Down time with face/necklift and upper blepharoplasty - is 3 weeks enough time?

Question

I am wanting to get a Traditional Face and Neck lift, along with an upper blepharolplasty, but finding it very hard to schedule more than 3 weeks away from work and public events. Do you think that 3 weeks is enough time that I can be in public and others not be able to tell? Especially people that I see a lot and know me well?

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

Everyone is a little different but 3 weeks off should be plenty of time to recover.  If you were having your lower lids done you might expect some bruising on your cheeks that would be the most obvious.  But just a face and upper  lids 3 weeks will be enough

Ozge Ergun, MD · Answer

As we frequently emphasize in our consultations, the superior vascularity (blood supply) of the facial region facilitates a significantly faster resolution (healing/settling) process in the postoperative period compared to other anatomical areas.
The second phase of tissue healing, known as the proliferative phase of wound healing, is typically rendered complete by the end of the third postoperative week (Day 21).
• Return to Social Life (Social Recovery): With the steady subsiding of prominent edema (swelling) and ecchymosis (bruising), our patients' reintegration into social life is generally achieved within 10-14 days.
• Return to Daily Activities: This means patients can comfortably revert to their daily routines and light activities by the end of the third week (Day 21).
However, to observe the final aesthetic outcome of the surgical procedure and the fully settled facial contour, patience is key. The maximal result, which occurs when the tissues have fully relaxed and taken their permanent form, is typically evident around the end of the third month (Day 90).

Kyle Kimura, MD · Answer

Great question.
I would not factor upper blepharoplasty into this as that will typically heal quite quickly (when done correctly). For the face and neck lift it can vary based on a number of factors such as the type and degree of surgery, age, other health factors, etc. While alot of the bruising and swelling will likely have resolved by 3 weeks, I think the thing that may take a bit longer is the incision line around the ears which can hold some redness sometimes a bit longer than 3 weeks. There are certainly things you can do to hide these incisions early on such as wearing your hair down, but I think people that know you well may be able to see things at this point. 
Hope this helps and best of luck

T. Gerald O`Daniel, MD, FACS · Answer

Every patient heals differently; however, you would be shocked by how well you have healed by 3 weeks. At this point in recovery, my patients are returning to work and their normal routines. I have included a video of a timeline of recovery for a patient from 48 hours to 3 months out. She looks like herself, but refreshed and rejuvenated.

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

Three weeks should be adequate time for you to recover from your facelift/necklift and upper blepharoplasty surgery. At three weeks, typically, all of the potential bruising has resolved and the Incision lines can be camouflaged with make up.  Even if there is no bruising, the rejuvenation of your face and neck may be detected by people who know you well, as they will see restoration of mid facial volume, a straight, sharp jawline and a smoother neck.  Best wishes.

Mark Beaty, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question! Healing does vary from person to person, but in general, 3 weeks is usually enough time for most patients to feel comfortable being out in public again. By about 10–14 days, the majority of bruising and swelling have improved significantly, though subtle swelling can continue for several months.

In my experience, most patients are “restaurant ready” around the 3-week mark—meaning they can go out socially and others are unlikely to suspect they’ve just had surgery. That said, people who see you often and know your face well may still notice some changes. Your incisions may still be a little pink at 3 weeks, but wearing your hair down or using makeup can help camouflage them.

Overall, by 3 weeks, you should be presentable and able to return to your routine without it being obvious you’ve had surgery, though your results will continue to refine with time.

Best of luck with your surgery and recovery!

Elie Ramly, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question. With the right technique and depending on your anatomy, it is achievable to be able to be in public around three weeks after a well-performed face and neck lift with upper blepharoplasty. Healing is different for everyone of course and everyone's anatomy is different, so it’s helpful to have realistic expectations based on a detailed evaluation and plan with a plastic surgeon who specializes in facelifts and neck lifts. Discuss your goals and timeline with your surgeon, who can help plan your procedure and recovery for the best balance of safety and a natural appearance.

Andrew Miller, MD · Answer

There are different ways that facelifts are performed, and people heal in different ways - some bruise a lot, some bruise minimally. Having said that, usually most any of our patients that undergo eyelid surgery and deep plane facelift are able to put on make up, style hair, and go out and look fine after two weeks. There will still be little areas of healing going on, but the patient is usually more aware of it than the public. Be sure to see a facial specialist for consultation.

Stephen Prendiville, MD · Answer

Great question and the answer is... it depends.  For an isolated facelift, you should be physically presentable with makeup.  If you are having concurrent fractionated CO2 laser resurfacing and/or lower eyelid blepharoplasty, you will be able to wear makeup at 2 weeks, but may be appear more postoperative.  That having been said, you will be much more aware of your appearance than the vast majority of the general public.  My limitation for any bending/physical activity is 2 weeks and for weight lifting/golf/tennis/ Pilates is 4 weeks.  I follow patients for 12 months after such procedures, because healing occurs in stages and this offers reassurance and guidance. I hope this helps.

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

3 weeks is probably enough recovery time for facelift and upper blepharoplasty, but it depends a lot on how secretive you want to be. If you want it to be worth the expense and recovery time, then you want to have a noticeable difference. Techniques such as the hemostatic net have made a definite difference in recovery time.

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