Facelift: How To Prepare For The Surgery And What To Expect After

A facelift is one of the most popular surgeries on the planet. In fact, it’s the 7th on the list of the most demanded cosmetic procedures in the United States. More than 73,000 facelifts were done in the USA in 2018.

Even though a facelift is a plastic surgery, it’s still a full-time surgery, which requires proper preparations and a well-thought-out recovery period.

Many people expect magical results from the surgery immediately. This is far from reality. Before enjoying the benefits of a facelift, a patient has to make a long way from preparations to a lengthy recovery.

According to facelift cosmetic surgeons at peoriacosmeticsurgery.com, only a few patients understand how serious this surgery is. The majority of them needs to spend some time doing research and asking the right questions.

How To Prepare for the Facelift Surgery

Here are a few important steps to take before the surgery.

1. Talk to Your Surgeon

Even if you are 100% sure you know everything about the upcoming surgery, it’s still a good idea to have a final talk with your surgeon.

Go over the necessary things to do before the surgery, the medications to cancel, the final preparations to make. Ask all the questions that worry you even if they seem silly.

2. Quit Smoking and Drinking Alcohol

Smoking and drinking alcohol before and after the surgery can slow down the recovery process and weaken the immune system.

When you go into surgery, your immune system should be in its top shape. That’s the reason why the doctor will take different blood tests.

If you hinder your immune system before the surgery, you may face unfortunate complications after it.

If you were looking for a reason to quit smoking or reduce your alcohol intake, a facelift is an excellent opportunity.

3. Prepare Your Home

After the surgery, the doctor is likely to let you go home the same day. However, don’t expect your body to feel energized. The anesthesia coupled with a serious surgical intervention will leave you feeling tired and sluggish.

Your home should be ready for your recovery period. Comfortable sleeping place, sufficient food in the fridge, new movies to watch. By the way, you have to think of a healthy diet to speed up the recovery.

The most important thing to do is to find someone to help you. Ideally, a friend or a family member should live with you for the first couple of days or be on call at all times.

4. Stop Taking Blood Thinning Meds

Give your doctor a full list of meds you are taking. The surgeon will let you know which ones should be avoided before the surgery.

For example, such common medications as ibuprofen or aspirin have blood-thinning properties. Ask the surgeon about replacing them with something else.

5. Stop Eating At Midnight

It’s important to stop eating about 12 hours before the surgery in order to avoid a vomiting effect after general anesthesia wears off. Ask the doctor about the time of surgery in order to prepare accordingly.

You may be asked not to drink anything the morning of the surgery in order for the stomach to be completely empty.

What To Expect After The Facelift

We already explained that you shouldn’t expect a magical do-over. For some time you’ll be feeling nauseous and tired. Your face is likely to appear swollen, bruised, and far from perfect. Thankfully, all of the above is temporary. So what should you expect after the facelift?

1. Bandages

After the surgery, your entire head will be bandaged. It won’t look nice, but thankfully the bandages will be removed in about a day. After the surgeon takes them off, you can shower.

The bruises you’ll see when the bandages are off should subside in the next several days.

2. Tightness

The feeling of tightness and numbness on your face and head is normal. It may take up to two months for the feeling to go away. If it lasts longer, you should speak to your surgeon.

3. Loose Skin

As the swelling and bruising decreases, you will see the skin loosen. At this point, many people are afraid that the facelift didn’t work. It did. It will take about a week or so for the skin to tighten so you can see the results of the surgery.

4. Pain

Painful sensations are normal after any surgery, including the facelift. That’s why your doctor will prescribe pain medication. Some people only take it for the first day and then feel fine. Others may need to continue taking the meds for up to a week.

If pain continues longer than one week, you should talk to your doctor.

5. Inflammation

If you see inflammation and redness around the incision area, it’s important to contact your surgeon immediately. You may be suffering from infection and require additional treatment.

Remember to call your doctor if something seems off. A quick reaction can prevent unfortunate complications.

6. Time Off

You will need to take time off work for at least a week. Ideally, you should stay at home for two weeks. By the end of the second week, you’ll be almost back to normal and ready to conquer the world, but some bruising and swelling may still be in place

7. Suture Removal

At the end of the third week after the surgery, the sutures will be removed. By that time, you should be feeling healthy, energized, and ready to conquer the world with your new appearance.

Different people have different reactions to the surgery. Some may start feeling great after a few days. Others may need up to a month to recover fully. It’s important to take a serious approach to the preparations and recovery.

A surgery may go impeccably, but failing to prepare correctly and make proper recovery arrangements could lead to complications. Discuss the entire process with your doctor.