Facelift Recovery

Facelift operations usually last between 2 and 6 hours under general anesthesia. The extensiveness of the operation and whether it is combined with other procedures affect the duration. The healing process is also affected by these factors. However, usually the patient can return to their daily life in a short time, while paying attention to the things that they need to be careful about. It may take 3 months for the results to be settled and almost fully seen. Completion of the healing process and occurrence of subtle changes can continue up to 6 months and sometimes more.

Pre-planning and organizing your resting area after surgery can be practical. It will be useful to arrange the things you may need after your surgery beforehand. You can even select and prepare the movies you may want to watch while resting. It is recommended that you take care of any errands that may require physical efforts.

After your facelift surgery, drains can be used if needed. If drains are used, they are usually removed within 1-2 days after the surgery. Depending on your surgeon’s preference, your incision lines can be covered with special tapes, and you can take a short, warm shower with these tapes on one day after the drains are removed. After the shower, it is necessary to dry these in the cool setting of a hair dryer.

In the operation area, the stitches in front of the ear are usually removed after 5 days and the stitches behind the ear are removed after 7 days. Stitches/staples in the hair are usually removed 7-10 days after the operation.

After the operation, it is not unusual for the face to be swollen with the possibility of the swelling extending to the neck. The swelling is expected to start to decrease at the end of one week after the operation, with the first days showing an increase. Although some pain is expected after the operation, it should be at a level that can be easily managed with painkillers. Other prescribed medication should also be used as indicated.

Facelift surgeries do not prevent your bodily movements, but it is recommended to avoid heavy sports for at least 4 months after the operation. Excessive physical activity after surgery can hinder the healing process. Increased blood pressure associated with too early physical activity may lead to risky conditions such as bleeding in the early stages of recovery. In addition, the swelling may be prolonged. However, a little bit of mild exercise will be beneficial even in the early stages of recovery, such as light walking. You should avoid intensive physical activity and heavy lifting for at least 6 weeks.

In order to support recovery after a facelift surgery, you should drink plenty of water and eat healthy. While smoking adversely affects your overall health, it is something that should be also avoided especially in the matter of facelift surgeries. It may adversely affect your results and the preservation of your results, as well as your healing process. Therefore, if you smoke, be sure to share this with your physician and at least take a break from it in the pre- and post-operative periods for the minimum recommended time. You should regularly use the recommended sunscreen for at least 6 months after the surgery. You should make sure not to miss your follow up appointments after your facelift surgery.