How Long Before Swelling Subsides After MACS Facelift?

Thank you for your question for sharing your concerns with us. Swelling and firmness in the tissues will return to normal as time passes by. Between the first and second week, much of your swelling and bruising will dissipate. It may take more than a month or two for your tissues to fully soften and any residual swelling to resolve. Lymphatic massage maybe an option to help clear the swelling and firmness at a faster pace. I would make sure that you continue to follow up with your plastic surgeon during this period of time.

The healing process in general can take up to one month for the majority of swelling to subside, incisions to close, sutures to come out, and for bruising to completely go away. #Recovery time from a #facelift varies from person to person, but patients can generally expect to be presentable within three weeks from surgery. Patients should expect swelling, bruising, and discoloration of the skin during this phase of recovery (swelling normally goes down after 48 hours; most bruising will go away within two weeks). The marks from a facelift can easily hidden with “camouflage” make-up which you can learn how to apply.The scars from a facelift mature within six to twelve months from the surgery date. It is during this time that the rejuvenating effects of the facelift will become apparent and the real result will be seen. If you have certain concerns about the procedures and #healing process, it is recommended to call your board-certified surgeon or their medical staff and discuss those #concerns.

It is normal to still be swollen 6 days
following a facelift and blepharoplasty. In most of my patients, the majority
of swelling resolves within two weeks, although there may still be residual
swelling for up to six months. If you are concerned with your level of
swelling, I suggest visiting your surgeon for a follow-up visit to make sure
your healing is progressing well.

Swelling after a facelift is normal and expected. On average, patients can be presentable (with makeup) in 14 days. I don't recommend video appearances and flash photography for 3 months. These are averages and so there are patients on either sides of these numbers. In general, if you have a fuller face, you have more soft tissue than most so you'll hold on to fluid longer and have swelling after facelift longer. If you tend to bruise easily, your body has to clear the bruising so that will increase swelling in the area of the bruise more than average. Patients who have a robust immune system and heal well sometimes will swell even more because it's trying to do it too quickly and it will then take the fluid, from the increase in resources over a short period of time, time to dissipate and increase swelling after facelift. Thicker skin individuals, such as african-americans, asians, hispanics, and oily caucasians, will sometimes take longer to return to normal as well since thicker skin is like having a thicker sponge so swelling takes longer to resolve. Each person is different, but, on average, most people can plan on 14 days for noticeable swelling after facelift and to be presentable, with makeup.In the end, the lymphatics, or drainage system, of your face has been interrupted by the surgery and recreating all these small vessels takes time and, in general, most people feel they look they're best around 3 months. Having said that, you are presentable at 14 days as almost 60% of the swelling is improved by then and 70% will improve by 6 weeks and then 80% around 3 months, on average Healing tissue takes a full year to mature in any part of the body so the last 20% will take 6-12 months depending on the person. You can improve swelling after facelift by keeping your head elevated the first 2 weeks, applying cool compresses religiously the first week, minimizing activity after surgery, minimizing salt intake 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery, using a steroid pack from your doctor, using a prescription version of arnica montana, and minimizing medications that can make you bruise 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery such as aspirin, ibuprofen, herbal supplements especially green tea, gingko biloba, flax seed, fish oil, and multivitamins, especially those containing Vit E. Participating in lymphatic massages 10 days after the facelift can also help mobilize the fluid and minimize swelling; have a lymphatic massage once a week until the swelling has resolved.

After a MACS face lift which is a type of mini face lift swelling usually lasts 1 to 2 weeks. Even though it is a more limited surgery all face lifts can still take up to two weeks for swelling to resolve. I think you should however see your surgeon to make sure you do not have a hematoma that would cause swelling and bruising under the skin. I often will prescribe diuretics 1 week after surgery to reduce residual swelling,

Swelling usually subsides with a few weeks. This will vary from patient to patient and depending on the type of procedure done. Given your history and the fact that you are not a smoker, it is most likely not something to freak out about. However, it would be best to visit your plastic surgeon just to make sure there is not a problem. Also, your sutures should be about ready to come out anyways.
Best regards,
Dr. Speron

MACS-Lifting is the short-scar facelift procedure I offer in my practice. My experience has been that downtime is between 2-3 weeks, and this depends on how extensive your procedure was.
Your stitches are just about ready to be removed, so please visit your surgeon today to make sure you're not having a problem with either procedure.
I hope you find this helpful

Your surgeon needs to evaluate you to be sure there is no hematoma.  Otherwise, you may just be one of those people who swell more than others.  The majority should subside between 2-3 weeks after surgery.