What is Recovery Time on Lower Facelift?

Thank you for your question. Assuming you are in
good physical and medical condition, recovery from a lower facelift is
generally very acceptable/tolerable for most patients. Such recovery is
obviously dependent on the type of facelift you get and what other procedures
you get in conjunction (i.e. laser skin resurfacing, autologous fat transfer
etc.). Incisions are generally placed around or within hairlines and around the
ear to help camouflage the scars. You may have an additional incision
underneath the chin if additional neck contouring is necessary to achieve an
optimal result. Sutures are removed in 1 week. Social recovery (i.e. when you
will be comfortable being seen in public) is usually 7-10 days owing to
bruising and swelling. Aerobic exercise can be resumed after 2 weeks and high
impact activities (i.e. running, jumping) started after 3 weeks. The final
aesthetic outcome is typically evident at the 3 month mark (this is when we
take post-operative photographs). A consultation with an expert in facial
plastic surgery who specializes in Rhytidectomy (Facelifting) will allow for a
proper assessment of your individual needs and expected recovery.

Facelifts are an incredible procedure as it can turn back the hands of time.  One of the most common questions I get is how long the recovery is for a facelift. 





The easiest way to answer this question is to go through the process, as there are different levels of recovery and what a person can do after the surgery.  First, I typically do my facelifts under general anesthesia so patients will need to go home with someone that can care for them the first night.  All of the patients come back to the office the day after their surgery so that I can remove the face wrap that they left the surgery center with after their facelift. 





After the first day patient will have a simple band placed that will help support the neck and minimize the swelling.  This band can be removed for showering.  All patients can shower the day after their surgery after I have seen them in the office. 





The first week after surgery patients will need to relax and avoid any strenuous activity.  I want patients to walk several times per day, but they need to avoid heaving lifting and strenuous activity, as these activities will increase their risk of issue after their surgery.  The first week patients tend to be swollen and bruised through out the face and neck area. 





After the first week patients can use cover-up makeup if they still have some residual bruising.  They will also still have some sutures hidden the hair and behind the ear.  The sutures on the face itself are typically removed prior to the one-week mark. 





Typically by two weeks all of the bruising has resolved and the majority of the swelling has subsided.  Patients are still healing but are doing very well at this point. 





Patients need to be about six weeks out from surgery before they return to their normal work out routines or any strenuous activity.  However they still need to be careful with sun exposure.





I hope this give you a little outline about the typical recovery course for face and neck lift with fat transfer.  Please consult your board certified plastic surgeon to help guide you through the process.  

FaceTite can internally tighten the skin in the lower face and neck. After all the skin has been heated and contracted, we shape the neck with liposuction to give definition and remove stubborn pockets of fat. In one quick treatment, we can tighten skin, remove fat, and contour the lower face, jawline, and jowls with only a weekend of downtime.​ Keep in mind that combination approaches will give you a more significant improvement as opposed to a single procedure. I recommend getting a consultation with a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist and facial sculpting expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Thanks for the question. It takes 3-4 weeks for your body to recover and return to daily life without any problems. I wish you all the best.

Hi, this is a great question! It is important to realize that the amount of time it takes to recover from facelift surgery varies greatly between individuals.The recovery from a lower facelift is variable, depending on how much bruising there is, which leads to more prolonged swelling. For most patients, there is a day or two where you might want to limit activities due to discomfort. Again, this varies among people. Most people hide out at home for one to two weeks due to the initial swelling and bruising. You may elect to go out in public during this period to run errands, get some fresh air, etc, if you are comfortable using coverup makeup and scarves to cover evidence of recent surgery. Following this period, most people can return to work looking refreshed. Family and close acquaintances may be able to notice that you are mildly swollen after this, but by four weeks most people can function socially without anyone noticing anything other than the fact that you look perhaps ten years younger.

Thank you for your question. The recovery from a lower facelift is variable, depending on how much bruising there is, which leads to more prolonged swelling. For most patients, there is a day or two where you might want to limit activities due to discomfort. Again, this varies among people. Most people hide out at home for one to two weeks due to the initial swelling and bruising. You may elect to go out in public during this
Period to run errands, get some fresh air, etc., if you are comfortable using coverup makeup and scarves to cover evidence of recent surgery. Following this period, most people can return to work looking refreshed. Family and close acquaintances may be able to notice that you are mildly swollen after this, but by four weeks most people
Can function socially without anyone noticing anything other than the fact that you look perhaps ten years younger.

Most patients resume everyday activities in terms of driving, starting to get around at 10 days. You will still have some bruising and swelling at the stage, however, but this can usually be disguised by makeup and scarves. In terms of working allow 2-3 weeks off for face-to-face contact, but most people can resume desk work at home after one week. Most patients feel completely normal and return to exercise at about 3 weeks.

Recovery from a facelift procedure is generally about 2 weeks.  This is usually the time at which a patient can apply makeup and resume some degree of mild cardiac activity.  Heavier exercise like weight lifting, tennis, or gold are best delayed for 4 weeks.  Truly, there are changes in healing for up to one year, but the majority of patients are out socially at the 2 week mark. 

Recovery definitely varies from patient to patient, so any answer is just a guideline based averages. No two people are exactly the same and no two recoveries are exactly the same. In fact the two sides of the face don't always have the exact same recovery timeline. That being said, recovery depends on the extent of the work (how much is done in the deep planes of the neck or face), technique and care during surgery. It is safe to say on average recovery is about ten days. Pain meds are usually used for only a day or two. Usually about 7 days with stitches and bruising. At 7 days bruising has turned to yellow discoloration and sutures are removed. In our practice patients can put on makeup at 10 days after surgery. That is usually the time they feel they can go back out in to the real world without looking funny. But not all healing is done at that point. It takes an entire year for all swelling to be gone. That is when after photos are usually taken. But you'll look great at 10 days. 

Thank you for your question. On average, you are presentable within 7-10 day, albeit you may need some cover-up make-up. Thereafter, it can take 1-2 years for the subtle healing to occur. Most reputable surgeons follow you up for this period of time. Best wishes.

The time for facelift recovery depends mainly on the delicacy of the technique used by the surgeon. Combination of the surgery with other procedures can increase the recovery time however, this is what is expecting you in general:
your facelift operation takes around 2-3 hours
add 1-2 hours if fat grafting and upper and lower blepharoplasties and brow lifts are combined
you will stay at the hospital for 1 day after which you will be discharged with no bandages or drains
you will be seen on day 5 for removal of your stitches after which you can continue normally with your routine life
your edema and swelling will be very minimal and bruising almost none with just the lower facelift operation
however if fat grafting is performed, you will have more swelling that can last for 1-2 weeks
be ready to go public in 5 days, but for a formal event, I advice to wait a month
your final results will be seen in 3 months
your scars will mature in a year
Hope this helps,
Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey