A facelift is a major surgical procedure that requires intensive recovery time. The surgery can cause swelling and bruising, which is why it is important to take the time to allow your body to heal. Your doctor will provide you with tips on how to care for your face, but we have some very important tips you should keep in mind to speed up the healing process after a facelift.
- No Smoking: Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen that makes it to your tissues, slowing down the process of recovery by making it harder for wounds to close. It is important to avoid smoking completely until all the healing has occurred. The last thing you want is to have a wound that gets infected because it does not close.
- No Sun: Do your best to stay out of direct sunlight and sun lamps. The rays of the sun can increase swelling and keep the wound from closing. If you have to be outside, cover the surgery area well.
- No Peeking: This is probably the hardest tip to follow. After surgery, you will be very curious as to what the results look like, but it is vital that you do not peek. Moving the bandages before the surgery area has healed can cause all manner of problems and can even allow infections to develop. Your doctor will let you know when it is safe to remove the bandages and take a look. When you do see the results, do not be scared of a bit of swelling and bruising. This is normal!
- Limit Medications: Over the counter medications like aspirin should be kept to a minimum. Take only what your doctor has given you to counteract any pain you may be experiencing after a facelift or nose job. Most of the pain killers we use on a day-to-day business thin the blood, which is not what you want when trying to recover from surgery.
- Keep Head Elevated: This can help reduce swelling. You should also stock up on cold compresses to help with the healing process, too. Bags of frozen vegetables work perfectly to provide you with cool relief when you need it.
- Get Lots of Rest: Rest will help you heal much more quickly. You will need to take time off from work for this kind of procedure, so take advantage of that and get lots of sleep.
- Have Support: Recovering from any type of surgery is a process that should not be done on your own. Have friends or family members helping you or at least keeping you company as you recover. Some patients even feel mild depression after surgery, so having someone to talk to can help.
Getting a facelift can be a very rewarding process that can leave you looking your best. In order to have the best experience after any surgery like a face lift or nose job, you should stick to your doctor’s advice. Prevent the wound from getting infected by not peeking and by staying out of the sun. With a bit of patience and with a good support system, you will be on your feet soon.










