Tips on How to Reduce Swelling After Facelift Surgery & Manage Bruising

As reported by dozens of patients, it is really frustrating to have bruises or swelling following a facelift. Although bruising and swelling are common throughout the healing process, appropriate aftercare can decrease these effects and encourage a more pleasant recovery.

Intuitively, swelling is usually normal following any facelift procedure. In nearly all situations, however, it resolves gradually on its own without assistance.

Let’s remember here that a facelift is chosen because it can combat and resolve skin changes caused by sun exposure, aging, and gravity.

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Tips for Reducing Swelling After Facelift

As commonly regarded, a facelift is one of the most popular plastic procedures worldwide and is now safer and more practical than ever.

While most of the complications in facelift surgery are not life-threatening and are treated conservatively, postoperative hematoma (blood collections under the skin) could require an urgent return to the operating room in some cases, according to a study.

In any case, the procedure offers apparent benefits and organic improvements to your face appearance. However, it could cause a certain degree of swelling, which can be countered with a few easy steps, such as:

Maintain an Upright Head

After your procedure, you should primarily sleep on your back with your head propped up on a pillow for at least a week. This position can lessen the amount of fluid that builds up in the injured tissue because of gravity.

Consume Natural Supplements

Your surgeon or doctor may suggest you take a variety of natural supplements to resolve hard swelling after a facelift, strengthen your immune system, and encourage your bodys healing.

They may suggest, for example, tablets of vitamin B or vitamin C, which encourage healing, cell repair, and inflammation reduction.

Drink Enough Water

After surgery, you must drink at least the recommended 8 glasses of water each day to keep your body hydrated. Drinking water and other liquids will promote skin regeneration, hydrate your body, and assist remove toxins from your body.

Avoid direct sunlight

Because of the suns damaging UV rays, direct sunlight might interfere with the healing process after the surgery. Patients who are exposed to direct sunlight may be more susceptible to several problems such as skin irritation, discoloration, and the development of new wrinkles.

Avoid shower

While your surgical bandages are still in place, you should refrain from taking a shower. After the bandages are taken off, which should happen in about a day, you can wash your face and take a shower.

Apply Ice Packs

Applying an ice pack to your face can largely minimize swelling and provide a sense of numbness, which could alleviate discomfort. By constricting the blood vessels, the cold from the ice reduces blood flow to the region.

Don Smoke

It’s very important to avoid smoking before and during any cosmetic surgery for several reasons, chief among them being its potential to negatively alter the healing process and lower the likelihood of additional problems like hematomas.

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How Long Does It Take to Reduce Swelling?

Depending on the extent or complexity of the procedure, swelling after a facelift may vary, but in most cases, the problem could linger for three to four weeks.

The first thing you should do is to avoid the sun and vigorous activities during this period as these practices might alter the healing process and the outcome of the facelift.
Although each case’s swelling experience is unique, the swelling process typically goes on for one week at a time. This is the normal course of swelling for most people.

The week after your procedure is when the swelling will be at its worst, although it won't be uncontrollable.

Painkillers will probably be given to you to ease any excessive swelling after facelift surgery, and your doctor will recommend you get enough sleep to prevent the regions that have been treated from getting worse.

As the first week draws to a close, you may start noticing a decrease in swelling and a spike in your level of comfort. Although there could be some little swelling as you approach weeks three and four, it will have mostly subsided by then.

You will be significantly less influenced by any discomfort caused by the procedure and able to see the outcomes of your facelift.

Additionally, you will be able to resume the majority of your usual activities, such as working out and doing your job.

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Medications That Can Be Helpful

Many patients could see residual edema after facelift surgery, which is usually made worse by the medications that have been prescribed to them.

These medications reduce pain and prevent infections, but they can also stimulate blood flow, which results in edema.
Eat a balanced diet and elevate the surgical site whenever possible to help relieve this issue. Remember that while high blood pressure may exacerbate edema, low blood pressure can help control it.

Sometimes, doctors may recommend low-dose, low-concentration steroid injections to deal with persistent edema in the weeks after surgery. Usually, it takes two weeks for these injections to start working.

Patients should be aware of the associated side effects of these injections, which include soft tissue atrophy and changes in skin pigmentation. In short, the medications that can help deal with edema after surgery may include:

Prescription Medication

To control swelling and discomfort, prescription drugs such as muscle relaxants or pain relievers could be suggested to patients after the surgery.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are popular examples of over-the-counter pain relievers that might help reduce discomfort and swelling after a facelift.

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How International Clinics Can Help You?

Our leading facelift specialists in Turkey are dedicated to giving patients the best possible care both during and after Facelift.

To facilitate a quicker and smoother recovery following a facelift or mini facelift, we provide each patient with customized aftercare advice. Contact us right now to learn more about this procedure and other similar plastic surgeries.

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