When can I go out in public without looking like I just had facelift surgery?

Recovery from a facelift takes many forms. Physical recovery. Social Recovery. Recovery of sensation. Because it is your face, the interruption in social activities is often the hardest part of the recovery.

Pain:

Most patients have only mild pain after a facelift and it is usually gone in one or two days. I give only Tylenol #3 since stronger medications are not needed.

Driving:

I allow patients to drive after 4 days if they are off pain meds. Before this, some mild neck stiffness may make driving safely more difficult since you may not turn your head as far to look for cars.

Swelling and Bruising:

Recovery from a facelift involves bruising (usually down low along the neck) and swelling which increases some each day for the first 4 days after surgery. On the 5th day after surgery this begins to improve rapidly and usually by the 7th or 8th day after surgery makeup can be applied. Patients often tell me with a scarf and some sun glasses they can run quick errands. At this stage they would not necessarily want to run into a close friend if they are trying to be discrete.

Dinner With Friends:

For a patient to sit down to dinner with friends and not be asked any questions, I believe it takes about two weeks. Occasionally a very dark bruise may not be completely gone but can be effectively covered with makeup. About 80 % of the swelling is gone so the remainder is hard to detect. Sometimes a slight change is hairstyle can be used to help explain away any differences a close friend might notice.

Exercise:

I ask patients to wait on exercise and heavy lifting until 3 weeks after surgery. Otherwise I don't limit their activities

Numbness:

Mild facial numbness seems to always go away completely but takes about 9 months. Fortunately this does not bother most patients especially once they realize its temporary.

Facelifts are an incredible procedure as it can turn back the hands of time.  One of the most common questions I get is how long the recovery is for a facelift. 





The easiest way to answer this question is to go through the process as there are different levels of recovery and what a person can do after the surgery.  First, I typically do my facelifts under general anesthesia so patients will need to go home with someone that can care for them the first night.  All of the patients come back to the office the day after their surgery so that I can remove the face wrap that they left the surgery center with after their facelift. 





After the first day patient will have a simple band placed that will help support the neck and minimize the swelling.  This band can be removed for showering.  All patients can shower the day after their surgery after I have seen them in the office. 





The first week after surgery patients will need to relax and avoid any strenuous activity.  I want patients to walk several times per day, but they need to avoid heaving lifting and strenuous activity as these activities will increase their risk of issue after their surgery.  The first week patients tend to be swollen and bruised through out the face and neck area. 





After the first week patients can use cover-up makeup if they still have some residual bruising.  They will also still have some sutures hidden the hair and behind the ear.  The sutures on the face itself are typically removed prior to the one-week mark. 





Typically by two weeks all of the bruising has resolved and the majority of the swelling has subsided.  Patients are still healing but are doing very well at this point. 





Patients need to be about six weeks out from surgery before they return to their normal work out routines or any strenuous activity.  However they still need to be careful with sun exposure.





I hope this give you a little outline about the typical recovery course for face and neck lift with fat transfer.  Please consult your board certified plastic surgeon to help guide you through the process.  

Thank you for your question and this is such a common question for patients prior to a lift. Typically we tell patients they can be social after two weeks of having the procedure. Social does not mean perfect- it means you can head the to store and go about your daily activities without feeling like people are constantly looking at you. If you are around people who will study you- you may want to wait longer. The bruising is usually something that is variable for each person so it also depends on the type of healer that you are. Again- in my over 20+ years I have seen people who have healed dramatically faster and/or slower so its never good to promise healing times. Hope this helps. 

The recovery process after a facelift is not as bad as many people expect. It typically isn't a terribly painful procedure and most patients are off of narcotic pain medications after a day or so. Depending on the the type of facelift a drain maybe placed that is removed on the first day after the procedure. The head wrap placed after the procedure is also removed and a smaller dressing is used for the next several days. 
Sutures are removed by day 7 and most of the bruising and swelling is gone 10 days. Most patients are sociable by 10-14 days with make up. Some are out and about a day or so later. There is subtle swelling the requires 3-6 months to fully go away
The most common complaint is that things feel tight. This is normal and will go away with time. 

When it comes to healing everyone recovers at there own pace. Generally after a full face lift I tell my patients that they will be ready to be seen in public in approx. 14 days. That being said many people are comfortable being seen in 5 days. Things that may help in your recovery are : 1. good pre-op condition 2. healthy diet 3. arnica, bromelain and steroids for swelling and bruising and inflammation. Hope this helps.

Dr C

This depends on the individual's perception. Typically after a facelift, most patients can begin to go out in public around 10-14 days post-surgery. By this time, much of the swelling and bruising will have significantly reduced, and any remaining marks can often be concealed with makeup. However, it's advisable to avoid large social gatherings or important events until about 4 weeks, as this allows for more of the bruising and swelling to resolve. Some patients may feel comfortable running errands or meeting with close friends earlier, but for major events, waiting a bit longer may help ensure you look your best without significant stigmata of surgery.


Dr. Krishna Vyas, MD, PhD, MHS
Harvard, Johns Hopkins, & Mayo Clinic Educated
Double Fellowship Trained
Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon
New York, New York

Typically, the downtime for recovering from a facelift is one to two weeks. There will be some bruising and swelling after your facelift, but this generally subsides over two weeks. If you are planning a big event, we advise that you have your facelift at least eight to twelve weeks beforehand.
There should be minimal discomfort, as Dr. Rankin uses a long-acting local anesthetic to improve overall recovery time. You can choose an outpatient or inpatient surgery for your facelift, which will be performed at one of our surgical centers in Greenbrae or Walnut Creek, conveniently serving the entire Bay Area. With either option, you will be sent home with minimal facial dressings to promote healing.

This is a very common question that we get and an excellent one!
Most surgeons use a fairly robust facelift dressing for the first several days to the first week which can often be a clue that someone had a facelift. The bruising and swelling will likely resolve over the first week or two. The incisions can be visible for the first 3-4 weeks, though fortunately are often hidden along the hairline or along natural creases of the face, making them easier to hide.
So to answer your initial question, I would probably say you could go in public after the facelift dressing is removed (around 1 week), though you will have some swelling/bruising and may benefit from having a light scarf or something wrapped around to minimize visibility of the incisions.

Hi there!
Most patients are "socially presentable" 2-3 weeks after their facelift surgery. This is when the obvious swelling and bruising should subside. It is important to consider that incisions may still be obvious during this time and take time to heal/fade, however, if you have longer hair they are easily covered.

Hello, hope you are well. This is a very common question! Generally speaking, most patients feel publicly 'presentable' around 2 weeks after surgery. In my practice, surgical drains are removed 1 day after surgery, and sutures are removed 1 week after surgery. After that, bruising becomes the most visible sign of recent surgery. In most cases, by 2 weeks bruising is gone or only traces remain that can be easily concealed. Patients may begin wearing makeup at 2 weeks postop if they wish. Keep in mind that everyone is different in terms of their personal comfort level and the severity of bruising/swelling that occurs after surgery.
Best,Dr. Tower

Great question! Every one heals slightly differently, but in general, you're passable in public by the 2 week mark. Right after surgery, my patients are placed in a bulky head wrap with drains. Both are usually removed the next day. The sutures in front of the ear are removed at one week, and the sutures behind the ear are removed at the two week mark. Makeup can be worn at two weeks, so you're able to conceal any residual bruising.