Our Blogs

Physical Vs. Social Downtime for Facelifts

Facelifts are one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries, with more than 131,000 people in the United States getting one each year. A facelift is a facial surgical procedure designed to address the visible signs of aging on your lower face, jawline, and neck. Patients planning to get a facelift often have concerns about how much physical and social downtime they require—fortunately, Dr. Lee B. Daniel at Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has put together a list of answers to your questions regarding recovery.

The Difference Between Physical Recovery and Social Recovery

Both types of required downtime following a facelift share the need for a specified resting period. However, the duration, as well as the reasoning behind it, will differ between the two. For example:

• Physical recovery: Physical recovery means giving the body time to heal appropriately before being allowed to return to regular daily tasks. This type of downtime is vital to ensuring an aesthetically pleasing result
• Social recovery: Social recovery refers to the time needed to ensure any remaining side effects of surgery completely disappear before you return to your social settings. This tends to last longer than the physical recovery timeline.

These differences and their requirements can be explained more thoroughly during your initial private consultation, aftercare instructions, and follow-up visits.

How Much Physical Downtime is Required?

Physical downtime usually lasts between seven and ten days. In most cases, patients need maximum rest during the first two to three days. Your ability to resume work is determined by how physically demanding the job is. Additionally, it can take up to three weeks to be able to resume exercise.

How Much Social Downtime is Required?

Dr. Daniel recommends you rest and postpone all your social engagements for the first week. During this time, you should expect to experience some bruising, which can peak at two days and completely disappear after about two weeks. After seven to ten days post-procedure, you can wear makeup to cover any lingering bruising. By six weeks post-op, you can confidently attend most social events without most of the residual signs of surgery.

The Factors That Influence Facelift Recovery Time

Certain details will affect the time required for physical and social downtime following a facelift. Some of these include:

• Type of facelift: More involved procedures that include multiple treatment types take longer to heal.
• Age: In most cases, older patients tend to take longer than younger patients to recover from the procedure due to a natural reduction in skin elasticity.
• Pre-existing medical conditions: Health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes can drastically slow the healing process.

It is also a good idea to take some steps in advance to prepare for your recovery, such as taking time off from work and arranging for someone to help you with daily chores or heavy lifting.

Contact Us for Guidance on Social and Physical Downtime Following Your Facelift

Dr. Lee B. Daniel Aesthetic Plastic Surgery offers advanced facelift solutions in Oregon that can provide a more youthful and revitalized appearance to better reflect the vitality you feel on the inside. Consider scheduling a consultation at our office to learn more about the procedures we offer and their respective social vs. physical downtimes.