Facelift Recovery Tips

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Tips for Recovering from Your Facelift

Although there are some guidelines you must follow after your Orlando facelift with Dr. Spence and Dr. Ovalle, you'll most likely find the recovery process to be fairly smooth. Here are some tips:

  • Sleeping with your neck in a neutral position, with your head slightly elevated, can be helpful after a face lift in Orlando. Your positioning must put the least possible tension on your neck. An elevated position will help to resolve swelling.
  • While the judicious use of ice packs may be helpful, extreme cold or heat after your face lift can be harmful. Remember that your skin has temporarily lost sensation so it is less able to detect injury from extreme hot or cold; in addition, extreme temperature changes can interfere with blood flow.
  • No Smoking. If your surgeon has asked you to stop smoking it is important that you continue to do so. Smoking can lead to skin death and skin slough by impairing circulation. Second hand smoke can be just as bad.
  • Clean your suture line as instructed by your surgeon and apply a thin coat of antibiotic ointment (specifically prescribed by your surgeon). Let Dr. Spence and Dr. Ovalle know about any allergies you have.
  • If you had a peeling procedure in conjunction with your face lift, it is important that your skin be kept clean and moist; do not allow it to dry out.
  • Straining or heavy lifting can lead to increased blood flow to the head, causing bleeding and collections of blood beneath the skin (hematoma). Only resume heavy lifting when directed to do so by your surgeon.
  • Seek specific instructions from your surgeon on when your hair can be washed and styled. You should not scrub your scalp rigorously. Placing chemicals and curling irons in your hair can also be harmful if it is done too soon after your face lift.
  • For several weeks after a face lift, your face will be extremely sensitive to the sun; this is even more the case if a peeling procedure was also performed. Liberal use of sun block is required. If you are on a skin care regimen, talk with your surgeon to determine when to resume this. In Dr. Spence and Dr. Ovalle's Orlando practice, face lift patients are usually told they can resume their combination of tretinoin and hydraquinone after about 7 to 10 days.

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