Facelift in Austin & Lakeway, TX

After the procedure, it’s common for patients to experience some discomfort for 1-3 days. If needed, patients can take some pain medication to aid in recovery. One week later patients can have the stitches removed from incision sites. Temporary side effects, including swelling, numbness, bruising, and stiffness, resolve within a few weeks. In addition, as time passes, the scars heal and become less noticeable.

Scars are the natural result of incisions. Facelift incisions are made in inconspicuous areas around the ears, so the scars that form from healing are not visible. When it is necessary to make incisions in front of the ears, those nicks are very small. Once they heal, they are not immediately recognizable as scars. Patients may improve their scarring by implementing a scar treatment program using a special cream or other product beginning about 4 weeks after surgery.

The first week after a facelift should be dedicated to rest. It is necessary to avoid high-intensity activities, but also important to maintain optimal circulation. Walking helps to avoid complications such as blood clots and poor wound healing. Patients may begin to gradually move more often and with greater intensity after seven to ten days but should not resume any form of strenuous exercise until we have conducted a follow-up visit and cleared them for activity. Once clearance is provided, patients should resume exercise slowly. Every person is different, but it is important to remember that the body needs extra time to heal. If you become tired when you begin to exercise again, stop. Your body is still recovering from the physiological impact of surgery.

Initial results will appear around a month after surgery. Over the next year, patients will continue to see improvement in their appearance. Facelift results will not last forever, however, the effects last many years, with the face looking more youthful than it would if the surgery had not been performed.

The way that facelift surgery is performed today is more advanced than previous techniques. Surgeons do not focus only on the skin and superficial tissue that has become lax, they address the underlying structural changes that have led to jowls, deep creases, and the elongation of the face. The repositioning of subcutaneous tissue and muscle results in natural, beautiful rejuvenation that lasts many years.