Will There Be Any Scars After Undergoing Facelift Surgery?

Most individuals decide to have a facelift to help stop the spread of aging, and after all, who is not trying to stay young as long as possible? These people are still somewhat young in age and already have wrinkles and would like to return to a more youthful appearance. Although facelifts are normally considered to be an extremely safe procedure, all cosmetic surgeries pose some sort of risk, whether through complications or just scars and swelling. Naturally, as you think about the benefits and possible risks of facelift surgery, you will doubtlessly have questions about scarring and how everything is going to look when you’re done. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

How Long Is the Recovery Period?

Since a facelift is, after all, a form of surgery, there will be some sort of scarring, although it may be very small and almost unnoticeable. And there is, of course, a recovery period. Recovery following a facelift procedure normally varies, but can involve some pain. It is important to relax after your surgery because your appearance will require a few weeks to see the end results. After your procedure you may notice your face to be numb, swollen and possibly bruised, but that is part of the healing process and it may take a few weeks for the discomfort to fade. Be sure to contact your surgeon if you are experiencing pain, since it can most likely be handled with medications.

What Types of Complications May Be Involved?

After your facelift procedure you may experience complications, some of which are quite common and only last a short period of time. Some patients become sick and nauseated after receiving anesthetic but this feeling wears off within a few hours. Another complication, known as hematoma, is where bleeding happens underneath the skin, leaving the area in pain and sometimes requiring additional surgery.

Will My Facelift Produce Any Scars?

All cosmetic surgery procedures, including facelifts, do indeed leave scars. Following the facelift procedure scars will be seen in various spots on the patients face depending on the surgeon and type of facelift being performed. The most common visible scars on the face following a facelift are located around the ear, neck, and chin. Your surgeon will do their best to place the incisions along the hairline and natural curves of your face to hide as many scars as possible. These scars will start to fade away over time and should not be noticeable a few months after the surgery. Smoking is not recommended and will greatly slow healing and increase potential scarring.

Your choice of surgeon is one of the most important parts of a facelift; make sure you have a good relationship with your surgeon. Patients should discuss their goals and expectations for facelift surgery and choose a surgeon with whom they feel comfortable. This is extremely important because it will help your surgeon to properly place incisions, which will prevent complications and reduce scarring at the same time.