12 Tips for Facelift Recovery Insights

• 10/06/2025 23:07

Recovery Tips for a Successful Facelift in 2024

This article has been medically reviewed for accuracy by Seattle, WA board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. William Portuese on September 24, 2024.

12 Tips for Facelift Recovery Insights

Whether it's due to genetics, sun exposure without sunscreen over the years, or the passage of time, we all eventually encounter sagging skin on our faces. Since its beginning in 1901, some individuals have opted for the facelift - a procedure that tightens muscles, lifts tissues, and removes excess skin on the face - to achieve a more youthful look.

While preparing for a facelift typically involves the usual plastic surgery preparations (such as consultations and checks of the doctor's credentials), there's another aspect you should explore before undergoing the procedure: recovery. What you do after leaving the operating room is of vital importance in ensuring a successful outcome. Here, we elaborate on precisely what you need to know about recovering from a facelift. Continue reading to discover the most essential facelift recovery tips and aftercare advice.

Recovery Tip #1: Avoid Overexertion

After any surgery, whether cosmetic or not, it's necessary to take things easy. "Patients should refrain from excessive exertion," remarks Denver board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Manish Shah. "Actions like bending over or lifting heavy objects can raise the blood pressure in the face. This heightens the risk of bleeding beneath the facelift flap, potentially resulting in a hematoma." A hematoma is a localized collection of blood that can reduce the blood supply to the skin on the face, causing problems with wound healing.

Wait approximately two weeks after surgery before resuming daily activities and about a month to six weeks before engaging in more strenuous work (such as exercise). After this period, swelling will have significantly lessened, incisions will have healed, and the risk of bleeding will have decreased.

Related: 5 Signs You’re a Good Candidate for a Facelift—and 4 Signs You’re Not

Recovery Tip #2: Steer Clear of Certain Medications, Alcohol, and Smoking

"Patients should avoid exposure to substances that thin the blood, both before and after the surgery, such as medications like aspirin and Ibuprofen, alcohol, and certain health supplements," states Dr. Shah. "They increase the risk of bleeding during and after the surgery, which can lead to complications like hematoma formation."

If you smoke, Dr. Shah suggests it's best to quit the habit four weeks before the surgery to reduce the nicotine in your bloodstream. "Nicotine is a chemical that constricts blood vessels, so exposure to it can lead to poor wound healing," he warns. "Non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke also risk wound healing issues after facelift surgery."

Alcohol, on the other hand, dilates blood vessels. This can increase the likelihood of bleeding and bruising after your surgery, so it's advisable to avoid both smoking and drinking after the facelift.

Recovery Tip #3: Stay Reasonably Still

According to Dr. Shah, excessive head and neck movement is a common recovery error for facelift patients. "This action places stress on the new incisions, which can lead to wide or raised scars that are challenging to conceal with makeup," he says. As the swelling in the surgical area resolves over time - usually after two to three weeks - it becomes safer to turn your head and neck with less tension, and the risk of developing more visible facelift scars decreases.

Recovery Tip #4: Keep Away from the Sun

After facelift surgery, the facial skin becomes more susceptible to sunburns, so patients should avoid UV ray exposure after the procedure. "It's best to wear a high-quality sunscreen and stay out of the sun for the initial several weeks after the surgery to prevent sunburns on the healing facial skin," says Dr. Shah.

Recovery Tip #5: Avoid Extreme Temperatures

"Sometimes patients ice their faces too much," says Edison, New Jersey, board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Miller. "Remember that after a facelift, there will be some numbness and the patient won't truly be able to tell if the skin is getting too cold or frostbitten." Instead, apply ice for 15 minutes and then take a 15-minute break, using a washcloth soaked in icy-cold water, for the first week.

Icing isn't the only temperature-related concern to be aware of. Dr. Miller mentions that some patients have also used a heating pad on their neck during recovery, which doesn't always have a favorable outcome. "This is a problem because the skin is still numb - and patients have actually burned themselves," he explains. "So be cautious."

Related: 10 Doctors Give Their Best Facelift Advice, in 10 Words or Less

Recovery Tip #6: Consume Healthy Meals

A nutritious diet is always essential for good health, but it's particularly crucial after surgery. "The most important thing a patient can do before the surgery is enhance their nutrition," says Dr. Shah. "This is even more significant after the surgery, as the surgery boosts the metabolic rate and often reduces the appetite." Dr. Shah asserts that if you lower your calorie intake, you might slow down wound healing and recovery. "I recommend a high-protein diet and supplements like vitamin C to optimize wound healing."

Recovery Tip #7: Rely on Your Support System

It's well-known that patients often experience a period of low mood for about a week after facelift surgery. It can be difficult to look in the mirror and see a different face, especially one that's swollen and bruised. "Promoting mental health after the surgery is essential," says Dr. Shah. "We recommend that patients have a group of trusted people to support them after the surgery." Activities that lift the spirits without increasing the risk to the facelift are encouraged. Invite family or close friends over to chat, play card games, or simply watch Netflix. This type of social interaction is a great distraction for those feeling a bit down after the surgery.

Recovery Tip #8: Keep the Incision Clean

Another crucial recovery tip is to maintain the cleanliness of the incision area to prevent infection. "The incision lines are the only visible evidence that a facelift was performed, so we want them to heal as smoothly as possible," explains Dr. Miller. "An accumulation of debris or scabbing will delay this process."

Always wash your hands before touching the incision area. To clean the surgical wound, prepare a mild soap-and-water or saline solution and apply it gently to the area. Use a damp washcloth to remove any dried blood or drainage; avoid using alcohol, peroxide, or antibacterial soap when cleaning the area.

Recovery Tip #9: Stay Upright

The swelling needs to subside from the head downwards, so Dr. Miller advises patients to stay elevated at least 30 degrees while sleeping at night for two weeks to prevent fluid accumulation. "This will facilitate faster healing," he says.

Recovery Tip #10: Adhere to Your Doctor's Schedule

How long does facelift recovery take? While your personal schedule might not align with the appropriate follow-up plan recommended by your doctor, skipping the necessary post-operative examinations could be a major mistake. Dr. Shah states that these appointments are crucial as they can help identify correctable problems that might otherwise be overlooked, resulting in a less-than-ideal outcome. In general, you should anticipate about a month for recovery and facelift healing, by which point all bruising and swelling will have dissipated.

Recovery Tip #11: Be Aware of Potential Side Effects

It would be wonderful to undergo a facelift without encountering any side effects, but they do exist, and it's vital to be informed about them beforehand to avoid surprises. It might seem counterintuitive considering a facelift focuses on the face's skin, but one of the common side effects is hair loss and thinning. Since the procedure involves cutting along the hairline, some patients experience hair loss around the incisions or general thinning around the temples. Your surgeon will strategically plan the incision locations to minimize the impact on hair, but after the surgery, you should wait at least one day to wash your hair and at least six weeks before getting it cut or colored. Other side effects of a facelift include small blood clots in the tissue, prolonged swelling, and ridges from fat removal, but these are typically temporary and usually subside within a few months of the procedure.

Recovery Tip #12: Be Patient

As one of the simpler - but often the most challenging to follow - recovery guidelines, being patient during your recovery is highly advisable. The facelift recovery period might seem endless when you're in the midst of it, but it's important to take it one day at a time. "Swelling subsides, sensation returns, scars fade, and all patients eventually appear 'normal,'" reassures Dr. Shah. "You can't rush the recovery process. It can be challenging to slow down enough to allow yourself to heal, but in the rush to return to our busy lives, we can compromise the recovery or forget that it can take 6 to 12 months to fully recover." As mentioned, it's common for patients to become discouraged, but patience is key. "If you're in the hands of a skilled surgeon, it will all be worth it," says Dr. Shah.

0

STAY IN TOUCH

Get daily beauty information and related beauty information

Subscription
Interested in Beauty Trends and want to be more beautiful?

You can contact our professionals for professional advices.

Beauty is defined by you. You can quickly browse the article about 12 Tips for Facelift Recovery Insights. Feau tried best to help you finding appropriate beauty advice by providing you more information about Cosmetic Treatment, Plastic Surgery and 12 Tips for Facelift Recovery Insights, as Feau knows you want to be more beautiful and confident.

Feau also knows that you care not only about the price but also about the safety of the procedure. So it's very important for you to choose a verified doctor with High Patient Satisfaction and Good Medical Standing. Don't forget to discover top-tier doctors and gain invaluable health insights.

Discover safe and empowering ways to enhance your beauty with our informative and joyful resources

STAY IN TOUCH

Get updated with beauty resources, tips, and news