Problems with recovery after face lift

Hi I had a full face lift and upper eye surgery about 15 days ago. Lots of swelling, discomfort and bruising. Result in as as much I can tell ,because of swelling does look good, and a marked improvement. Foolishly I guess, I expected a much speedier recovery. I have hamatomas behind both ears which I had drained at the hospital, byt they are filling up again How long does it really take to look normal again? I have to be back at work in 2 weeks, and at my current rate of progress, I am pessismistic that I will be ready. Also feel quite depressed, which is not something I have ever experienced before, and I feel generally unwell and weak. I think the makeover TV shows give a very false impresssion of recovery times and the painful process of recovery. I have no complaints about the surgeons or the follow up care, they are top class. I do think however that more emphasis should be on the stages of recovery and what to expect.

one month ago today I had a full face lift, my eyes done, my neck done, my own fat injected into my face & my skin laser resurfaced at the same time. (an awful lot of work done at once) Just for your information I had a previous face lift, eyes & neck done 11 years earlier when I was 45. The first surgery went good for the most part except I had some nerve damage in front of my right ear which was painful for a very long time but after a couple years wasnt painful anymore just uncomfortable. Other than that I was very very happy with the results and the speedy recovery. Now I am 11 years older (my face still looks better than before I had my first face lift just starting to get some skin sagging around the mouth) I researced for two years and had a hard time finding someone I felt totally confident about (my first doctor passed away) My husband ended up deciding to go this new doctor first and he had a face lift and eyes and neck done--he told the doctor he didn't want anything drastic and I think the doctor did exactly what he wanted and he looks great now (its been 5 months) He had trouble with one of his eyes healing it took 2 1/2 months. I was thinking that I am not going to this guy if this doesn't heal looking normal but it did. I was still nervous but I'm sure I would of been no matter who I was going to. The staff was awesome and I really like the surgeon. I was starting to get some wrinkles around my mouth and a little sagging here and there I had some sun spots on my temples and it was starting to look like I was sad all the time because of my skin sagging on the sides of my mouth. I decided to go ahead with the surgery. I never really had any "pain". What I did have was major swelling and tightness (which you want if you get a facelift) I had very sore teeth for some reason, I had a lot of trouble eating or drinking and even talking. I didn't have much bruising at all. I had to drink thru a straw on my right side of my mouth. I kept my surgery sites very clean which I believe helped them heal quicker. With in a couple days I realized that the reason I had trouble eating, crinking and talking was because the left side of my face was not working at all. I wasn't too concerned just yet because I had an awful lot of work done and I have always healed quickly. I was very worried about the laser resurfacing but that ended up being the easiest thing I went through It healed very quickly pretty much in ten days I was all healed and wearing face make up (no eye make up) now, 1 month after my surgery I still have some face swelling (enough for people to notice but nothing like it was) My neck looks awesome My ears are healing up nicely pretty remarkable for all the stitches and work my vision is very blurry -- probably at first from all the drops and ointments but now from my eyes not fully closing and being dry & itchy My eyes are still swollen and red and very sore looking and feeling (I didn't know they trim your eyelashes way down) hope they grow back I am not in pain and up until a week ago I was in total misery from the eyes and swelling and nerves trying to start working again(they feel like little hairs brushing across your face and moving all over--I guess its a good thing for this to happen) My left side of my face still doesn't work property--I got my cheek movement back but my upper left side of my lip isn't working which you can't notice too much until I try to talk....my eating and drinking is much much better but still is work. my mouth isn't sore anymore my skin does look better but still have a little bit of wrinkles but much better and no more sunspots my skin is tight right now I would say if I could get my movement all the way back on the left side and my eyes would finish healing I am thinking I would be pleased with the results and think alll this was worth it but at this time I don't know if I will get my movement back (my doctor says that the longest it would take is two months and one week because he has had a patient before with the same results and thats how long it took her to recover but she did totally recover) I am a little worried but I'm going to be patient and actually wait two months and two weeks before i let myself get upset. (I know that sometimes it doesn't come back because my mom had a facelift 10 years ago and she never has got her eyes to close properly and her eyes are always watering) So far my doctor hasn't said anything to me about it not healing properly. I have my one month appointment in a couple days and I am sure they are going to tell me how good I look (last time I went in 2 weeks ago tey said I was right on track) Also, I forgot to warn you about the "bumps" on your temples. right after the surgery they are like golf balls but they really do go away. I still have a little bit left on mine after a month but they have went way down another week or two and they will be gone but they are very annoying looking cause everyone notices them. According to my doctor the bigger the bump the better the job. I guess its where they pull your skin up and then do something under the skin--not sure. I'm very happy that I don't have the very painful nerve damage I had last time but I sure am not healing nearing as quick as last time. I have decided to never do anything again because what if I don't get the left side back--scarey. At this time I do think I will get it back but still have decided to stop doing anything cosmetic. I do believe that I have a good doctor but when you have surgery things can happen so don't think (like me) that its not possible for it to happen to you. Go into it knowing this could happen or anything could happen and decide if its worth it. I am still hoping that my surgery was worth it. If there is anyone out there that has had the same type of problem with one side of your face not working all the way let me know how it turned out for you---thanks and good luck! ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed ** Please read our Terms of Use

I just found this website and know your post is almost three months old. I am four weeks out from bleharoplasty, rhytidectomy with some liposuction of neck. I am surprised with the amount of swelling that is still there and the dryness of eyes. I wear contacts and tried to put them back in, but thought I'd never get them out, so won't go there for awhile. I am a bit older (63) but in excellent health so I am very hopeful that the surgeon's words that more time is needed are right on.

I've had two face lifts, and just had a third (mid-face only). I think recovery time depends a lot on the doctor and also on pure luck. Also on expectations! My first one was when I was 38. My expectations were low (I expected 2 weeks just to go out in public) and was pleasantly surprised when I was "presentable" after 1 week. The second one I was 48, it was a bigger procedure (face, neck, brow) and recovery was really fast. I had a 7-year-old daughter and didn't want her to know, so took a trip to see my elderly dad and by the time I returned she didn't notice anything. THIS time, I'm now 60 years old. I had only a mid-face but I'm starting a job in 2 weeks and I'm sweating every moment of this ... I feel like he took out too much skin, and like the bruising and swelling are worse than in previous times. Well it's the same doctor all three times, but I'm older and there's the random factor as well. Plus it's only been TWO DAYS and I'm just a basket case of worrying I guess. BTW I was delighted with this Doctor's work the previous two times, so I'm trying hard to just "trust" him now. Hope this posting helps someone!

I live in Toronto, Canada and just had a facelift in Lima, Peru. I am 10 days post-op and seriously feel fantastic. I had a neck lift, mid face and eyes. The surgeon was attentive and has remarkable skill. She visited me every day at my hotel after the surgery and I have never been treated so well in Canada or the United States. Dr. Marlena Virijivich ( ***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed) did her three year residency at the world renowned Ivo Pitanguy Institute in Brazil. I am so happy with the results. I am back in Toronto and my life is normal and my face is fantastic. Good news after reading a lot of bad news on this site.

Hello I had a face lift on April 12th. I too have a lot of swelling around my ears and jowl area. I eat soft food.  I also have a problem behind my ears. The sutures are out the back of my ears are tender and burn, have some dried skin around suture line. Not sure how to take care of that. 

4 weeks, 4 days post face lift.  I feel okay.  Swelling around ears seems to come and go, most particularly toward the late part of the day.  I am posting because I see a lot of dismay and upset in other postings and I want to offer some encouragement.  For me, I felt the same way as many of you when at the 2 and 3.5  weeks stage.  I couldn't imagine that such hard, hot, points of swelling and pain around my ears would ever go away.  The recovery is so different from what I would assume are normal expectations.  You see, from my experience with other surgeries (non-cosmetic), the recovery has been bit by bit every day. But, with this facelift, I felt like I woke up each morning (after very fitful sleep) to no progress.  Then, in week 4, for one day I felt pretty good, but by the end of the day, I felt rotten again, and very swollen again.  I was weepy and a bit frightened that I was making no progress and never would! Now, 4 weeks and 4 days, I can say that I know I am on the mend, and I feel pretty good.  Right now, as I type, my right ear is tight with swelling, but was not as tight this morning...interestingly, my right ear was not swollen as badly as my left for most of the past weeks, and now it seems to be the one giving me trouble. All this by way of saying this:  the recovery is bumpy, longer than the two weeks that I had in mind to begin with, and confusing because you go back and forth feeling better/bad/better/bad.....again, not at all like recovery from any other surgery or illness that I have had before. I was getting distressed, worried that something was terribly wrong, but I have discovered that what was terribly wrong was the expectations and  information I got on the internet that recovery would be quicker and smoother.  By the way, my face looks pretty good. I am 63.  I "think" I look around 10 years younger...but people always lie when they tell you what they think your age it...Well, I FEEL ten years younger, anyhow.  My cheeks are smooth, my neck is smooth (but chin still a bit swollen).  I've paid a lot in discomfort, pain, and finances for this, so I hope I love the results.

I have my surgery 12 days ago. Within 2 or 3 my face had swollen like a balloon and my eyes closed. Bruising continue to develop over the next few days until my eyes were black and my chin and lower cheeks were also black as well as swelling and dark bruising under my chin. Like you, I thought I would be out and about within 2 weeks and therefore told no one other than my husband. I went back to have stitches removed a week after surgery, and surgeon removed a very large hematoma (jelly clot of blood, I think) from the incision under my chin. I felt much better, but by the afternoon my lower side under my chin began to swell. I returned to have the clips behind my ears removed on the Friday (day 10) and also had 2 huge syringes of seroma (fluid and lymph I was told) removed. I felt much better for a while, but it filled in again over the next 2 days. Returned to have more seroma removed on Sunday, (day 12). It is now day 13 and the swelling under my chin is still very obvious. I have told it is better to try and not have the seroma aspirated too often, as it is a bit like breast feeding, the more you draw, the more it creates and therefore it is better to let the body absorb it itself.Just now I a totally down because the bruising, although fading very slightly and slowly is still VERY obvious and the swelling is still VERY obvious. Like some above said, I too notice my mouth at the right hand side slopes downwards when I smile. Hopefully I just need to work on the muscles. I am very down and disappointed that it hasn't worked out like so many positive stories. I am sure it will eventually be OK, but is proving to be very difficult hiding from family members and neighbours. After saving up all my holidays for this, so I could be sure I'd be all recovered and no - one would notice, I return to work in 3 weeks - I just cannot see my face being improved enough so that no-one notices. I will need to go on a "sickie", which I feel bad about, but there is no way, after all the lies and deceit to hide it, am I going to come clean to everyone. I don't regret getting it done, I just regret the negative drawback I am experiencing. One thing it has assured, I won't be saving for a tummy tuck. It can just stay saggy.

Hi there, I too am a scottish lady - did you have yours done at Nuffield Glasgow. I seem to be experiencing exactly the same as you have described. It is day 13 for me just now and I return to work in 3 weeks, but I very much doubt mine will be "better" even in 3 weeks. When did yours eventually fix itself. How do you feel and look now.

Hi I am also a scottish lady and have had a face and neck lift at Murrayfield hospital in Edinburgh 15 days ago.  I had problems eating for about a week and have never tried eating anything hard yet.  My problem is I have a large swelling on the left side of my neck was told it was a Hematoma on day 7 by ps nurse.  The swelling got worse I  went back to hospital my ps said it was ok and would go down.  Yesterday I had another routine visit with my ps and he said it was too early to tell how the end result would be.  There is a large hard lump in the area as well and I look like I have swallowed an egg on one side.  Like you say you get the impression from tv shows etc that recovery is quick and nobody mentioned lumps to me its all a bit worrying I do look a lot fresher and probably about 10 years younger, all I can focus on is the swollen lump on my neck.  I am telling people I had a wisdom tooth out thats when I am not in hiding !!!

Hello all and @bsydney, your post really helped me, I can relate to what you said so it is encouraging.  I had my surgery(eyes,face,neck) a week ago today so having been told that I would be fine at 2 weeks and able to go out to the stores etc plus that at 1 month (Christmas) my family "wont even notice" well, I am not really feeling it.  I know it has only been a week but I haven't seen progression in the past several days.  The first few days I gradually saw progression, like I could open my eyes fully rather than slits and I decreased the pain medication to only at night rather than every 4hrs.  I have run out of pain meds now and cannot sleep without them so this is definitely not good.  My ears are aching and one is bigger than the other, they feel like wax things on the side of my head.  My face is numb on either side.  I look like a chipmunk and my eyes have blood in them and are very red all the way around, they also tear constantly.  I have some deep bruising on my face and a lot of yellowing.  I haven't received advice on what to do to help myself with this from the doc but I am thinking that some light exercise might help, get the circulation going a bit.  I have had surgery in the past (non-elective) and this experience, doesnt match that...  In retrospect having this a month before Christmas is just putting pressure on myself to look well by then, probably not such a good idea.   I have been taking bromelain and arnica montana since a week prior to surgery and am continuing to do so.  I got some of my stitches out yesterday and get the rest out friday.  I am wondering about the aquafor (read here that there is some success using that post op for the swelling) and also should I keep wearing this compression "sleeve", they said I can stop wearing it 24hr after a week and only wear it at night but if it helps I will keep it up, certainly not going out.  (tried going to a store for a little while yesterday after getting the stitches out, I had tons of cover up makeup on but even so, in an area of CA where people should be used to seeing this, there was some really uncomfortable moments which just made me feel like a freak). oh, and as far as my doctor and experience choosing him, I had my first consult 10mos before I actually had my surgery, feel like I researched well and I also consulted with other doctors...what I didnt do was speak to his former patients (since he worked on someone in his office and she is the one who vouches for him), he is board certified with 20+ yrs experience, so on that note I will remain positive and patient and pray for that breakthrough of change in the right direction!Something good that I expect to come out of this (besides hopefully looking better) an ability to take myself and others less seriously!!!  I will just have to write back at 2 and 3 weeks, or sooner if I see progression and keep you all updated.  take care all of you.....

It is completely normal to have swelling and bruising up to 2-4 weeks after having a face lift. Just relax, take a little bit more time off from work and let nature take its course. I just had a facelift and had my eyes done a couple of years ago. At the time it feels like it will never heal, but it will and if done by a good plastic surgeon, you will LOVE the new YOU!

Hi was yours done in Durbanby DOC Morris? Ireally wantafacelift but am so scared. I aminDurban SOUTHAFRICA Thanjs JUDE

How did this end up for you? I recently, 2 weeks ago, had a mini-facelift and I am still pretty swollen. I'm just wondering how long this went on for you.

I would like to know the name of your Surgeon please. Did he also drain the hamatomas, if so how long after the operation did he do that?I would appreciate an answer and good luck with the ending.TM