How long before I can get back to dance and yoga routines after a face and neck lift? (Photo)

Question

Dancing is a big part of my life, including a style which includes a lot of bending and head swirling (Zouk). I've read a lot of posts on the forum about swelling and general tightness after a face lift, some of which has lasted a considerable amount of time. How long after a face and neck lift would I be able to get back to dancing ?Would there be any residual tightening that would make this difficult?

David A. Caplin, MD · Answer

In most cases you can go back to totally unrestricted activity by 6 weeks.  You can usually resume very long walks or using an elliptical machine by 4 weeks. Investing time in the healing process is very important to maximize the surgical outcome.

Ozge Ergun, MD · Answer

Thanks for the question. After 2-4 weeks your surgery area will totally healed and yes you can dancing and also do other activities. I wish you all the best.

Amir Nakhdjevani, MBBS, MRCS, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Thank you for your question.
With regards to your information post-surgery, this would have been shared with you before and after, did you receive this information? Did you receive information with regards to healing expectancy? 
Typically after surgery, any time from 2 weeks is fine (once the wounds have healed that is). Swelling from the surgery, of course, subsides after a few months. With regards to exercise, you should be fine to continue after 10-14 days post-surgery. Of course, I would say if you have any concerns then to consult with your surgeon. Following the surgery, you should have regular check-ups on your healing progress and for your surgeon to answer any questions you may have. The initial tightness will subside following the procedure where after a matter of weeks you'll be feeling like you can carry on with your daily routine. Of course, do not push yourself, just make sure you're not straining yourself or making yourself uncomfortable whilst healing, it's important you take it easy and not cause stress on your body.
Good luck!

Miguel Delgado, MD · Answer

This is something you need to discuss with your surgeon who knows you best. For my patients, I want them to wait 6 weeks before resuming any type of formal exercise. Good luck!

David Gilpin, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  This is a question I get quite often from my patients.  Every surgeon will have his/her own protocol about when you can resume your normal activity.  Typically, though, any strenuous exercise should be resumed 4-6 weeks from surgery.  You will still most likely have some tightness in the face and neck when you resume yoga and dance.  So it is still important to take it relatively easy while you are restarting your routine.  However, this will lessen with time. Be sure to ask your surgeon for his/her preference for post-operative activity.I hope that this helps!-David Gilpin

Charles Nduka, MD · Answer

Usually, it takes around 2 to 3 weeks before patients are cleared to return to light activities, and a little over a month for strenuous activities such as dancing. Each individual has a different rate of healing, while some may recover within a few weeks time, some will have prolonged healing time. Each surgeon has a different protocol and your surgeon would be your best resource of information.

Sudeep Roy, MD · Answer

Hi and thank you for your great question. Different surgeons will use different techniques, and everyone has their own preference as far as resuming activities after facelifting. In my practice, patients are advised to wait atleast 2 weeks before resuming low impact activities (most physical activities for the average person including weight lifting, elliptical, exercise bike etc) and 3 weeks before resuming high impact activities (anything that results in significant impact of the body with the floor such as running, jumping, tennis etc). Dancing is a more difficult activity to simply classify in either of those two groups, but I would always err on the side of caution (3 weeks) especially if you think it might involve a lot of range of motion, impact with the ground and stretching of tissues. Proper communication with your surgeon is very important to make sure you have a reasonable plan on when you can resume activities important to your daily life. Hope that helped! Best, Dr. Roy.

How long before I can get back to dance and yoga routines after a face and neck lift? (Photo)

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