Facelift Recovery Steps
A facelift is a great way to take years off your appearance, improving unwanted wrinkles, jowls, and sagging. But like any surgical procedure, the facelift comes with some downtime. Being fully prepared for your recovery is important for ensuring successful, long-lasting results. Each patient’s recovery timeline will differ, so Dr. Janiga can give you a more specific idea of what to expect. Below is a general recovery guide so you can be better prepared for your first month post-op.
Week 1
The first week of your facelift recovery will be the most challenging, and the most important. During this time, you can expect some swelling, bruising, and general discomfort. This can be managed with prescription medication from Dr. Janiga. Using an ice pack and keeping your head elevated will also help to minimize swelling. It is important to keep your incisions clean and keep a follow-up appointment with Dr. Janiga to ensure you’re healing properly. Although you might feel well enough to get moving by the third day of recovery, rest is important throughout the first week. You may want a family member or friend there to help care for you and take care of household duties, especially if you have small children that need caring for. You’ll also want to arrange for this time off work to properly recover at home.
Week 2
During the second week of your recovery, you’ll still have some swelling and bruising, but you should be feeling much better. Numbness, tingling, and tightness are also common in the second week. By the end of the second week, most patients feel well enough to get back to daily activities and work, depending on how strenuous the job. Exercise should still be limited to avoid any excess swelling while you’re healing.
Week 3-4
At week 3-4, you may have some lingering swelling and tightness, but you should be feeling and looking much better. You can begin to see real improvements during this time with reduced wrinkles and sagging. By the end of four weeks, patients feel much more comfortable going out and socializing, without obvious signs of the procedure being done. Exercise can also be resumed at this time, but only after approval from Dr. Janiga. You can expect your incisions to be pinkish-red, but these will continue to fade with time.
After 1 Month
After one month, you should be able to resume all regular activities and enjoy your new look! It can take several more months for the last bit of swelling to diminish, but this should be unnoticeable to others, allowing you to experience the full results of your procedure with a more youthful appearance and smoother facial contours. These results can last for many years, aging naturally with the rest of your body.
Every patient’s facelift recovery will be unique, so make sure you ask Dr. Janiga any questions you have about your specific procedure and the downtime you can expect. Following your post-op care instructions and listening to Dr. Janiga is the best way to ensure successful, satisfying results after your facelift procedure. To learn more or to get started on your facelift procedure process, contact our office and schedule your consultation with Dr. Janiga today.
