Let’s be honest: The aging process is not always kind to us. It’s the natural way of things, unfortunately. As we grow older, our skin loses collagen and elasticity, which is why those telltale wrinkles, fine lines, brown spots, and drooping jowls appear. A facelift is a quick cosmetic procedure that can tighten and smooth your skin to allow you to appear more youthful and energetic—ensuring your outside matches your inside.
At Tampa Surgical Arts, we’re asked frequently by patients who are interested in facelifts about the recovery period. Do they need to plan to be out of work and confined to their home for weeks? What should they expect, pain-wise? In this article, we will discuss what it’s like to recover from a facelift and how long the process takes.
The Dressing
You’ll leave our office wearing a padded dressing that helps to protect the suture site. Some patients may also have drainage tubes to care for. These tubes help to remove any excess fluid and blood, as well as lessen inflammation.
Within two days, the dressing and drainage tubes will be removed, and within 10 days, the sutures will be removed.
The Side Effects
Some of the main side effects you’ll experience in the hours, days, and weeks following your facelift is bruising and swelling. This is all very normal and you can use cold compresses for relief. You may experience mild-to-moderate pain, which can usually be tempered with medication. (You’ll be prescribed pain medication by our cosmetic surgeon.)
The Recovery Period
You should plan for time away from work—two weeks is the general timeline we give to our patients. While you will feel recovered physically within a few days, you will probably want to stay close to home for two to three weeks as you wait for the swelling and bruising to decrease and for your sutures to be removed. Within three weeks, you should be able to resume normal activities, although some patients feel recovered much sooner.
To learn more about facelifts and the procedures we perform at Tampa Surgical Arts, contact us today to schedule a consult. We serve men and women throughout the Tampa Bay area and always exercise discretion.
