What is the average recovery time for a facelift? And are any special creams advised for scarring or just for general healing?

A facelift (rhytidectomy) is a wonderfully rejuvenating and long-lasting procedure, but it is major surgery and therefore you must give your body adequate time to heal. I recommend my patients do little to nothing the first few days and then drastically curtail activities for two weeks. While the stitches are generally removed after 1 week, you will still be quite swollen. I always recommend getting help with housework and  taking time off from the job during this intensive 2-week recovery period. It will take about 4 to 6 months for your face to completely heal and for your final results to be visible.
As for creams to aid in scar healing and fading, each facial plastic surgeon will have his or her own preferences and recommendations. Also, in my practice I am meticulous about where and how I make my incisions, so the scars generally heal well enough that they are barely visible. If you’re bothered by them, they can be improved with chemical peels and microneedling after the facelift has fully healed. I hope this helps.

Thick scaring is rarely an issue in facelifts. Visibility of the scars and unnatural hairline displacement are often the result of poorly conceived incisions. In my practice we offer a very popular scar optimization program consisting of silicone taping and early sessions of incisions with CORE CO2 in fusion mode which has been very effective in fading facelift scars.
Christian Drehsen, M.D.

Dear MBG,Thank you for your question. The average recovery time for a facelift is approximately 2 weeks, of course this varies from person to person. Even after the 2 weeks, there will be several weeks of swelling. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns!Sincerely,Dr. P Daniel Ward