What to Expect During Facelift Recovery
Board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon and oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Adibfar specializes in facelift surgeries with his fine attention to detail, finesse, and artistry. Due to his experience and mastery of multiple techniques, patients who follow his post-operative recovery recommendations closely often report having smooth and swift recoveries. If the thought of recovering from a facelift scares you, don’t fret. In this article, we’ll be discussing what you can expect from your facelift recovery and it honestly isn’t as drastic as you may think!
Depending on the patient’s face and expectations from the procedure, each patient will undergo a distinctly tailored facelift procedure. One patient will require more lift while the other may require a facelift alongside other complementary procedures (ie. a neck lift and fat grafting ). For these reasons, we can expect that every recovery will be unique to the patient.
Our most popular procedure includes a facelift of the lower third of the face alongside a minor neck lift and fat grafting. This includes deep muscle repair alongside redraping of the skin and incredibly thin incisions that are strategically placed within the line of the ears and hair, as well as a small incision just under the chin which is virtually invisible. After surgery, patients can stay overnight at our facility or return home. Two drainage tubes placed behind the ears are used to assure no fluid collects in the neck and are removed the next day. The day after surgery patients can shower and gently wash their hair with no issues. Patients who receive this popular procedure show very few signs of bruising and can wear face makeup the next day as well. Sutures that are placed within and behind the ears are removed within 4-5 days and the hair typically covers these incisions anyway.
Patients who receive other complementary procedures — including fat grafting and/or eyelid surgery — will differ greatly in their recovery. Any treatment around the eyes will cause some bruising and swelling around the eyes. The skin around the eyes is also very delicate, requiring more time to recover and more obvious signs of having had a procedure immediately after surgery. While these complementary procedures may alter the recovery period’s length, the combination is very well tolerated by patients of all ages.
Generally speaking, and as previously mentioned, patients who undergo a typical facelift will usually require up to 2 weeks before returning to work or their normal daily routines. After 2 weeks most patients can appear in social circles with no trace of having had a procedure. After 1-2 months, the majority of swelling will have subsided tremendously with final results appearing after 6 months.
Dr. Adibfar’s techniques and experience ensure that incisions are well sutured to promote faster healing and a swift recovery. Patients are usually surprised at how quickly they can return to their normal lives and how discreet and natural-looking their facelifts appear. With the right techniques and attention to detail — alongside the patient’s adherence to post-operative instructions — patients can expect great results faster than they thought imaginable.
Click here to learn more or to book a consultation with one of Toronto’s leading board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeons, Dr. Adibfar.