How to Care For Your Face After Facelift
Facelifts provide patients with the opportunity to regain a youthful look. What most people don’t realize is that the post op care after their facelift is just as important as the surgery to achieve the best results. Here are some things to know about a facelift from Dr. Lisa DiFrancesco of DiFrancesco Plastic Surgery:
Following Your Facelift
Following the facelift procedure, your face may experience bruising and swelling. This is normal, and the bruises and swelling eventually go down gradually over the first 2-4 weeks. In the meantime, you should sleep with their head elevated for at least a week after your operation. This will keep the swelling down, and speedup recovery. You may notice that the bandages the doctor places around your face may be snug but should not be too tight and causing pain. Dr. DiFrancesco usually removes the bandages and the drains the day after the surgery, and after this you can feel free to shower and wash your hair.
Post op it is not unusual to have some numbness and tightness around the neck and face, even after the bandages have been removed. The tightness is most likely due to the swelling and will recede after 2 -4 weeks.
Watching for Infections
Signs of infection can include a fever, as well as pain, redness, warm to touch and swelling that doesn’t go away. Although rare in facelifts, we do use prophylactic antibiotics to prevent infection. If you start to notice signs of infection, then you should get in touch with Dr. DiFrancesco right away.
At Home Care
You will be responsible for changing the dressings once you are home. Make sure your hands are as clean as possible before touching the bandage and change it every day or if it is soiled or gets wet. Do not remove any sutures or staples. Dr. DiFrancesco’s staff is there to give you guidance when it comes to when you can return to regular activities. Facelifts are a complex procedure that require downtime and proper healing, Dr. DiFrancesco will let you know when you can start to return to work, exercise, and all other activities.
Schedule a Consultation
To learn more about the facelift procedure and how to properly care for the wounds afterwards, speak with Dr. DiFrancesco at a consultation appointment. She will go over the procedure in detail with you and answer any questions you may have. To make a consultation appointment, call the office or fill out an online form.