Can a Too Tight Face Lift Improve with Time?

Hi sukietawdry in Asheville,

Face lift surgery has evolved over the years, but still involves tissue repositioning and tightening. The tight sensation will resolve as the tissue relaxes. One month is still early after the face lift, and many patients report this sensation.

Yes, to a degree skin is pulled, but more importantly the tissue and muscle beneath the skin is tightened. This deeper layer is the secret to face lift surgery. The covering skin displays what is happening underneath the face. The majority of the pull is generally not on the skin layer itself.

Speak to your face lift plastic surgeon regarding any concerns you may have. Best of luck.
 

Dr. Chaboki

Your tissues need to relax, and this can take a couple months to occur. You'll find that the tightness will gradually go away.

Your tissues need time to relax after surgery, and swelling also needs to subside to alleviate the tightness you're feeling. Give it a few months before you judge your results.

Generally speaking, it can take 6 to 12 months to completely heal after a facelift procedure. I would strongly recommend speaking with your surgeon or his/her clinical team to discuss your concerns further.

The tightness and tissue thickening
that you describe following facelift surgery is usually related to
swelling.  This response varies
from patient to patient and depends on the surgical technique and wound healing
characteristics of the patient. 
The majority of swelling usually resolves in about two weeks following
facelift surgery. At this point, most patients can return to work and resume
normal activities.  In most cases,
total resolution takes about three months.  In rare cases, swelling may persist for up to a year
following surgery.

It’s important to realize that more
aggressive facelift procedures cause more swelling, which can last for longer
periods of time.  Elevation of the head and decreased salt intake may help decrease
swelling after surgery.  Swelling
is normal following surgery, but persistent swelling should be evaluated by
your surgeon.

3 weeks is still relatively early in healing process after your surgery.  There are still irritated nerves and tight muscles.  Be patient and continue to follow up with your surgeon as directed.

An overdone facelift, or one that is too tight or has a Hollywood windswept appearance may improve with time, but it will not ever be normal. It is very important to shape the face based upon pre-operative facial analysis and to perform a true “Lift & Fill” Facelift to allow for rejuvenation and restoration of the normal face. After all, as Board Certified Plastic Surgeons, we are into the “face protection” not “witness protection” program for you as a patient.

Healing from a facelift happens in three phases. The first 2-3 weeks you will see the initial swelling go away and get some sense for the results. It takes two to three months for most of the swelling to subside and the tissue to soften back to normal. It can take up to a year for some areas to become normal again, particularly with regard to sensation (some areas can be numb for a long time). At three weeks you are WAY too early to be concerned with your results. Try to be patient and you will probably be very happy in the next two months.

I hope this info helps!

Patients can have some anxieties about the result of their facelift in the immediate post-operative period.  In order to achieve a natural, lasting result the skin has to be released from the underlying tissue and placed under an appropriate amount of tension which initially can give a "pulled" or drawn appearance.  Not to worry, the skin is a very elastic tissue and you can expect a "relapse" in skin tone in about 90 days after surgery which will begin to the reveal the final appearance a patient is expecting! 

At only 3 weeks after surgery it is very common to have swelling still present in the face.  This may takes several more weeks to resolve.  The extent and duration of your swelling depends on the type of face lift you had.  In the meantime, follow up with your surgeon regularly and ask if there may be other modalities available to speed up the resolution of this problem.