Facelift Surgery
Recovering from Facelift Surgery in New York
What happens after facelift surgery?
Bandages and drains (if used) are removed the day after surgery. Your hair will be carefully washed and you may then return home. Over the next few days your hair should be washed daily with a gentle shampoo, obviously exercising care in the suture area. Stitches in the skin and metal clips used within the hairline, are removed at eight days. You will be provided with full postoperative care instructions, which you are kindly asked to follow.
You will also experience a feeling of numbness and tension in the neck and cheek areas as well as around the ear. This is a result of the small sensory nerve fibres in the skin being separated during the operation. Sensation usually returns to normal but may take anytime up to 9 months.
What kind of after effects should I expect?
Following surgery you will experience swelling and bruising of the face to varying degrees, which can last up to 3 weeks. Occasionally, isolated bruised and hardened areas can take up to two months to resolve. Swelling may produce some temporary lag in the normal motion of the facial muscles but this should gradually subside without permanent change.
You will also experience a feeling of numbness and tension in the neck and cheek areas as well as around the ear. This is a result of the small sensory nerve fibers in the skin being separated during the operation. Sensation usually returns to normal but may take anytime up to 9 months.
What are facelift scars like?
A scar will obviously form at the incision sites. This is always red and slightly lumpy in the first few months following surgery. One must remember, it is impossible to ultimately predict how any individual's scar will appear. However behind the ears, and rarely in front of them, scars of certain skin types can stretch. These skin types cannot be identified prior to surgery. Often, these are easily hidden by longer hairstyles but may become visible if the hair is cut short or lifted. Occasionally a bald strip can develop adjacent to the scar that is situated in the temple area. Many times in patients that wear their hair short an incision is designed that ends at the earlobe.
Is facelift surgery painful?
You will experience a tight feeling around your face following surgery as a result of the bandages used. However it is safe to say that the majority of patients experience a surprisingly small amount of discomfort following a facelift. In fact most patients experience a numb sensation once the bandages are removed. This of course improves with time.
How long before I can get back to normal?
You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for the first week after surgery. Be especially gentle with your face and hair, since your skin may be both tender and numb, and may not respond normally at first. Avoid strenuous activity, including sex, and heavy housework, for at least two weeks. Mild stretching and walking are fine. Above all, get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend its energy on healing.
At the beginning your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features may be distorted from the swelling, and your facial movements may be slightly stiff and you'll probably be self-conscious about your scars. It's not surprising therefore that some patients are disappointed and depressed at first. However by the third week, you'll look and feel much better. Most patients are back at work from about ten days to two weeks after surgery. If you need it, camouflage makeup can mask most bruising that remains.
Facelift Summary
The chances are excellent that you'll be happy with your facelift, especially if you realize that the results may not be immediately apparent. In the properly selected individual it is likely to boost ones self-confidence and self-image.
The results of any properly carried out facelift should be lasting but remember the procedure cannot halt the aging process. The clock can be turned back but you cannot stop it ticking. However, it is reasonably safe to say that the delay in aging made available to the average facelift patient is sufficient for their adjustments to the various changing social pressures and can therefore be recommended as a solution to many of the aging signs that some individuals find objectionable.