For most people, the holiday season is packed with parties and end-of-the-year celebrations. Before the busiest part of the year approaches, many men and women choose to undergo cosmetic procedures, such as facelift surgery, during fall.
A facelift performed in the fall will make sure you enter the holiday season looking and feeling your best. With our quick guide, you can learn what to expect in terms of recovery, allowing you to look perfectly refreshed for your first party of the season.
Planning your Facelift in the Fall: What to Expect
First Week: Rest and Recover
The first week after the procedure is when your post-surgery symptoms will peak, but you will be provided with a prescription for pain medication to alleviate any discomfort. You should focus on resting for the first few days to ensure a successful recovery.
In the initial stages of recovery, it’s common for patients to feel anxious, because swelling may temporarily obscure the results. Swelling is completely normal and is just the body’s response to surgery. During the first week, you can also expect to have some bruising and feelings of soreness or tightness along your incisions.
Although these symptoms will reach their peak during the first week, you’ll still feel well enough to get up and move around 2-3 days after surgery.
Second Week: Slowly Ease Back into Your Routine
Some patients have residual bruising about 2 weeks after surgery, and most will still have light swelling. It’s also common to have tingling sensations or feelings of numbness, but don’t worry – these sensations just mean your tissues are working on healing.
Patients will begin to see the new contours of their face take shape as swelling gradually decreases. You should still be taking it easy at this point, but some patients feel comfortable enough to go back to work after the second week.
Third Week: Getting Back to Normal
By the third week, your facelift incisions should feel much better. While they tend to look puckered during the first couple of weeks, they should take on a smoother appearance by the third week as the tissues heal and swelling subsides. Some areas might still feel a little tight. Most patients have returned to work by this point. It’s usually safe to also resume light physical exercise.
Fourth Week: You’re Party Ready!
At week four, most patients will be considered fully recovered from their facelift. Although it’s common to have very light swelling for up to a year afterward, this will likely be noticeable by only you and your surgeon, allowing you to head into the holiday season with confidence.
Whether you have a packed holiday schedule or you simply want to freshen up your look this fall, there’s no better time than now to get started on your treatment plan. If you’re considering a facelift or related procedure, contact facial plastic surgeon Dr. Matt Hershcovitch. He’d be happy to help you explore your full range of surgical and non-surgical rejuvenation options.
