Preparing For Your Facelift Can Speed Recovery Time

A facelift can give you a younger, more alert, and overall rejuvenated look. If you are preparing for this procedure, you may be a bit concerned about preparation and recovery. Fortunately, prepping for your facelift is fairly easy. By following a few basic instructions, you can help to ensure fast healing with minimal discomfort and negligible risks. Dr. Henry will provide a complete consultation before your facelift. At this visit, she will determine whether the procedure is right for you and provide you with your pre-op facelift instructions. Contact our San Francisco to schedule your consultation today.

Facelifts: The Basics

A facelift is designed to address skin laxity and wrinkles, particularly in the mid to lower face. During the procedure, Dr. Henry will create several tiny incisions. Typically, she will hide them along your hairline, so any scarring will be virtually invisible. Through these incisions, she will lift and tighten the underlying muscles, creating more youthful facial contours. If needed, she will trim away excess skin before carefully closing the incisions. Because Dr. Kimberly will address the overall muscular structure, your results will look natural. Your skin will lie smoothly along your cheekbones, and you will not have to worry about a stretched, overdone appearance.

The Preparatory Consultation

The preparatory consultation is one of the most important aspects of preparing for a facelift. Dr. Henry will take all the time you need to answer your questions and discuss your esthetic goals in depth. She will also conduct a full examination to determine your candidacy for a facelift. Among other things, she will consider:

• Your age
• Your natural skin elasticity
• Your bone structure
• Your overall health
• Your esthetic goals

She will also explain our other treatment options, such as forehead lifts, so you can make a fully informed decision about your cosmetic care.

What to Avoid before a Facelift

Once you decide that a facelift is the right choice, you will have a very easy and simple pre-op process. If you are a smoker, it is vital that you quit using tobacco at least two weeks before your surgery. Smoking can greatly impair your body’s healing process. Not only will this make your recovery longer, it could also increase your risk for unfavorable scarring and infection. When you do not use tobacco, the risks of a facelift are quite low. You should also avoid vitamin E supplements, ibuprofen, and certain anti-inflammatories. These act as blood thinners, and can affect healing.

Preparing for Your Recovery

In most cases, a facelift will involve about ten days to two weeks of recovery. You should make sure that you are prepared for this downtime in advance. Arrange for a ride home from your surgery. If possible, find someone who can stay with you for a few days to help with meal prep and other tasks. If this is not feasible, be sure to have plenty of easy, yet nutritious, meals ready to go. In addition, you should take enough time off from work, and you should make sure that you are stocked with the proper bandages, medications, and ointments. Dr. Kimberly will advise you about the best things to include in your recovery kit.

The 24 Hours before Your Surgery

The day before your surgery, you should make sure that you get plenty of rest. You should not drink alcohol the day prior. You may also want to avoid sodium, as this could cause fluid retention and increased swelling. To lower the risk for infection, wash your face and hair before your surgery. By following the proper protocol, you can help to ensure a smooth, minimal discomfort recovery.

Learn More about Facelifts

To learn more about facelift preparation and to find out if the treatment is right for you, contact Dr. Henry for a personal consultation.