After the Facelift surgery, you'll wake up to find your head wrapped in bandages with an opening fo the face. The Facelift bandage minimize bruising and swelling and help keep your head immobile. The Facelift surgeon will remove them after a day or so to have a looks and then re-dress the face. The suse of painkillers should be discussed with your Facelift surgeon because most can cause bruising, ASA (e.g. Aspirin) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are likely to cause post-operative bleeding, so will be advised not to use them for 10 days after the Facelift surgery. Vitamin E and estrogen (e.g. the Pill, or HRT) are also contraindicated. Tylenol is considered safe.
Bruising and swelling after the Facelif is normal and gradually subside. Even the most severe swelling will subside by the third week. Some Facelift surgeon recommend keeping the head elevated for the first few days as bending ove or even letting the head drop forwards, may aggravate the swelling. Once the bandages are removed, you'll look pale, slightly bruised and puffy, and you may also have black eyes. The extent of the Facelift surgery will determine the extend of the bruising and how long it will last.
Facelift surgeon say it is normal to have some temporary numbness of the cheeks and around the aers. This is the result of the division of the sensory nerves during the surgery. Fortunately, the numbness wears of time as the nerves experience some regrowth and the brain adjusts to the change. The numbness usually disappears within six to 12 months, although some people experience it longer. Any stitches around the ears and under the chin will be removed after about five days. This is painless. The ones in the hairline will not come out for another weeks or so as this area takes longer to heal.
Scarring in Facelift procedure is inevitable, but skilles surgeons work is evident when the scars are not. Facelift surgeons generally aim to hide them in the facial creases around the ears and in the hair. Some Facelift sirgeons make the incision just inside the ear so the scar is out of sight. The scar can be places behind or in front of the ear; much will depend on whether the cheek skin colour matches the colour of the aer. The scar from facelift may sometimes "spread". This is called a hypertrophic scar, but is rare and caused by a peculiarity in the person's healing process. Hypertrophic scars occur more often in people with pigmented, elastic skin. The slowest scara to heal are usually the ones behind the ears, which may develop a sore, crusty or discoloured area for a few weeks. They may also shift or widen.
Facelift scars are usually pink to start with, fading to a white or pinky coloured line. They will aloso become softer and more supple over the following few weeks or months. All scars from Facelift don't fade, minor surgery and final result are unpredictable. If the scars from Facelift don't fade, minor surgery or steroid injections may improve them. Small hairless areas are sometimes appear next to the scra but can usually be hidden by hair. New hair growth starts after about three months, filling in these areas. You may find that the hair around the templates is thinner, and some may not grow back. If the temporal hairline has been lifted, your ears will be more exposed and you may have to change your hairstyle.
Most people after Facelift are back at work after two weeks, although the visible signs of Facelift surgery will still be evident until about the third week. Make-up may help camouflage some of the bruising, but if you have had the surgery around the eyes area you may need to avoid eye make-up for two to three weeks to avoid infections. Heavy work or exertion is not encourage for the first two or three as it could aggravate swelling and might pull on the stitches or scars. Avoid alcohol for several weeks as it increases swelling and the possibility of bleeding. You should also avoid sudden movements and any strain and stress for the first 10 days. Don't apply icepacks, or even cold water, to your face during the Facelift healing process.
THe are around the neck may feel tight at first, and facial movements after Facelift amy be slightly stiff, especially when you eat or talk, but these effects wear off after a couple of weeks.
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