Avoid all sorts of caffeinated beverages if you can. If you cannot, limit the caffeine intake to one beverage per day. Excessive caffeine can dehydrate your body which is never a good thing for post-surgical swelling.
While the irritation is often minor, it can be problematic, so caffeine should not be consumed within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery. If you must, a small cup of decaf (black, no sugar) is fine. Another concern is the composition of caffeine containing drinks.
After examining the data, Vanini and team found that extended wakefulness prior to surgery significantly enhanced postoperative pain behaviors and extended recovery time after surgery. Caffeine helped to mitigate this effect. "Caffeine blocked the increase in surgical pain caused by previous sleep loss," Vanini says.
Be careful, take it easy, and avoid any vigorous exercises for at least a few days after the procedure. If you feel pain or discomfort during an activity, take a moment to stop and rest to avoid injury to the face or body. After the initial recovery, you can slowly return to your daily routine to encourage blood flow.
One question I hear a lot from facelift patients is “how long do I have to elevate my head after facelift surgery?” While sleeping on your back is a must, keeping your head elevated for the first 2 to 4 weeks is equally important.
You may have some itching or shooting pain as the feeling returns. It may take several months for the numbness to go away. Most people recover in 4 to 6 weeks. But it probably will take 6 months or more to see the final result from the surgery.
Beginning on day 2 or 3, light walking is recommended to help promote blood flow which speeds healing. Short, easy walks is the only form of exercise that should be undertaken. Many patients start to feel less discomfort over the first few weeks as bruising and swelling subsides.
Avoid foods requiring prolonged chewing and avoid excessive facial movements for one week. Brush teeth gently with a soft toothbrush only. Avoid manipulation of upper lip and cheeks. You may have difficulty opening your mouth wide or turning your head.
Walking is hands down the best form of exercise to do post any kind of surgery including a facelift. Walking in the initial phases of recovery will promote blood circulation, prevent blood clots and promote healing. It will give you a surge of energy as well.
Researchers found that caffeine restricted cell proliferation, suggesting that it may inhibit wound healing and skin growth over the wound. Collagen helps promote cell proliferation, and thus the inhibited production of collagen by caffeine may slow healing of cuts or scrapes.
How to reduce DOMS: drinking coffee after your workout may help you to recover quicker, scientists find. A new study has found that a cup of coffee after exercising massively increases your muscle glycogen supply – meaning that they're better able to recover quicker. Runners are often keen coffee drinkers.
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may enhance wound healing process.
While it's important to take it easy during the first seven days of recovery (and to have a caretaker with you for the first 24 hours after your surgery), any extra fatigue/nausea you experience during the week will likely be due to your pain medication rather than the facelift itself.
Bruising and swelling usually reach their height around day 3 and 4, but both will likely be present for several additional weeks. Continue to take medication if you experience discomfort.
1 Week Post-Op
During the first week after your facelift, you can expect swelling and bruising around your lower face, ears and neck.
5. Stay on a full liquid diet for three to four days, then soft foods that minimize chewing for the next week. 7.
Why? When the facelift is performed, the skin is tightened and it can flatten out the jowls because the skin is tighter. However, over time as the skin relaxes, the full fatty jowls will restretch out the skin and the jowls will reappear. Weight loss prior to face lift surgery is very important for these people.
Stitches can either dissolve or be removed after about one week. In the middle phase of healing, which lasts a few months, the facelift incisions become softer, flatter, less pink, and non-tender. The last phase of healing takes about a year, at which point the scars gradually become mature.
Most patients will recover full feeling throughout their face within a few months, but it can take up to 12 months for some. During the recovery period, patients may experience numbness or tingling sensations as nerve endings regenerate.
Massage after a facelift can help to:
Ease pain. Gentle, upward massage can limit your pain receptors sending signals to the brain. The warmth of the masseuse's hands can also improve circulation, decreasing the pain in the affected area. Decrease swelling.
Fatigue is normal following surgery and should improve day after day as your body begins to heal itself. Some people have it worse than others due to age, health, and the type of surgery they had, but with time and proper care, most will be able to build up their strength and energy levels.
A dull ache around the ears and tightness around the jaw and neck can be expected for the first night after surgery but reduces significantly each day thereafter. Most patients transition from opiate medication to regular Tylenol within the first week. The feeling of tightness decreases over the course of a few weeks.
You may begin light aerobics after two weeks, but no head- or neck-turning exercises for four weeks.