After a face lift you may have swelling and bruising, a pulled sensation and reduced sensation. The pace of recovery varies with the extent of surgery and with your constitution, health, smoking status and daily habits.
1. Care your clinic may provide right after surgery
Drains, compression dressings and a face band are used to manage bleeding and fluid collection. These may be worn fairly continuously for the first 24–48 hours and intermittently thereafter.
2. Managing swelling and bruising at home
- Rest well for the first 24–48 hours
- Keep your head above heart level
- Stop smoking (nicotine delays wound healing and raises the risk of infection and skin damage)
- Avoid alcohol
- Use cold compresses briefly and safely for the first two to three days (never put ice directly on the skin)
- Do not apply heat on your own
3. Wound and scar care
Keep the area clean before the stitches come out; once the wound has healed you can use sun protection and scar ointments or silicone products.
4. Eating in a way that supports recovery
Start eating once you have recovered sufficiently from anesthesia, keep to soft foods (porridge, soup and the like) early on, and cut back on salty food.
5. Gentle walks to support circulation
You can start walking gently two to three days after surgery, but avoid vigorous exercise.
6. Common recovery care available at clinics
This may include LED light therapy, anti-swelling injections and IV drips, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, ultrasound skin care and scar laser treatment — none of which every patient necessarily needs.
7. What to avoid during recovery
Avoid facial massage, self-administered meridian or lymphatic massage, saunas, hot baths, vigorous exercise and scratching the incisions.
8. Symptoms that warrant contacting your clinic immediately
Contact them right away if one side of the face swells suddenly and rapidly, pain steadily worsens, the skin changes color, pus comes from the wound, or a fever persists.
9. The three things that matter most for a good recovery
- The surgical experience and meticulous work of your medical team
- Consistent self-care by the patient
- Regular follow-up observation by the clinic
Receiving lots of special treatments matters less than receiving the care that suits your stage of recovery at the right time.