More than half of people experience symptoms of anxiety or depression in the days following a facelift, research suggests. Mental health benefits often appear after a longer time, including greater well-being and life satisfaction.
Postoperative depression is a common side effect of surgery, and it doesn't just affect patients who have had cosmetic surgery. People who have had surgeries for their health, such as removing their appendix or heart surgery often experience strong emotional reactions.
We've known for some time that up to 75% of people experience post-surgical depression. But, cosmetic surgeons rarely discuss it with their patients beforehand. The good news is that it is temporary, nearly always resolving within 6 months.
The vast majority of patients do, but some encounter feelings of sadness along the way, usually in the first week or two after surgery. Feelings of sadness, sometimes referred to as postoperative depression, are not abnormal. These feelings don't mean something is wrong, it is just an experience that some people have.
However, adverse psychological reactions to face lift operations are shown to occur in about 50% of patients, with depression and anxiety being the most common.
More than half of people experience symptoms of anxiety or depression in the days following a facelift, research suggests. Mental health benefits often appear after a longer time, including greater well-being and life satisfaction.
“The study shows that patients are extremely happy with their decisions to have a facelift and with the results,” Dr. Thorne tells Cosmetic Surgery Times.
Causes of Post-Surgery Depression
People may feel bad after surgery, and they might find certain tasks difficult that weren't before. This scenario can cause stress, disappointment, and discouragement, which can lead to depression.
There are many reasons for emotional crying after surgery, including fear, sadness, grief, guilt, or happiness. Fear of unfamiliar surroundings and people, or fear of diagnosis, pain, or disability may precipitate emotional crying.
Some people, not all, can become downcast in the first few weeks after surgery. If you are prone to anxiety or depression, you may feel somewhat depressed after surgery. It's often called the “30-day blues,” similar to post-partum depression.
Depending on the surgery, light exercise may help prevent depression. Exercise can: help strengthen the body. improve energy levels and mood.
Some may be temporarily satisfied with their results but fall back into thoughts of depression and worsening low self-esteem. Research shows that those who do decide to undergo cosmetic surgeries are more likely to already have depression and anxiety.
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.
After the one-month postoperative mark, you should be back to doing normal activities and enjoying life with your new look. It can take up to one year for very minor swelling, bruising, tightness and numbness to reside, but those typically are only noticeable to you.
Stage 2 (Post-Op Days 7-14)
During the second week post-surgery, you will likely still have swelling and bruising around the affected areas. Some patients report strange sensations, such as tingling, numbness, or tightness. These sensations are commons occurrences following a facelift and are not cause for concern.
Crying is often associated with negative feelings, such as feeling sad, angry, lonely, and more. However, humans cry when they experience happiness, fear, stress, and other emotions. For these reasons, crying can help bring emotional equilibrium by helping your body recover from various strong, complex emotions.
Tears can help people heal from hurtful psychological experiences in life, just as there are natural body processes that promote physical healing.
A feeling of relief after your operation may be followed by some emotional changes such as mood swings, depression, becoming easily upset and a lack of energy. These feelings can last for a brief period and are often related to the following: Anesthesia. Medications.
Some symptoms overlap, such as fatigue and irritability, but post-op depression is persistent, lasting longer than two weeks. If left untreated, it can actually go on for months. Surprisingly, feelings of hopelessness can persist even when a patient had a successful surgery and is on their way to a full recovery.
Reasons may include infection, iron deficiency anemia, depression, or a reaction to anesthesia or pain medications. Whatever the cause, let your doctor know if fatigue seems abnormal or doesn't seem to get better after surgery.
Likewise, with Plastic Surgery, there are common emotional ups and downs that patients go through in the time period after surgery, illustrated above. There can include: Panic – “What have I done?” Anxiety, regret or remorse – this is a totally normal response to having a procedure done with downtime.
Research by Medical Accident Group found that 65% of people they polled regretted their surgery, though 28% were very happy with its results. According to the poll, 83% of people who had had plastic surgery wouldn't consider having any form of cosmetic procedure again.
Facial nerve injury or weakness may occur along with numbness or changes in skin sensation. This may be temporary or permanent. Infection and anesthesia reaction. As with any type of surgery, there is a risk of infection and a reaction to the anesthesia.