Facelift Recovery Day By Day

One question that facial rejuvenation patients frequently ask is, “What is my recovery like?” and the answer, of course, is it varies. If you have extensive fat in your neck and require extensive skin removal and correction, recovery may involve more swelling and potentially more bruising for about 10 to 14 days. The truth is, facelift recovery day by day depends on the type of facelift procedure you undergo: Traceless Facelift, Deep Plane Facelift, or Mini Facelift.

Facelift Recovery Timeline

For most patients, facelift recovery entails about 2 weeks of downtime. Here’s a breakdown of what you may expect:

• Bruising and swelling usually peak during the first 7 to 10 days post-op.
• Potentially, around the 10-day point, you may be able to do Zoom calls.
• Most patients can resume exercise after about 4 weeks.
• Patients typically don’t look their best until around two to three months after surgery.

Full results may take longer to achieve following very extensive facelift procedures. So, if you have an important event coming up, definitely allow a few months to get fully healed up and camera-ready!

During the facelift recovery process, we recommend staying out of the sun and protecting your skin as much as possible by wearing sunscreen, brimmed hats, and sunglasses. Eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated can also facilitate proper healing.

Before and After Facelift Surgery

When the patient in her 50s (featured above) came to see us, she struggled with very common aging symptoms. As we age, due to the decrease in collagen, our skin begins to sag and lose firmness. She was not only bothered by sagging facial skin and wrinkles, but also by drooping eyelids and sun damage. We performed a full facial rejuvenation procedure to address these issues. Our Traceless Facelift pulled back the skin of her face, tightening it. Her incisions are well hidden along the hairline, where they are not visible. This procedure was designed to reverse the effects of aging without having obvious signs of surgery. You can learn more specifics about Traceless Facelift recovery in this related blog post.

We then performed an upper eyelid procedure, which lifted back her sagging eyelids to help her appear more alert. This was important for her appearance so that light would be allowed to read her eyes and help them sparkle. To top it off, we also included CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing, which involves using laser technology to remove thin layers of the skin. This helps diminish many issues, such as sun damage, discoloration, and wrinkling. As the skin heals, new collagen production results in fresh, rejuvenated skin.

Schedule Your Consultation

Choosing the right board-certified plastic surgeon is critical to the outcome and safety of your procedure. We recommend conducting as much research as possible before going through with their desired cosmetic procedure. To learn if you’re a good candidate for our Traceless Facelift or one of our many other surgical or non-surgical treatments, please request a consultation online or call our practice at (310) 300-1779.