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Getting back to normal
You should be up and about in a day or two, but plan on taking it easy for
the first week after surgery. Be especially gentle with your face and hair,
since your skin will be both tender and numb, and may not respond normally
at first.
Your surgeon will give more specific guidelines for gradually resuming your
normal activities. They're likely to include these suggestions: Avoid strenuous
activity, including sex and heavy housework, for at least two weeks (walking
and mild stretching are fine); avoid alcohol, steam baths, and saunas for
several months. Above all, get plenty of rest and allow your body to spend
its energy on healing.
At the beginning, your face may look and feel rather strange. Your features
may be distorted from the swelling, your facial movements may be slightly
stiff and you'll probably be self-conscious about your scars. Some bruising
may persist for two or three weeks, and you may tire easily. It's not surprising
that some patients are disappointed and depressed at first.
By the third week, you'll look and feel much better. Most patients are back
at work about ten days to two weeks after surgery. If you need it, special
camouflage makeup can mask most bruising that remains.
Your new look
The chances are excellent that you'll be happy with your facelift-especially
if you realize that the results may not be immediately apparent. Even after
the swelling and bruises are gone, the hair around your temples may
be thin and your skin may feel dry and rough for several months. Men may
find they have to shave in new places-behind the neck and ears-where areas
of beard- growing skin have been repositioned.
You'll have some scars from your facelift, but they're usually hidden by
your hair or in the natural creases of your face and ears. In any case,
they'll fade within time and should be scarcely visible.
After surgery, you'll present a
fresher, more youthful face to the
world.
Having a facelift doesn't stop the clock. Your face will continue to age
with time, and you may want to repeat the procedure one or more times-perhaps
five or ten years down the line. But in another sense, the effects of even
one facelift are lasting; years later, you'll continue to look better than
if you'd never had a facelift at all.
Back to top of facelift section
Rhytidectomy (Facelift Surgery) Patient Information 
Highlights: About Facelift Surgery
Preparing for Surgery
Pre-operative Instructions
Post-Operative Care
Activity Restrictions
Recovery Time
Resuming Normal Activities
Pre-operative Instructions
Post-operative Instructions
FAQs on Facelift
FAQs on Recovery From Plastic Surgery
Facelift Illustrations
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