Remember when your mother or grandmother had a face lift and spent months recovering? Thankfully, this type of prolonged recovery is no longer the norm. In fact, face lift recovery can be faster and less painful than you’ve ever imagined.
The time line for your face lift recovery depends on your specific procedure. For instance, a mini face lift often has a shorter recovery time than a full face lift. On average, though, most of your stitches should be removed within five days of your surgery, and all puffiness and swelling should be gone within two to three weeks.
Four Tips for a Quick Recovery
Support Your Skin
After your face lift, you will need some support for your skin. Adjustable face and neck compression garments are available through your surgeon’s office or on the Internet. Ask your doctor for recommendations as to the best type of support for your procedure. These types of garments improve circulation while minimizing swelling and flushes out potentially harmful fluids. A compression garment will also help you skin fit better to it new contours, reducing healing time and allowing you to return to your regular routines more quickly.
Stock Up on Pillows
After any type of procedure, you will always need to have some comfy pillows on hand. Your face and neck will be a little sore for several days after your face lift. You will also need to keep your head elevated to reduce swelling. Remain comfortable by stocking up on pillows. You want pillows to stack behind your for support while eating, watching television, and reading books.
I am thrilled with a wonderful addition to make side sleepers more comfortable. I can only sleep on my side, so my must-have for post-operative comfort is the ear pillow. If you have any incisions near the ear, you will need to keep the pressure off the area. The ear pillow provides a space for your ear to fit, removing any pressure and reducing the chance of pain and swelling.
Follow the Doctor’s Orders
I have to admit that I’m a terrible patient, and I always want to tune out my doctor’s instructions. The only way to have a swift recovery, however, is to follow the doctor’s orders to the tee from day one.
If your doctor provides any pre-surgery instructions follow them to ward off any potential difficulties later. Also remember to take your vitamins and follow all post-surgical instructions. Since you may be sleepy after your procedure, instruct your doctor to write down the instructions for all medications and routines and give them to a reliable family member or friend. Also remember to have someone mark your follow-up appointment on your calendar.
Rest, Relax, and Recover
In order to fully recovery from your face lift within a couple of weeks, you have to get some rest! That means no cleaning house, doing dishes, or driving the kids around for a few days! You must give your body time to heal so that you can have the shortest heal time and less chance of complications.
Before your procedure, find plenty of books, movies, and magazines to keep you entertained for at least the first couple of days after your face lift. After two or three days, you will probably feel well enough to fall back into your normal routine.
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