Facelift (Rhytidectomy) Aftercare
Learn about the care after facelift (rhytidectomy), and sculpture of the facial region by Dr. Michael Bermant, MD plastic & cosmetic surgery.
Michael Bermant, MD
Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
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Surgical Craftsmanship | |
Your Special Needs | |
Individualized Education |
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Tender Care | |
Personalized Service | |
Become Comfortable | |
The Surgery
Facelift and neck liposuction female patient
Facelift and blepharoplasty patient before and after photographs
SMAS Face lift surgical details
Deformity in Art
The Aging Face (Face Eyelids and Neck on President Adams' statue)
Paul Revere facial aging
Questions & Answers
- Other boards
- Facelift / Neck Lift 2 3
- Browlift
- Eyebrows
- Blepharoplasty 2 3 4
- Ptosis (drooping of upper eyelid)
Book Store
Find books about face lift from Barnes and Noble
Find books about basic plastic surgery from Barnes and Noble
After your surgery
There usually is no significant discomfort after surgery; if there is, it can be lessened with a pain medication we prescribe. (Severe or persistent pain or a sudden swelling of your face should be reported to us immediately.) Some numbness of the skin is quite normal; it usually will disappear in a few weeks or months. You will benefit from elevation of your head, neck, and back for several days after surgery to keep the swelling down. If you had a drainage tube inserted, it will be removed one or two days after surgery. Bandages are usually removed in one to five days. Do not be surprised at the pale, bruised, and puffy face after surgery. Just keep in mind that in a few weeks you will be looking normal. Most of your stitches will be removed after about five days. Your scalp may take longer to heal and stitches (or metal clips) in your hairline may need to be left in a few days longer.
Getting back to normal
You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for the first week after surgery. Be especially gentle with your face and hair, since your skin will be both tender and numb, and may not respond normally at first. Depending on the type of facelift surgery, Dr. Bermant will give you more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities. They are likely to include these suggestions:
- Avoid strenuous activity, including sex and heavy housework, for at least two weeks(walking and mild stretching are fine)
- Avoid alcohol, steam baths, and saunas for several weeks
- Limit your exposure to the sun for several months.
- Above all, get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend its energy on healing.
Photograph Before Surgery
Photograph 8 Days After Surgery
At the beginning, your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features may be distorted from the swelling, your facial movements may be slightly stiff, and you will probably be self - conscious about your scars. Some bruising may persist for two to three weeks. This bruising tends to migrate downwards during healing. You may tire easily and some patients are disappointed and depressed at first.
By the third week, you will look and feel much better. Most patients are back at work about ten days to two weeks after surgery. If you need it, special camouflage makeup can mask most bruising that remains after the wounds have sealed. Ask us and we will help you with the methods and timing for the makeup.
Your new look
The chances are excellent that you will be happy with your facelift - especially if you realize that the results may not be immediately apparent. Even after the swelling and bruises are gone, the hair around your temples may be thin and you skin may feel dry and rough for several months. Men may find they have to shave in new places - behind the neck and ears - where areas of beard growing skin have been repositioned.
You will have some scars from your facelift, but they are usually hidden by your hair or in the natural creases of your face and ears. In any case, they usually fade with time and should be scarcely visible. Having a facelift does not stop the clock. Your face will continue to age with time, and you may want to repeat the procedure one or more times - perhaps five or ten years down the line. But in another sense, the effects of even one facelift are lasting; years later you will continue to look better than if you never had a facelift at all.
Photograph 6 Months AfterSurgery
