Recovering From Plastic Surgery

When you finally get back home after having plastic surgery you will most likely be bruised, swollen, uncomfortable and possibly in pain.

You then look in the mirror and probably don’t like the “new you” that you were expecting, at least not yet.

The first part of your surgery is over, but now comes the really difficult part: recovering from plastic surgery.

However, don’t despair because within a few weeks you will (hopefully) be looking much better than you did before and will be feeling great as a result of your surgery. So be patient and allow your body time to heal.

How long this will take varies from person to person and also depending on what type of cosmetic surgery you have undergone.

Below you shall find some of the things you may encounter during your recovery from undergoing different types of plastic surgery and what it is like to recover from cosmetic surgery in general.

Recovering From Facelift Cosmetic Surgery

What is it like to recover from a facelift?

After a face lift your skin will feel tender, tight and bruised. Expect swelling during the first week, and a gradual reduction of swelling in subsequent weeks.

After the first week you will usually have your bandages and any stitches removed if they are not the type that dissolve naturally.

Any bruising you have will usually disappear within the first three weeks, after which you should be able to return back to your normal everyday activities.

When you do go back to your regular routine take things slow, and avoid any strenuous activity or intense exercise as that may disrupt your healing process and affect the type of result you get.

How long it will take you to recover from a facelift can also vary depending on the type of facelift you have done.

For example, if you have a mini or minor facelift, which involves lifting only certain regions of the face, you may be able to get back to work within a week as the procedure itself is a fairly minor one in terms of its invasiveness.

However, if you have a full face lift, then you can expect to be out of action for slightly longer, typically two to three weeks is a realistic time to expect to recover from a full facelift as your face is likely to be quite bruised and swollen.

Although you will be given pain medication, you are still likely to experience pain and discomfort during your recovery period, especially in the first few days after surgery.

If you had a full face lift, your face may even be so swollen that you find it difficult to see properly. For this reason, it is a good idea if you can arrange with a friend or family member to look after you during those days immediately after your surgery.

This will also be of great help mentally, as anyone who has had surgery is likely to be feeling weak, tired and vulnerable. So knowing that someone is there for you can be a great reassurance to have.

Forehead / Brow Lift Recovery Period

What is it like to recover from a forehead / brow lift?

After a forehead lift you can expect swelling and bruising of the skin, and you may also experience headaches.

Be sure to rest for at least 2-3 days after your surgery, and avoid any strenuous activity when you get back to your normal routine.

Bruising should go away within two weeks, but you will probably feel well enough to go back to work after 7-10 days or sooner depending on your profession.

As with facelift surgery, how quickly you recover from a brow lift largely depends on the type of procedure that you had done.

For example, a traditional brow lift involves making an incision just above the hairline that extends from ear to ear.

Once this incision has been made, the forehead can be tightened and lifted and excess fat deposits can be removed to smooth the brow.

As this is quite an invasive procedure, a full recovery from a traditional brow lift can take up to three weeks as you are likely to experience considerable swelling which may also affect your vision.

The other type of brow lift that you can have is called an endoscopic brow lift. This involves carrying out the procedure via small strategically placed incisions along and above the brow.

As the surgeon only makes these small incisions, you can expect your recovery to occur much more quickly and with less side effects than had you undergone a traditional brow lift. Another advantage is that you will also have much smaller and less visible scars post surgery.

Recovery from an endoscopic brow lift usually takes about 7 days, although you should be feeling well enough to work after about 3 days.

As with any type of surgery, you should avoid any strenuous exercise during your recovery period.

Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

What is it like to recover from eyelift surgery?

After eyelid surgery you will most likely experience a lot of swelling and bruising around your eye area. You will also probably feel tightness of the eyelids, dry eyes, itching and a mild burning sensation.

Fortunately, most of these symptoms can be dealt with by taking your prescribed medication and using cold compresses.

Some people experience pain keeping their eyes open after eyelid surgery. This pain can be reduced by closing your eyes, although it is important not to keep your eyes closed all the time as this may affect how your wounds heal.

During the first few days after eyelid surgery your vision may be somewhat impaired, although after two to three days you will be able to read again.

It is obviously not advisable to try and drive during this period, so if you must travel from the hospital or anywhere during the first week of your recovery, it is strongly recommended that you have someone drive you around rather than trying to drive yourself.

If you wear contact lenses you probably won’t be able to put them in until about two weeks after your eyelid surgery due to the swelling around the eyes. As a result, you should again not drive by yourself until you are able to see clearly.

After 7-10 days you should feel well enough to return to work or go outside. If you do, it is recommended to wear dark glasses to protect your eyes.

You may be able to speed up healing somewhat by using moisturising vitamin e lotions or vitamin c serums on the skin around the eyes.

Be careful however not to disturb your wounds, and definitely do not apply makeup around the eyes when they are healing as this could cause complications.

Rhinoplasty Plastic Surgery Recovery

What is it like to recover from rhinoplasty or a nose job?

After having cosmetic surgery done on your nose it will initially look worse than it did before.

Your nose will be bruised, swollen and you will also have swelling around your eyes which may make it difficult for you to see clearly. Swelling usually peaks at around 10 days, after which it will gradually settle down.

When this happens, you can remove the splint that has been attached to the bridge of your nose.

After about three weeks you can return back to your normal activities. However, your nose will still be very sensitive, so avoid doing anything which could injure your nose as that could alter the shape of your nose when it finally heals.

One thing that is important to remember is that even though the majority of your swelling will go down within the first few weeks after your surgery, swelling after rhinoplasty will not go down completely until a good few months after your surgery.

What this means is that even though you will be able to get a good idea as to how your new nose looks about a month after your procedure, you won’t be able to judge the final result until 2-4 months post surgery. For some people, swelling may even take up to 6 months to go down completely.

How long it takes to recover from rhinoplasty surgery can also vary depending on what type of surgery you had done and the thickness of your skin.

The more your nose has been changed from its orginal shape, such as the removal of a humped bone, the longer you can expect the recovery period to be.

Recovery time may also be increased somewhat in individuals who have thick skin, as that can take longer to heal than people who have thinner skin.

In very rare cases, you may experience symptoms which you may never be able to fully recover from. This may occur due to nerve damage or some other complication that occurred as a result of your surgery.

However, you won’t be able to tell for certain if you have suffered from permanent damage until a year after your nose surgery when you have been deemed to have made a full recovery.

Facial Implants

What is it like to recover from facial implants?

Facial implants can take some time to get used to as you will have a foreign object inserted underneath your skin which will create a different sensation in the skin than you are used to.

With facial implants you can expect facial tenderness, bruising and stiffness. The larger the implant that you have had inserted the greater the discomfort you are likely to experience and the longer your recovery is likely to take.

For the first few days after your surgery relax and try to keep your head elevated as this will help to reduce any swelling you may be experiencing by stopping fluid from pooling around the implant.

After 2-4 weeks your face should have a normal appearance and you will be able to return to work.

Be careful not to bump your face however, as it may still be tender and not fully adapted to the implants.

Hard knocks may also knock the implant out of position, and it will then have to be repositioned with a revision surgery by your cosmetic surgeon at additional cost.