Facelift Q&A
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Recovery Time for Facelift?
asked 2 years ago by david135 in california, USA
Latest answer by Stephen Prendiville, MD
Question viewed 1,829 times
Tags: face, male, recovery
I am considering going out of the state for Facelift. How many days should I stay before returning home?
23 answers to Recovery Time for Facelift?
+2
Recovery time after facelift
Generally patients can travel 7 to10 days after surgery. If possible, I like to see my patients again after a few months, and again long term. During that interval, internet communications are comforting to a patient.
The recovery is a different matter. Some patients heal fast, some slow. Patients who have a straightforward facelift will usually be "presentable" faster than patients who have their eyes, brow, cheeklift, lip lifts, LiveFIll, laser etc. done at the same time...
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+1
Recovery Time for Facelift surgery
We frequently do facelifts for patients who live in other parts of the United Sates or out of the country. We recommend they stay in Beverly Hills for one week post-op. Although they stay here for one week, usually it is 10-14 days before they resume normal activities with few restrictions.
+2
Recovery Time For a Facelift
Recovery time is a universal concern for prospective patients and the most frequent question during consultations. Since there is no way to perform a surgical procedure without some recovery, it is important to first dispel the myth of "no downtime" surgery. The "lunchtime lift" belongs in the land of unicorns and flying pigs and should be dismissed as a marketing term. The initial phase of recovery involves some degree of swelling and bruising...
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+2
Recovery time for a facelift
The recovery time for a facelift is largely a matter of appearance. Most patients feel fairly normal after a few days and depending on the type of procedure will look fairly normal in 10-14 days. Assuming everything goes well with the surgery, it should be safe to return to your home after that time.
Good luck and best wishes on your surgery.
Wayne I. Yamahata, MD
Sacramento Plastic Surgeon
Sacramento Plastic Surgeon
+2
Recovery from a facelift
Depending on the procedure done and how careful your surgeon is with stopping bleeding and thus minizing bruising and swelling, the stay I would recommend if you were my patient is 10 days. But obviously you should follow your own surgeon's advice.
+1
Recovery time for out-of-state facelift
When patients come in from out-of-state, it is important to have them in town for approximately ten days prior to going back home to make sure there are no complications from the facelift surgery. The complications that can occur are fluid pockets in the neck, hematoma, infection, and the overall healing process. It is important that none of these are occurring prior to the discharge back to home, and that usually takes approximately ten days.
+1
Recovery for facelift is a journey, not a destination
On average, I like my patients to stay in town for 1 week following any facial surgery as we check them frequently and sutures are removed at the end of the week. Travel would be ok at that point if there were no healing issues. How long it takes to recovery is more complicated. If you mean how long until I can go back to work I advise my patients to take off around 2 weeks. Some people heal faster than this and some will heal slower than this. Hope this helps.
Ivan Wayne, MD
Oklahoma City Facial Plastic Surgeon
Oklahoma City Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
Face Lift recovery for out-of-town patients
In my practice, we often handle out of town clients for facelift surgery. We have office forms which includes a history and physical so we can evaluate the health of the client and know what drugs they are taking and why. This helps determine when the surgery can take place and what labs need to be done prior to the surgery date.
I normally ask a yearly EKG and chest x-ray and some bloodwork. I also require the client not to be a smoker at least 4 weeks prior to surgery and no smoking for...
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John Ward, MD
Phoenix Plastic Surgeon
Phoenix Plastic Surgeon
+1
Out of State Facelift
Although I have had patients travel thousands of miles to have surgery performed by me I don't always think it's the best idea. A facelift would require a stay of at least 14 days in the area of the surgeon. After this any risk of complication is essentially gone but things could happen and finding a plastic surgeon in your area who is willing to see a patient with a complication will be difficult. Consider a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in your own area.
Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon
+1
Recovery for a Face Lift
You will need to arrange for someone to stay with you for the first 24 hours, but limit visitors for the first couple of days. After surgery, your face and head will be wrapped in bandages. After a day, your surgeon will remove the bandages and perhaps replace it with a lighter one. The incisions will be sensitive but shouldn't hurt. Your stitches will either dissolve or need to be removed in about five days, depending on what type of sutures your doctor uses.
While you're healing, it is...
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Michelle Copeland, MD, DMD
New York Plastic Surgeon
New York Plastic Surgeon
+1
Recovery depends on type of Facelift
Hi David,
Practicing in NYC, I have many patients who travel for their surgery. Some thoughts:
1. Travel light
2. Have your Doctor's office coordinate or help advise on where you are staying
3. Your departure date should be coordinated based on the type of facelift you are having:
Mini-Lift / MACS / Short Scar Facelift : typically 7 days is sufficient to have enough follow up care to ensure no major post-op complications and to have sutures removed
Extended MACS / "traditional"...
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Kamran Jafri, MD
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon
New York Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
Traveling AFTER Facelift
8-10 days after the Facelift should be sufficient. By then, all your Facelift sutures would be removed and the likelihood of major complications would be significantly lower. This does NOT take into consideration prolonged air travel related medical complications.
I must say though I am curious why with so many talented Plastic surgeons in California, you feel the need to go elsewhere for your Facelift?
Dr. P. Aldea
+1
Recovery for facelift and how long to stay
I agree with Dr. Moelleken as well as the others. Typically our concerns relate to bleeding which tends to occur at two different time periods during the recovery process:
During the first 24 hours
Between 7-10 days
After 10 days the potential for bleeding is exceptionally low and nearly all stitches have been removed.
Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1
Recovery from a face lift is remarkably comfortable.
Dear David
Generally, woman feel comfortable putting sun glasses on and going out shopping on day 6 after surgery. However, they have hair to hide the edges of the face. Men do not have this advantage. However, male skin heals a little faster tham female skin (more skin adnexa) so it is only a day or two more before men feel comfortable leaving the cabin.
Both men and women find that they pass social scrutiny by about day 10 or 11. With regard to traveling for surgery and how long you should...
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+1
Face Lift recovery
Your question has two parts. Firstly, recovery from surgery is a long process. I usually tell patients to expect to take 10 days off work from a desk job. By that time they should look ok to be back in public and feel well enough to concentrate on their work. By 3 weeks after the surgery, most of the bruising and a majority of the swelling should be resolved. For 6 weeks after surgery you will likely need more sleep as your body is doing the most intense healing. At the end of that 6 week...
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+1
Facelift recovery can take 10 to 14 days
Hi,
Recovery from a facelift can take anywhere from 10 to 14 days. At that point you may have some minimal bruising and mild swelling but nothing too bad.
Typically, most of my patients can go back to work at 10 days.
Best,
Dr.S
+1
Facelift recovery considerations
There are several factors to consider with travel after a facelift. Since you are planning to go out of state, you should of course get specific advice on this from your surgeon. I would be suspect however if this is less than a week, regardless of promises about "weekend" recovery times. As for travel specifically, some of the risks relate to the surgical site and your comfort, while other risks apply to any surgery.
+1
Recovery for facelift is 10 days
I ask my out of state patients to stay nearby for 10 days. The swelling and bruising after a facelift alone are minimal. Some sutures are removed on day 5, the rest between days 7 and 10. You are ready for return to work by 2 weeks and generally feeling like yourself by 4 weeks.
+1
Facelift Recovery Facts
I tell my patients not to expect to socialize or begin light exercise until 10 days after a facelift. However, this varies by type of facelift, surgeon's technique and individual differences of skin type and even the sex of the patient. You should know that men typically bleed and bruise more and, they don't usually wear make up so a 2 weeks recovery might be more realistic. Deep plane facelifts have more swelling (and complications) that can lengthen recovery. I just did a miniface and neck...
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Edmund Fisher, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
Recovery time for a facelift varies from 1-2 weeks
The recovery takes 1-2 weeks depending on how extensive the face lift is and how much bruising you have. Mini lifts may take only a few days and full lifts 2 weeks. Make sure your surgeon gives you a list of medications to avoid for days to weeks before surgery.
+1
Ask your surgeon's advice on Facelift recovery time
It really would be best to obtain your surgeon's advice as they know your medical history as well as what type of procedure will be performed. In general, I would allow at least a week before returning home.
Dean Fardo, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1
Safe recovery for facelift surgery
The recovery period for a facelift will vary depending upon the patient and the extent of surgery performed. The first few days are critical as this is when you can have accumulation of blood or fluid beneath underneath the skin that can significantly compromise the surgical result and your safety as well. Sutures are generally removed after about a week and you should be safe to travel following that visit with your surgeon. I would trust your facelift surgeon for their opinion during your...
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Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD
Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgeon
Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1
Most patients can travel in a little over a week after facelift
I cannot speak for all surgeons. However, I feel that for my out of town patients, they can travel as soon as 8 days following surgery. This is because the last stitches are removed that day. For patients that are only a few hours away by car, some return home after one or two days then come back at 5 days and 8 days for suture removal. As far as healing, I have started using the SmartLipo laser for facelifts and have found that the black and blue goes away much faster so patients are going...
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