Atlanta Face Lift Recovery
With any facial surgery, your objective is to enhance your appearance and put your best face forward. It can be hard for patients considering a face lift in Atlanta to be willing to take a temporary step backwards while they recover from surgery but the important thing to remember is that bruising, swelling, and noticeable scarring are indeed only temporary while smoother, tighter skin will last for years to come.
Recovering in Style
After your Atlanta face lift surgery you can expect varying amounts of swelling and bruising around the face and neck. You will be advised to keep your head elevated and to restrict your activities in the early post-operative period. Fortunately, discomfort after surgery should be minimal, and easily controlled with medication. Temporary numbness of the skin is normal but full feeling should return after a few weeks or months as nerves disrupted during the procedure repair themselves.
If you had a drainage tube inserted, it will be removed after 1 or 2 days. Most of the sutures are removed within the first week, but some stitches in your scalp may be left in longer. Don’t be surprised if you look pale, bruised and puffy. Within a few weeks you will love your new look. Be especially gentle with your face and hair the first couple weeks. Your skin will be both tender and numb and may not respond normally at first.
Many patients are back to work within 2 weeks of their facial plastic surgery, depending on the level of activity needed for their job. Your physician will give you specific guidelines for gradually resuming your normal activities and exercise. Above all get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend its energy on healing. By the third week you will be feeling and looking much better. Camouflage makeup can mask any remaining bruising. You will have some scars from your surgery, but they are usually hidden by your hair or in the natural creases of your face and ears. They will fade in time and should be barely visible.
Face Lift Risks
Complications are infrequent and usually minor when a face lift is performed by a qualified Atlanta area plastic surgeon. Individuals vary greatly in their anatomy, physical reaction, and healing abilities. Some of the potential complications may include hematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that may require removal), injury to nerves that control facial muscles (which is usually temporary), infection, reactions to anesthesia, and poor skin healing. Your surgeon will discuss the risks and benefits with you prior to the procedure. It is important to talk about your expectations before surgery.
Your improved facial appearance may be subtle or dramatic depending on your pre-operative condition. Protecting yourself from the sun and following a skin care regimen recommended by our esthetician will help you maintain your rejuvenated look. Even though the aging process continues, you will continue to look better than if you’d never had a face lift.
To schedule an appointment with Plastic Surgery Center of the South please call 770-421-1242 or request your consultation online. Our offices are conveniently located in Marietta, Georgia. We treat patients from all over the state as well as the country.
