Having a Facelift and Am Wondering if I Should Wear Cooling or Support Device Afterward?

That’s a great question and there seems to be a lot of confusion even among plastic surgeons about the optimal protocol after surgery.



I have studied this using infrared technology after surgery to assess bloodflow and healing and face-wraps or “mummy-wrap” dressings can worsen swelling, decrease blood-supply, prolong recovery and even hide a developing hematoma (collection of blood underneath the skin). Unfortunately, many plastic surgeons who were trained decades ago continue to follow old, dogmatic practices which have strong scientific basis and are not evidence-based. Be wary!



Gentle cooling, for the first 24 hours after surgery can help with swelling but simply ice-water cooled gauze changed every 10-15 minutes while awake is a simple, safe, and predictable solution. Since your face is temporarily numb after surgery, you want to avoid anything overly aggressive since this could cause a frostbite burn and lead to a poor cosmetic outcome.

Thank you for your question. No, only a face wrap that is not too tight.  No cooling to the face as circulation could be impeded and damage the face tissue. Too much compression can also cause problems. The skin is very fragile with a compromised blood supply so avoiding too much compromise is critical. I hope this helps.

All plastic surgeons have their particular way of managing patients after a facelift. There is no right or wrong way and you should subscribe to the methods of your surgeon.