This story has been medically reviewed for accuracy by Seattle, WA board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. William Portuese on September 24, 2020.
Whether it’s because of genetics, years spent in the sun without sunscreen, or good old Father Time, we all eventually experience sagging skin on our faces. And since its inception in 1901, some people have turned to the facelift— a procedure that tightens muscles, lifts tissues, and removes excess skin on the face—to get a dramatically more youthful appearance.
While preparing for a facelift always includes the general plastic surgery prep (e.g., consults and doctor credential checks), there’s something else you should also be researching before going under the knife: recovery. What you do after you leave the operating room plays a crucial role in ensuring successful results. Here, we break down exactly what to know about how to recover from a facelift. Read on to learn the most crucial facelift recovery tips and aftercare advice.
Recovery tip #1: Don’t overexert yourself
After any surgery—cosmetic or not—you need to take it easy. “Patients should avoid undue exertion,” says Denver board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Manish Shah. “[Actions] like bending over or picking up heavy items can increase the blood pressure to the face. This increases the risk of bleeding under the facelift flap that can result in a hematoma.” A hematoma is a localized collection of blood that can decrease the blood supply to the overlying skin of the face, leading to wound-healing problems.
Wait about two weeks post-surgery before resuming daily activities and wait about a month to six weeks before doing more strenuous work (like exercise). After this time period, swelling will be significantly reduced, incisions healed, and the risk of bleeding decreased.
Related: 5 Signs You’re a Good Candidate for a Facelift—and 4 Signs You’re Not
Recovery tip #2: Avoid certain medications, alcohol, and smoking
“Patients should avoid exposure to substances that thin the blood, both before and after surgery, such as medications like aspirin and Ibuprofen, alcohol, and certain health supplements,” says Dr. Shah. “[They increase] the risk of bleeding during and after surgery that can cause complications like hematoma formation.”
If you smoke, Dr. Shah claims, it’s best to stop the habit four weeks before surgery in order to reduce the amount of nicotine in your bloodstream. “Nicotine is a chemical that constricts blood vessels, so exposure to nicotine can lead to poor wound healing,” he warns. “Nonsmokers who get exposed to secondhand smoke also risk wound healing problems after facelift surgery.”
Alcohol, on the other hand, dilates blood vessels. This can increase the chances of bleeding and bruising after your surgery, so it’s best to avoid smoking and drinking overall post-facelift.
Recovery tip #3: Keep (reasonably) still
According to Dr. Shah, excessive head and neck turning is a common recovery mistake for facelift patients. “This [action] puts a strain on the new incisions, which can lead to wide or raised scars that are hard to camouflage with makeup,” he says. As the swelling in the surgical field resolves with time—usually after two to three weeks—it becomes safer to turn your head and neck with low tension and your risk of developing more noticeable facelift scars decreases.
Recovery tip #4: Stay out of the sun
After facelift surgery, the skin of the face is more sensitive to sunburns, so patients should avoid exposure to UV rays after their procedure. “It is best to wear a high-level sunblock and stay out of the sun for the first several weeks after surgery, to avoid sunburns to the healing skin of the face,” says Dr. Shah.
Recovery tip #5: Avoid extreme temperatures
“Sometimes patients ice their face too much,” says Edison, New Jersey, board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Miller. “Remember that after a facelift, there will be some numbness and the patient won’t really be able to tell if the skin is getting too cold [or] frostbitten.” Instead, do 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off, using a washcloth soaked in icy-cold water, for the first week.
Icing isn’t the only temperature-based issue to be aware of. Dr. Miller says that some patients have also used a heating pad on their neck during recovery, which doesn’t always end well. “This is a problem because the skin is still numb—and patients have actually burned themselves,” he explains. “So be careful.”
Related: 10 Doctors Give Their Best Facelift Advice, in 10 Words or Less
Recovery tip #6: Eat healthy meals
A wholesome diet is essential for good health all the time, but it’s especially crucial after surgery. “The most important thing a patient can do before surgery is enhance their nutrition,” says Dr. Shah. “This is even more important after surgery, [because] surgery increases the metabolic rate and often blunts the appetite.” Dr. Shah asserts that if you decrease your calorie intake, you could slow down wound healing and recovery. “I recommend a high-protein diet and supplements like vitamin C, to maximize wound healing.”
Recovery tip #7: Lean on your support system
It is well-known that patients often get the “blues” for about a week after facelift surgery. It can be hard to look in the mirror and see another face, especially one that’s swollen and bruised, staring back at you. “Mental health promotion after surgery is essential,” says Dr. Shah. “We recommend that patients have a group of people they trust in their corner after surgery, for support.” Activities that boost the spirit without increasing the risk to the facelift are encouraged. Invite family or close friends over to chat, play card games, or simply watch Netflix. This kind of social interaction is a good distraction for those feeling a bit down after going under the knife.
Recovery tip #8: Keep the incision clean
Another essential recovery tip is to keep the incision area clean in order to avoid infection. “The incision lines are really the only evidence that a facelift was done, so we want them to heal as nicely as possible,” explains Dr. Miller. “A buildup of debris or crusting will slow this process.”
Always wash your hands before touching the incision area. To cleanse the surgical wound, make a mild soap-and-water or saline solution and apply it gently to the area. Use a damp washcloth to remove any dried blood or drainage; avoid using alcohol, peroxide, or antibacterial soap when cleaning the area.
Recovery tip #9: Remain upright
The swelling needs to decrease from the head down, so Dr. Miller recommends that patients stay elevated at least 30 degrees while sleeping at night for two weeks, to avoid fluid buildup. “This will allow quicker healing,” he says.
Recovery tip #10: Stick to your doctor’s schedule
How long is facelift recovery? While your personal schedule may not agree with the proper follow-up plan recommended by your doctor, it could be a big mistake to skip the required post-op examinations. Dr. Shah says these appointments are vital because they can help identify a correctable problem that may otherwise be missed, causing a less-than-optimal result down the line. All in all, you should plan for about a month of recovery and facelift healing, at which point all bruising and swelling will have subsided.
Recovery tip #11: Be aware of potential side effects
Nice as it would be to undergo a facelift without incurring any side effects, they do very much exist, and it’s important to know about them ahead of time so that you’re not caught by surprise. It seems slightly counterintuitive given that a facelift is addressing the skin on your face, but one of the most common side effects is hair loss and thinning. Because the procedure involves cutting along the hairline, some patients experience hair loss around the incisions or general thinning around the temples. Your surgeon will strategically plan the location of the incisions to minimize the impact on hair, but following surgery, you should wait at least one day to wash your hair and at least six weeks before having it cut or colored. Other side effects of a facelift include small blood clots in the tissue, prolonged swelling, and ridges from fat removal, but these are all usually temporary and typically subside within a few months of the procedure.
Recovery tip #12: Be patient
As one of the more simple—but commonly the most difficult to adhere to—recovery rules to follow, being patient with your recovery is highly recommended. Facelift recovery time may seem endless while you’re in the thick of it, but it’s important to take it day by day. “Swelling resolves, sensation returns, scars fade, and all patients eventually look ‘normal,’” reassures Dr. Shah. “You can’t rush recovery. It can be challenging to slow down long enough to let yourself heal, but in trying to get back to our busy lives, we can jeopardize recovery or forget that it can take 6 to 12 months to fully recover.” As mentioned, it’s common for patients to become despondent, but patience is everything. “[If you’re] in the hands of a great surgeon, it will all be worth it,” says Dr. Shah.
