How Long Does It Take to Feel "Normal" After a Mini-facelift?

The at-home downtime for a mini lift is usually 1 week, but incisions take weeks to months to heal. Discomfort usually does not last more than about two weeks, although the ears can be especially painful in some. I stopped using staples due to reports of increased discomfort. In the end, all discomfort, swelling, bruising will go away and you will look great!

It is normal to feel some pain and discomfort after any surgical procedure, including a mini lift. 6 days is still quite early in the healing process, and it is expected to have some swelling and discomfort at this point. Each individual is different, and healing times as well as level of discomfort varies from patient to patient, so I would not worry as long as your surgeon said it was normal. I hope this helps.

Healing varies from person to person, but patients can generally expect to be presentable within three weeks from surgery. 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.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). For example, the marks from a #facelift can easily hidden with “camouflage” make-up which you can learn how to apply.Also, 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 procedure(s) 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.

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. Your discomfort may also resolve once the staples are out.

     There can be discomfort after a facelift, which usually resolves over the first couple of weeks.  However, techniques are surgeon dependent, and the surgeon is the best source of information in this situation.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Hi.  Each patient is an individual and therefore, there are no rules for how long it takes to feel normal.  I tell patients that they will have numbness in the areas of the cheek where the skin was elevated for 4-6 months.  The swelling should be resolved in the first 3-4 weeks.  Most patients are back to work in the first week to 10 days.  I hope that this is helpful.

Every plastic
surgery situation is unique, and every patient heals at their own pace. It is
very common to still have discomfort and swelling six days after a mini
facelift. Keep in mind, though, that some mini facelifts are more extensive
than others, so the healing timeline will depend on the details of your
procedure and how it was customized to you. It also varies from patient to
patient, because some people have a faster healing process and different pain
thresholds than others. Post-surgical care instructions make a big difference
as well, so make sure you’re following them all correctly.
With all this
being said, to be fair, any doctor can only determine whether you’re healing
correctly through an in-person appointment. Much can be determined by seeing
your incision and swelling in person. If you have concerns, peace of mind could
be well worth scheduling an appointment with another board-certified plastic
surgeon.

Healing and recovery from a Mini Lift is a progressive process and while every patient is different there are some general guidelines that the majority of patients will follow.
For dicussion purposes I consider a Mini Lift to be a surgical procedure where short incisions are used, excess skin is removed and the SMAS lyaer is elevated by using a combination of dissection deep to the SMAS and superficial to it. In essence, a trditional facelift but with smaller incisions.
1 week - majority of swelling will be gone. still may have some areas of numbness and bruising. most pain should be gone but can have occasional discomfort.
2 weeks - by the ends of 2 weeks about 90% of the initial swelling, pain and bruising will be gone. Some mild tightness and discomfort may be noted.
4 weeks - by this time all of the noticeable healing should be done and a patient should feel "normal". The subtle healing under the skin will continue for the next 6 months to a year with very occasional tightness being noted.
Everyone is different and it is key to work closely with your surgeon both before and after surgery to ensure a safe and efficient recovery process. Follow all instructions as well since they really are very important to the healing process.

All the best,

Dr. J

I would say that you need to give a good full 2 weeks before you start to feel good. Despite the "mini" moniker, quite a lot of dissection is done and therefore recovery can be tough. It's definitely not the "lunchtime lift" that some have mentioned.

Hi, I have performed many SMAS facelifts for over 30 years and have performed many minimally, invasive SMAS facelifts.  The recovery time for the minimally, invasive SMAS facelift described below is measured in days.  Out of state and international patients fly home as soon as 4 days post-op following this 90 minute procedure that most often performed under a local anesthetic.   The reality is, there are many different ways to perform a facelift from incision length, incision placement, level of tissue dissection (skin only, SMAS, Deep Plane, Subperiosteal), different degrees of tissue undermining, how to lift and support (imbrication versus plication of the SMAS layer), how much excess skin to trim, is excess fat going to be reduced and finally will the overall shape of the face be made more feminine or masculine (while avoiding the over pulled, windswept appearance).  Price is determined by the reputation, location and experience of the Facelift Surgeon.
In my humble opinion however, there are some basic requirements that must be met in order for a facelift to be "effective", yielding "aesthetic pleasing" and "naturally attractive" results.  These include: 
 1. Some type of incision either curved around the front (preferred) or straight in front of the ear.  This is how excess skin is removed which is not possible with an incision behind the ear alone.  If you have so little excess skin on the face that "none" needs to be removed you are not a candidate for a facelift in the first place.
2. The facelift must address correction and softening of the "jowls" using a long lasting and effective technique.  If you have "jowls” these are sagging facial tissues and the main indication for some form of a SMAS facelift.  The underlying SMAS layer, of the face, must be dissected, lifted, trimmed and re-sutured (not merely folded or suspended with threads or sutures that will not last).  The excess skin is then removed and the facelift incisions closed.
3. Facial shaping must be combined to properly shape the cheeks, chin, jaw line and lips for feminizing or masculinizing the face as the case may be.
 In my experience, this is the "key" factor in making the face soft, feminine and naturally beautiful.  An essential part of any facelift on a woman.  Conversely, men look chiseled and handsome when angularity is created in the cheeks, chin and mandibular angles.  The ability to provide precise, facial shaping separately or in combination with a facelift is in my humble opinion the definition of a "facial shaping expert".More on the Minimally, invasive SMAS facelift:
 If you have "jowls” these are sagging facial tissues and the main indication for some form of a SMAS facelift.  The underlying SMAS layer, of the face, must be dissected, lifted, trimmed and re-sutured (not merely folded or suspended with threads or sutures that will not last).  The excess skin is then removed and the facelift incisions closed.
 My most popular SMAS facelift is the minimally invasive, short incision SMAS facelift that has all the benefits of more invasive facelifts (traditional, mid-face, deep plane, cheek lift and subperiosteal facelifts) but with these added benefits:
very small incisions and no incisions extend or are placed within the hair.
minimal tissue dissection = less bruising and swelling = rapid recovery ( several days instead of weeks or months with the more invasive type facelifts mentioned)
can be performed in 90 minutes or less, with or without general anesthesia
proper SMAS Imbrication technique
no incisions within the hair = no hair loss
excess fat can be removed from the face and neck
excess skin removed from the face and neck
cheeks, chin and jaw line can be augmented with dermal fillers (I prefer Restylane Lyft) or facial implants
most patients fly back home to parts all over the world in as little as 3 days post-op
 I combine facial shaping with every facelift procedure.  When jowls are present, these should be done in concert and not alone or separately in order to create a naturally, more attractive face.  Following my beauty principles, women look the most feminine, youthful and attractive with heart shaped faces.  Heart shaped faces have cheeks that are full and round in the front.  Cheek augmentation with a dermal filler or using cheek implants for a permanent enhancement will create full, round cheeks that will feminize the entire face.
 A weak chin creates an imbalance making the nose appear larger, the mid face top heavy and the lower face look short that de-emphasizes the lips and allows early formation of a double chin.  Chin augmentation using a chin implant will add projection to the chin creating harmony and balance to the lower face.  I have found placement of a silastic chin implant, through a small curved incision under the chin (also allows excess skin removal) to be very safe, quick and highly effective.
Hope this helps.