Face Lift Surgery: On The Road To Recovery

 

Face lift recovery is actually a relatively quick process, although the results themselves are not always instant. The face can look a bit pale, swollen and bruised to begin with but this is completely normal, and within a few weeks the results will start to be much more apparent.

The feeling of pain and swelling can be controlled by pain killers and is expected, although if you start to feel sudden bouts of severe pain or numbness then you should contact your doctor immediately.

The Healing Process

Ideally, you should make sure you have somebody with you who can take you home by car after surgery. Although you will be able to move about after a couple of days and will be allowed to go home, you won’t be back to normal for a several months, so don’t be fooled if you look and feel better- your face will still be healing.

Generally, patients are always advised not to drink alcohol for the first few months after surgery. Similarly, activities such as saunas, steam baths, exercise, sex, and heavy housework should be refrained for the first two weeks after surgery. This is partly because you doctor will want you to minimise the risk of damage to your face, but also because your body needs as much energy as possible to recover and heal during the early stages.

Immediately after surgery it is important to remember that your face will feel and look different, and may not appear as you thought. You should avoid using a pillow for a couple of weeks as it can cause damage to the skin, which could dramatically alter the outcome of the healing process. The face will also feel stiff and scars and bruising may also be noticeable. In addition, you may also become exhausted very quickly after surgery, and there is a possibility of feeling depressed after surgery, although this should subside as you recover after the third or fourth week of having face lift surgery.

You will also notice that the hair around the temples has become thinner and the skin on the face may feel drier and rougher for the first couple of months.  During the latter stages of recovery, scars should be unnoticeable as the doctor will have put them in the natural lines of the face and ears, and during the next year they should be practically invisible.

We provide high quality, expert advice on face lift surgery in Hertfordshire, helping people make informed decisions about cosmetic surgery.