How may I expect to feel after a facelift?

By Dr. Mark Hamilton

Question:
How may I expect to feel after a facelift?

Answer:
Patients are frequently surprised how little discomfort they have after a facelift. While patients often have complaints of tightness, most rarely consider it painful. This is due to the fact that during a facelift the cutaneous nerves are temporarily cut making things numb. Long term, after several months, sensation can be expected to fully return. While patients can expect some bruising and swelling, patients typically are comfortable returning to most public activities with make-up by 10-14 days.

Discomfort after a facelift is fortunately much less than patients expect, making recovery a much more pleasant experience.