How Long Until Swelling Is 100% Gone After Face Lift?

With most Facelift techniques including those which alter the  SMAS, most of the swelling is gone after 3 months , however, if you had a deeper layer or had a Mid-Facelift via the lower eyelid and cheek area, it may be prolonged for several more months.  In general, you will see more prolonged swelling if you manipulate the central face or cheek area .  The swelling will go away with over the next 3 months .

In my patients, I need to have them back to work in 10-14 days in most cases so I use an outer cheek area SMAS facelift and central facial fat compartment restoration using the patient's fat to replenish the deep facial areas which lose fat with facial aging

Most of the swelling in my patients is resolved in two weeks and, with makeup, one can return to work without anyone noticing that they had surgery. That is the beauty of the modern Facelift. It also relates to how detail oriented the surgeon is. Your swelling several months later is not unusual as it can happento any one of us. Usually, it is mild and not noticed by others, so all should be fine.

Thank you for this question! I usually tell my patients that 3-10 days is the peak time for bruising and swelling. Most people are ‘restaurant ready’ by 2-3 weeks after facelift surgery, which means with make-up on and under not-too-bright lighting. Milder swelling can go up and down, depending on the day, for 2-3 months but to answer your question specifically, it’s possible though uncommon, to have stubborn areas where swelling can that take up to 6 months to resolve. Healing after any surgery is a journey and scars, for example, continue to remodel and improve for a year or more. Patience and open communication with your surgeon is most important when you are recovering from a facelift. As always, I advise patients to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in facial surgery and find someone you connect with and trust. Good Luck!

I would say it takes about 3 months for all of the swelling to subside. It may take longer if fat injections were placed.

Thank you for your question! A majority of the swelling post-surgery will last approximately 1-2 weeks depending on the patient’s health and the surgeon’s technique; however, I have had patients who, immediately upon the removal of their headdressing bandage, are public-ready!  If the surgeon is slow, careful, and cauterizes as he or she operates, you will likely have minimal bruising and swelling.  If you are a patient who requires fat transplantation to correct volume loss, this can add to the recovery time, as fat transplantation can cause longer-lasting swelling.  To achieve the best results, I recommend that my patients take arnica preoperatively. Postoperatively it’s wise to steer clear of foods containing high sodium levels. I recommend as well that my facelift patients see my in-office nurse who can provide lymphatic drainage massages:  while it might be risky to undergo this with an outside massage therapist who might not understand the approach needed for a post-surgical patient, an in-office nurse (who is present during the actual surgery) knows exactly what to do.  More than anything, the lymphatic drainage helps tremendously with swelling and with the improvement of the overall recovery process.

In general about 50% of the facial swelling will subside in 6-8 weeks; however, this is determined by the type of facelift and the degree of swelling you experienced immediately after the surgery.  A bit of puffiness in the cheek region will gradually go down.