At an age where everybody is conscious about their image, battling the aging menace seems to be the newest trend. Although it’s not possible to halt the aging process, modern technology, and cosmetic surgery make it possible to combat aging signs effectively. One such effective treatment is through a facelift. With the help of an experienced plastic surgeon, a facelift surgery significantly reduces wrinkles and fine lines that scream aging.

Like any other invasive procedure, prospective patients have major concerns regarding the side effects of a facelift. What side effects should you expect after going under the scalpel for a facelift in NYC?

Why Choose a Facelift, to Begin With?

Getting old is inevitable. While it’s such a graceful period, your skin and tissues naturally tend to lose their elasticity. You will notice wrinkles, facial lines, and sagging getting more pronounced as time goes by. Fortunately, a facelift procedure may be used to lift and tighten the facial features to redeem your youthful appearance. The procedure mainly involves trimming off excess skin and tightening the facial tissues to smooth out the folds and wrinkles.

What Are Potential Side Effects of Facelift Surgery?

Side effects felt immediately after the surgery

Facelift surgery is an invasive procedure that requires your surgeon to administer general anesthesia. You should expect some mild side effects from the anesthesia wearing off after surgery, such as light-headedness, nausea, and grogginess. These immediate side effects normally subside with time. Your surgeon will prescribe pain medication to make this period bearable.

The procedure’s main side effects

The side effects following a rhytidectomy are similar to those of any other invasive cosmetic surgery treatment. Thankfully, these side effects are rarely dangerous and dwindle in the following weeks with great post-operative care and attention. You are likely to see the benefits of the facelift surgery after the side effects subside. These main side effects include:

Swelling

Expect swelling immediately after your facelift surgery. Depending on the technique used, the swelling effect ranges from severe to mild, but don’t be scared. Swelling is typically your body’s natural response to inflicting injury on your skin. Once you begin to heal, the swelling will fade in the following days. You may notice some swelling a few weeks after the surgery. Surgeons recommend avoiding strenuous activities, bending, and engaging in activities that could escalate your blood pressure and deter the healing process. Instead, avoid touching your face, sleep enough, and rest in an upright position to ease swelling.

Pain

Again, pain and inflammation are completely unavoidable with this invasive procedure. Discomfort should subside in the following days. Your surgeon will prescribe pain relievers to manage the pain and tenderness. Most patients report discomfort at its peak during the third or fourth day, which starts to subside after that. If you suffer from sudden and severe inflammation, seek medical attention immediately. Also, the pain shouldn’t last too long.

Scarring

Scars are inevitable with invasive procedures such as facelifts. However, with a skilled surgeon, the scars will be less visible once the wounds heal. You can expect to see some scarring left behind by the incisions during the first few months. You don’t have to worry about the scars. Most facelift incisions appear around or above the hairline, making it easy to conceal them using certain hairstyles and makeup.

Bruising

Similar to swelling, bruising is entirely natural after a facelift procedure. Your body will react to the changes through bruising. The good news is that bruising becomes less pronounced with time. You may notice severe bruising in the first few days, particularly around the eyes, but you should be fine with proper dressing. Most of the bruising effects should be gone in about three weeks after surgery, although complete healing takes months. If you notice the bruising lessening by the day, you are on the right track.

Risks that May Follow

It’s important to note that despite facelift surgeries being safe, there may be a few potential risks that tag along with the treatment asides from the normal side effects discussed above. They include:

• Excessive bleeding- while light postoperative bleeding is common and normal, excessive bleeding signals hematoma or a serious underlying complication. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice excessive bleeding.
• Hematoma- This complication arises when blood abnormally accumulates under the skin’s surface. If left untreated, it could cause excessive bleeding. You may need to go back under the scalpel to solve this issue.
• Adverse effects triggered by anesthesia- some patients may suffer from negative responses triggered by anesthesia during surgery. You might experience vomiting and nausea to different degrees. Normally, this is temporary.
• Infection- sometimes, patients suffer from wound infections if not dressed and disinfected appropriately. If you experience severe swelling, redness, sensitivity, or localized heat around the healing incisions, you may have an infection. Seek medical attention immediately when you notice these symptoms.

Other potential risks that you should be aware of include:

• Skin discoloration
• Visible scarring
• Smokers may suffer from delayed healing
• Skin loss, hair loss, or both
• Tingling sensations or numbness around the surgical areas
• Facial nerve injury that may lead to loss of sensitivity

On a lighter note, you might need to change your hairstyle to accommodate the scars’ concealing. Men might need to shave hair behind the ears, neck, or along the beard-bearing skin after some of the hair is shaved during surgery.

Normally, if a qualified and skilled cosmetic surgeon procures the facelift procedure, these side effects shouldn’t be a worry. You should get better in no time and resume normal activity. However, if you are worried that these side effects align on the treatment’s negative side, seek medical attention immediately.