting pain as the feeling returns.
Patients do complain of a feeling of fullness in the ears or pain in the ears for the first few days after surgery. This is caused by swelling, and improves fairly quickly. Most of my patients take prescription pain medication for the first couple of days before transitioning to Motrin or Tylenol.
In general, the results from your facelift will look very good after about 1-month and you'll look your best at 6 months. A facelift can produce long-lasting results for years to come. And while everyone has a unique aging process, many of my patients don't feel they need more work for 12-14 years.
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.