Extended Recovery After Facial Surgery, Is Swelling and Distortion Normal 3 Months Post-Op

3 months ago I had a septoplasty, face/neck lift, endoscopic brow lift, lower bleph, fat grafting under the eyes and in nasal folds, and C02 laser work arond my mouth. I am still quite swollen and look unnatural under the eyes and through my cheeks, and am still pink around the mouth. I am getting concerned that I am just not going to have a good aesthetic result from the surgery. Is the swelling and distortion after three months to be expected or how long should I expect it to persist?

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3 Doctor Answers | Asked by RedHead51

Doctor Answers (3)
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Facial Surgery Recovery Period

You've had comprehensive combination facial surgery. As well you've had fractional CO2 laser skin resurfacing. You are dealing with internal and external healing to your face. Although the downtime might be over, there is still swelling and healing time. I recommend waiting a few more weeks to months for swelling to go down and to see your optimal results. If you have concerns, please consult with your cosmetic surgeon.

Concerned about my result after three months

That is a lot of work to have done at one time. While it is reasonable to expect improvement after three months it can take 6-9 months for all of the swelling to resolve, especially considering how comprehensive your treatment was. I would make sure you have routine follow up with your surgeon to ensure that the healing process is progressing normally.

Todd C. Miller, MD

10 reviews

Orange County Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.toddmillermd.com

You are describing a vast about of facial surgery.

It is not surprising that you are still healing from your numerous facial surgeries. The redness from laser resufacing can last 6-9 months. Swelling from fat grafting can persist for a similar time frame. You probably need much more healing time. This is a good argument for braking up surgeries rather than trying to do everything at one time.