Facelift Recovery Tips

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Facial surgeries and facelifts, also referred to as rhytidectomies, are surgical procedures that visibly reduce signs of aging throughout the face and neck.

As skin naturally ages, youthful contours and pronounced bone structures start to appear sagged, with visible wrinkles becoming more apparent. The loss of skin’s natural youthful appearance may also be the result of environmental factors such as smoking, extensive sun exposure, drug and alcohol use, stress, and hereditary factors.

Facial surgeries, like facelifts, are a restorative procedure that does not change one’s fundamental appearance. It will not fully stop the aging process but can minimize visible signs of aging. It is also worth noting that minimally invasive procedures and treatments such as fillers and Botox cannot achieve the same results.

Facelift Recovery Tips

• Follow your surgeon’s instructions: Each cosmetic surgeon will likely provide specialized aftercare and post-surgical instructions following your facial surgery. Advice from medical professionals should always be followed without deviation to avoid medical risks and complications. Following your facial surgery, drains may be put in place to remove excess blood and fluid from the surgical area. If small drains are placed, your nurse will empty the drains every 6 – 8 hours and record the output of each drain for your surgeon to see. Keeping track of the fluid output helps your surgeon determine how long the drains need to stay in for. Additionally, your nurse will also clean the drains to prevent any infection. Following facial surgery, most surgeons recommend you wear your wrap garments as much as possible for the first week after a facelift. This is an essential facelift recovery tip as it reduces swelling and keeps drains in place.
• Ice for Pain: Applying cold compresses to your face for the first 72 hours after facial surgery will help reduce bruising and swelling.
• Keep Your Head Elevated: One of the most important facelift recovery tips, it is important to keep your head elevated for at least 1-2 weeks after a facelift. Whether you are recovering a post-surgery facility or at home, make sure to use pillows to prop up your head following your facial surgery.
• Don’t strain your facial muscles: After your facial surgery, a speedy recovery relies on your ability to keep calm, relax, and refrain from straining your facial muscles. This is especially important during the 36-48 hour timeframe after your procedure. Resist twisting, contorting, or over-exerting your facial muscles. After your immediate post-surgical time frame has passed, continue to resist abrupt movements in your facial muscles.
• Protect yourself from the sun and the elements: An essential facelift recovery tip, your skin will be quite sensitive after any type of facial surgery. Therefore, it is recommended that you stay indoors as much as possible during your recovery period. Should you need to go outside, wear a wide-brim sun hat if possible or apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30.
• Avoid strenuous exercise: Avoid strenuous cardio or aerobic exercise for at least four to six weeks after your facial surgery. If several weeks have passed, consult your surgeon to see whether you may start light exercise.
• Watch what you eat: While advice on this facelift surgery recovery tip may vary, maintaining a healthy diet, rich in Vitamin C and essential minerals can help speed up recovery. Having a healthy, balanced diet ensures you will be in for a quick recovery!
• Drink lots of water: Similar to maintaining a healthy diet, recovering from facial surgery requires a strong emphasis on health and wellness. Drink plenty of water and continue to stay hydrated throughout your facelift surgery recovery period.
• Stay away from alcohol, drugs, and tobacco: Alcohol, drugs, and tobacco weaken the immune system and can leave you vulnerable to infections. Additionally, the act of smoking slows down your body’s natural healing abilities.

Why You Should Seek Professional Care After a Facelift

While you’re certainly free to recover at home, healing after any type of facial surgery may be taxing for your loved ones, friends, and family members. Additionally, they may not be able to match the level of attentive care you can get some professional postoperative care nurses.

That’s why we recommend seeking the help of professionals if you’re planning a facelift any time in the near future.

Stay at Pearl Recovery

Pearl Recovery is the premier postoperative care facility in the Los Angeles area. At Pearl Recovery Retreat, we cater to each patient with meticulous attention to postoperative care with innovative medical services to provide efficient recovery in the most luxurious, relaxing setting for cosmetic surgery recovery in the Los Angeles area.

If you’re planning a facial surgery, plan your stay with us. Contact us online or call (310) 736-1009 and book your restorative stay today.