Post Op Facelift Mini

Mini Facelift Post-Op Recovery Instructions

A bulky head and neck dressing will be applied immediately after surgery. This will stay in place just until the next day.
It is important to sleep with your head up as much as possible. This will help decrease the amount of face swelling that will normally occur. Sleeping in a recliner is most ideal for the first two days after surgery.
There is no reason to use ice or anything cold to the face or neck unless you feel that it feels better to do so.
Remove your dressing the next morning. You may shower and wash your hair immediately thereafter. Getting the incisions wet poses no increased infection risk.
Your activity level should be what feels good. Do routine activities as tolerated. Avoid exercise, lifting, or straining to avoid increasing excessive blood flow to your face during the first week after surgery. It is particularly important to avoid bending over (heads below heart) this first week after surgery.
Your facial and neck skin closest to your ear will be numb for four to six weeks after surgery. This is normal and full feeling will eventually return.
There are NO sutures to remove. The sutures around your ears are dissolvable. It will take up to a month before they fully go away. For the first week after surgery, keep a light layer of antibiotic ointment on the incision line.
It is extremely important to avoid any type of nicotine products for the first 3 weeks after surgery. Nicotine and any type of facelift do not go well together and could result in healing problems.
You may begin driving the next day after surgery as long as you are off pain medications and are not a hazard on the road to others.
It takes about a week to look fairly normal again. Small amounts of bruising and swelling usually occur may take up to 2 weeks or so to completely go away. You can wear make-up or concealer to hide any bruising the very next day after surgery.