After the operation your face is swollen, but you will not feel any pronounced pain. The slight pain which normally occurs can be treated with simple painkillers.
In the event of any prolonged severe pain or sudden swelling of the facial region, you should consult your surgeon immediately. In the postoperative phase the skin of your face and neck will feel numb. This is normal and feeling will return completely within a few weeks or months. In order to avoid more extensive swelling, it is beneficial if you keep your head as still as possible for the first 48 hours and sleep with the upper portion of the body slightly raised.
If a small drainage tube is used, this will normally be removed on the day following the operation. The bandage on the head will be taken off between the first and fifth day following the operation. When the bandage is removed, do not be shocked the first time you look at your face after the operation. Your face will be swollen and the skin discoloured or pale.
The majority of the stitches will be removed after approx. However, the sutures or metal clips in the hair will remain longer.
During the first days after their operation, when their face is swollen and discoloured, many patients forget that they will look better later.
Many patients are initially disappointed because the improvement in their external appearance is not immediately evident.
Your surgeon will give you advice on what to do after your operation. This will include, for example, avoiding extreme physical work, not participating in sport, steam-baths or saunas for about 6 weeks and abstaining from excessive alcohol consumption. In addition, sunbathing should be avoided for about 6 months.
In the initial postoperative phase your face may appear unfamiliar and feel unnatural. Your features may be slightly distorted by the swelling and your expression be slow. You will probably be worried about your scars. Some bruising may remain for 2 to 3 weeks and you may feel slightly tired during the first days following your operation. It is therefore not surprising that some patients are disappointed and depressed at first.
However, after the third week your appearance will improve greatly and you will feel considerably better. Most patients have resumed normal daily activities after a fortnight. If necessary, any small remaining bruises can be concealed with make-up.
After your facelift the scars are usually hidden under your hair or are concealed in the natural skin folds of the face and ear.
These will anyway disappear with time and will be scarcely visible in the end. However, wound healing is a slow process which progresses in stages.