Swelling and Bruising After Facelift

Swelling and bruising is normal after a facelift and, on average, lasts about 14 days.  Of course, that is an average and there are people on either side of that number.  There are younger patients who only bruise for 5-7 days and there are older individuals who bruise and swell for 6 weeks but on average, 14 days is what most people get.The amount and duration of the swelling and bruising depends on several factors such as diet before the procedure, medications, herbal supplements, activity after the procedure, age (vessels are more fragile as one ages), the extent of the procedure, other concomitant procedures adding to the bruising, habits such as smoking, and envirnomental factors such as heat, excessive sneezing or coughing, etc.  You can help bruising by increasing your intake of pineapple, arnica montana, and papaya extract; all of these have been shown to minimize bruising formation.  To improve an existing bruise, consider lympatic massage by your surgeon's office, topical arnica montana, and topical vit K in addition to increasing intake of green leafy vegetables.  Hematomas, a collection of blood under the skin, even when cleared still leaves behind a residual amount of blood under the skin and can prolong the bruising period.  In the end, bruising always goes away, but can be a nuisiance when it doesn't resolve as expected.  Good Luck!

It depends on how early your hematoma was noticed, and why it occurred. In my practice, I always insist that my facelift patients have a nurse with them for the first 38 or so hours to carefully monitor their healing to prevent any such complications from arising. The longer the hematoma went unnoticed, the longer it will take you to heal. Bruising always looks its worst after 2-3 days. It goes from dark purple to red to green to yellow. Bruising is simply blood under the skin, and (only under the direction of your surgeon) there are some things that help it fade, like gentle massage with warm water while in the shower. Again, this should only be done if directed by your surgeon. Hematoma bruising (which is much more extreme than the gentle bruising that typically is gone in one week for my facelift patients), should fade after a month or so, but everyone is different, and it depends on how large the hematoma was. Over the years I’ve developed a certain protocol with my postoperative nurses to help prevent any such complications from arising, which ensures that patients appropriately in those critical first few days. I also make housecalls and have my patients stay nearby at the hotel directly across the street from my office. Generally, my facelift patients are feeling better and looking good enough to go out in public after a week or so, but the body continues to heal and the results continue to improve. Be patient, and continue to follow up with your surgeon in person to ensure everything is healing appropriately.

Thank you for your question and I certainly appreciate your concern. However, bruising after surgery is highly individual and can last for three weeks or longer in some patients. If you are concerned, I would schedule a follow-up with your surgeon for an in-person assessment and to discuss your recovery in greater detail. Your surgeon may recommend avoiding certain medications or supplements, or using a topical product to support the healing process. My guess is that you will likely see the discoloration improve very soon.