What you can expect

A face-lift can be done in a hospital or an outpatient surgical facility.

Before the procedure

Sometimes the procedure is done with sedation and local anesthesia, which numbs only part of your body. In other cases, general anesthesia — which renders you unconscious — is recommended.

During the procedure

In general, a face-lift involves elevating the skin and tightening the underlying tissues and muscles. Fat in the face and neck may be sculpted, removed or redistributed. Facial skin is then re-draped over the newly repositioned contours of the face, excess skin is removed, and the wound is stitched or taped closed.

The incisions for the procedure depend on the techniques that will be used and the patient's preferences. Options include:

• A traditional face-lift incision starts at your temples in the hairline, continues down and around the front of your ears and ends behind your ears in your lower scalp. An incision might be made under your chin to improve the appearance of your neck.
• A limited incision is a shorter incision that begins in your hairline just above your ear, wraps around the front of your ear, but does not extend all the way into the lower scalp.
• Neck lift incision starts in front of your earlobe and continues around your ear into your lower scalp. A small incision also is made under your chin.

A face-lift generally takes two to four hours but might take longer if other cosmetic procedures are done at the same time.

After the procedure

After a face-lift, you may experience:

• Mild to moderate pain
• Drainage from the incisions
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Numbness

Contact your doctor immediately if you have:

• Severe pain on one side of your face or neck within 24 hours of surgery
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Irregular heartbeats

Your incisions will likely be covered with bandages that provide gentle pressure to minimize swelling and bruising. A small tube might be placed under the skin behind one or both of your ears to drain any excess blood or fluid.

In the first few days after surgery:

• Rest with your head elevated
• Take pain medication as recommended by your doctor
• Apply cool packs to the face to ease pain and reduce swelling

Follow-up appointments

You will have several follow-up appointments scheduled during the next two months after surgery. They will include the following:

• The day after surgery, your surgeon will likely remove your drainage tube, apply antibiotic ointment to your incisions and place new bandages on your face.
• Two to three days after your face-lift, you may be able to switch from wearing bandages to wearing an elasticized facial sling.
• About a week after surgery, your doctor will remove your stitches and assess the wound.
• Subsequent visits will likely be scheduled to monitor your progress.

Self-care

Self-care at home during the first three weeks will help your recovery and minimize the risk of complications:

• Follow wound care instructions as directed by your surgeon.
• Do not pick at crusting scabs that develop on your wound.
• Follow instructions on when you can begin using shampoo and soaps and what kinds you can use.
• Wear clothes that fasten in the front (rather than clothes that are pulled over the head).
• Avoid excessive pressure or motion on and around the incisions.
• Avoid using makeup.
• Avoid vigorous or aerobic activity or sports.
• Avoid direct sun exposure to the incision for three weeks and use a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher thereafter.
• Avoid coloring, bleaching or perming hair for at least six weeks.

In the weeks after a face-lift, you might style your hair to hide any remaining signs of the incision. You may also choose to delay attending major social events for a couple of months, when you are likely to feel back to normal.