What To Expect After a Facelift
The rewards of a facelift are plentiful. A facelift is the most comprehensive procedure for achieving facial rejuvenation. Rather than merely acting on the surface or ‘skin deep’ as non-surgical treatments will, a facelift adjusts the underlying layers of the skin that support the entire facial area. This process provides substantial and long-term support of the skin which offers significant facial rejuvenation by reducing lines, wrinkles, skin laxity and soft tissue descent.
However, a facelift is an invasive surgical procedure which has a substantial recovery period. As such you as a patient will have many responsibilities during recovery to aid the healing process, avoid unnecessary complications and ensure you receive your expected results. Preparing for your recovery is a crucial aspect of having facelift surgery, along with selecting a qualified and expert specialist plastic surgeon and clearly communicating your expectations for the procedure.
If well-prepared for the recovery process, you can expect to enjoy the full results quickly and without incident. The following guidelines can help you in planning and preparing for your recovery, but they should not substitute for the recovery plan you discuss with your surgeon and the specific post-surgical recommendations they will have for you. When properly prepared, you can avoid needless risks, and be ready to rest and relax, which can be among the most essential components of recovery.
The Importance of Planning for Your Recovery
Adequately preparing for your facelift can help you avoid risks which could jeopardise your results, and it can give you added peace of mind, leading to a more restful recovery and substantially aiding the healing process. Creating a recovery plan with your specialist plastic surgeon will be one of the most discussed topics during your consultations before surgery.
You should expect to receive guidelines from your specialist plastic surgeon detailing the support you will need at home from friends or loved ones along with any specific items you should plan to have ready at home when you leave the hospital. These include extra pillows and towels and entertainment items, such as books and movies so you can remain comfortable and rest.
Among the most important things you should have readily available at all times are your pain medications and antibiotics and your surgeon’s contact information, that of his office and a local emergency room in the unlikely event of an urgent question or concern. Your surgeon should be more than happy to make himself available to you throughout the recovery process to address any questions or concerns as they arise.
Things To Focus on During Early Weeks of Recovery
Now that you have an idea of the planning process for your recovery, here are several factors to consider during each stage of your facelift recovery.
Concerns During the First Week
Immediately after your surgery, your primary focus should be getting adequate rest. You should not plan to work or be responsible for childcare or household chores. Stressful or strenuous activities could raise your blood pressure, adversely affecting your results. Pain medications will also likely interfere with tasks such as driving or cooking. Plan to have trusted friends or loved ones help you at home with these tasks or prepare meals in advance so you won’t have to leave the house or work in the kitchen.
Also, plan to rest with your head elevated during this time to reduce swelling and pain and take short walks throughout the day to promote healthy blood flow. You may also use cold compresses to help reduce swelling and discomfort that you will feel during this time. Do not hesitate to contact your specialist plastic surgeon if you have any questions or concerns about your symptoms. This is perhaps the most crucial phase of your recovery.
Concerns During the First Two Weeks
As you approach the ten-day mark after your surgery, you may feel ready to return to work and resume some lighter activities. While the symptoms of surgery, such as redness and swelling, may have subsided, you should still pay careful attention to how you feel to ensure you don’t do too much or exhaust yourself, as this could set-back your recovery. You should also confer with your surgeon before returning to work to be sure you are ready. While you may still feel symptoms from your surgery, such as tightness around your incisions and mild swelling and pain, this does not necessarily indicate you that you must continue to limit your activities.
Concerns After Four Weeks
Around this time you will probably feel ready to share your new look. You can easily conceal any residual signs of surgery with make-up if you wear it, your swelling and redness and bruising will have gone down significantly. At this time, you can truly begin enjoying your results. You can also resume more strenuous activities such as your workout routine; however, you should seek your doctor’s approval first.
During this stage, you will still have to take several precautions to protect your incisions, which will involve keeping the site of your incisions clean as well as continuing to wear sunscreen whenever you have sun exposure to prevent any permanent discolouration of sensitive scar tissue. You will still be healing at the four to six-week stage, so it will be vital for you to monitor your surgical areas for any signs which may seem unusual or significant and to contact your specialist plastic surgeon immediately.
You Can Rely on Niche Plastic Surgery To Support You Throughout Your Facelift Procedure
Niche Plastic Surgery provides the highest levels of patient advocacy during the consultation process, safety during surgery and support after your procedure to ensure the look that their patients desire is realised and that they can enjoy it in good health for many years to come. The three principal specialist plastic surgeons at Niche Plastic Surgery — Dr Ramakrishnan, Dr Burge and Dr Barton — maintain specialist qualifications and expertise in plastic, reconstruction, craniofacial and cosmetic surgery. While meeting and exceeding the surgical needs of their patients, the surgeons have created a comfortable and relaxed practice environment which encourages strong surgeon-patient communication which further enhances each patient’s experience and results.
For more information or to schedule an in-person consultation, call Niche Plastic Surgery today on 03 9853 9705 or book your visit online. Niche Plastic Surgery looks forward to meeting your needs.
