I had a facelift 6 months ago and I'm here to offer some hope to those who are anxious about their recovery. Just like many of you, I was incredibly scared after my surgery. Four weeks post-op I was still super swollen, still had bruises, I had an hematoma on my right side, my face was uneven, had lumps and bumps on one cheek. All of these things were explained by my surgeon beforehand, and I thought I was mentally prepared but I wasn't. Face lift recovery has been incredibly hard but as time goes by I'm feeling happy with my results, so be patient! You are not just healing from the inside out but also you are getting used to your new face. It takes time. I found this video a week after my surgery and I probably watched it 1,000 times. But there is a person who commented her experience at her 4 months pot-op, and she was very reassuring that everything will be okay. Her comment gave me hope, so I wanted to come back and so the same. ❤
Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I'm 12 days post op and I'm freaking out because i feel i look a bit "pulled"., I saw my surgeon today and he's saying "give it time." It's such a challenge psychologically. ❤
Yes, im 3 weeks post op and my smile is off on one side...my surgeon says it's from platysmal muscle being tight and will heal 100 percent...im still freaked out because I hadn't seen this before...no amount of preparation can really prepare you for the mind game this healing process is
I'm 4 weeks, and I'm not too swallowen anymore. But I feel too stretched and I don't look like myself, I'm terrified bc I went to this doctor bc he's famous for natural results but so far I feel like he pulled out my skin too much I look like Joan Rivers I'm 49 and I have a deep plane
I keep rereading your post , I’m so anxious going on my second week after a neck lift I have a horrible tight feeling that hasn’t gotten better . I was wearing a face support brace for a week took it off and now under my neck is swelling.. Dr said it was normal .. .How long did u have tightness ?
I'm almost 3 weeks and nothing has surprised or concerned me as I did my research carefully and knew what to expect. I also can call my doctor with any concerns. The worst thing was tiredness from not being comfortable sleeping but I'm sleeping better now. People need to remember this is major surgery. You wont be out partying 3 weeks later. Choose your surgeon carefully, and don't base it on price either!
There are things you can do to recover somewhat faster - such as oxygen and red light therapy as well as lymphatic drainage therapy. All of these procedures help with swelling and bruising.
I posted here 3 months ago when I was one month into my healing and I was so scared! I had some lumps on my cheeks and neck and a lower eyelid that was really drooping. (Scary!). One eyebrow was even a little lower than the other. (Also scary!) I wasn’t sure if these problems would go away or not. Now I’m at 4 months and, and I just want to offer some reassurance for people, who are still healing. It is true what they say…it takes time. It took a while but as my doctor told me, this is major. You are cutting into skin and moving muscles and affecting nerves. You have to give all of that time to heal. At 4 months, I can say everything is fine now. I’m still tender in spots but it doesn’t show. My nerves are still healing. I know that because I can feel it! One side healed faster than the other. Anyway, it really does take time for some of us! So please be encouraged!
Thank you! I am on day 8 after the surgery. This comment does help as I’ve been reading horror stories about people still walking with deformed faces 1.5 years post-op.
Thank you Donna Lee I'm three months into my recovery and I'm so relieved to read your comments. I have the drooping eyelid which has me extremely concerned. Everything else is healing nicely so now I just know that this will take time and recovery isn't instant. Thank you
@@lendabarrett Just a quick note - I did eye exercises all along. My plastic surgeon had given me a couple and then I went on youtube and found more that were specific to my problem. I was so crazed to fix the problem that I did the exercises frequently. I can’t know for sure if that helped but I believe it did. Wishing you the best!
@@chris0108 I love my result. It took about 6 weeks to look normal. You’ll know you had something done but others don’t notice. The swelling won’t go away completely for several months. I’d do it again, I definitely look much better :)
Thank you doctor. It’s almost like you made this video for me! I’m on day 7 and was starting to worry about several things you covered. So now I’ll stop worrying and go to bed!
Best video on youtube regarding the topic... it deserves more views definitely... short, precise, informative and covered all the worries that patient my have... thank u Doc.
I had a lower facelift and necklift last Thursday, April 11th. I honestly did not think that my recovery would be this bad, BUT like the doctor in the video says, we will go through stages of recovery and the recovery will take some time. For me, the days seem extra long and I'm in the stage that I'm asking myself if I should have done this at all. I'm feeling very anxious. I'm thinking that I'll answer differently in about two weeks and be in a much better mindset, but for now my feelings are all over the place. The procedure is not very painful, but I'm extremely uncomfortable at present. For me, the worst part about this are the tubes coming out from my head and from behind my ears. Once the tubes are taken out, I think that I'll feel better. I think that the tubes are coming out this coming Tuesday. That is the most painful part for me. You will need a good caregiver because you CANNOT take care of yourself, and as the doctor has explained, you will not be able to open your mouth very wide at all. Drink Boost Shakes and eat applesauce, yogurt, or anything soft that doesn't take much chewing; AND drink A LOT of water, as you must stay hydrated, which is easier said than done. Staying hydrated will help you with your digestion and help with the swelling that you WILL HAVE. My explaining my experience helps me and I hope that it helps you too. I haven't showered yet which I hate, but my first post-op shower will be this evening. I've got some sort of dried glue all in my hair. I can't wait to get it out, but I've been told to not scrub my hair, face and neck very much, and just let the water run over my head face and neck. Good luck with your procedure, and try to think into the future, like in Christmas because your procedure will be long past you and you'll probably be very happy that you had your procedure and that it is all behind you. 🙏
What is the risk of permanent "discolorations or/and irregularity of skin and skin tone changes"? How common is it and how likely it is to happen? I mean if someone has a beautiful skin before, then it no longer looks the same after a lift, that is a big cause for worry.
16 days after my surgery and I still have all those symptoms - I feel so ugly and sad 😞 to the point that I think I made a big mistake and I spent all this money and the dr made me more ugly
That’s exactly how I feel! I paid $32k in cash and I feel like I look horrible.😢 I’m completely depressed, I had facelift, neck lift, upper & lower eyes, fat transfer, lips filled, and I swear I look like a cartoon character! I wish I had just done my neck and lower eyes. I’m on day 6 and feel panicked. My left lower lid is sagging, I thought maybe becuz I had an allergic reaction to the eye ointment they prescribed. It caused my skin to burn and really messed up my eyes, they look like slits🤦🏻♀️
I just had a facelift and am in my 2nd week out and everything Dr. k says is spot on. My Dr. Told me the same things but it’s still reassuring to hear it from a 2nd reliable source. Puts my mind at ease knowing that I am healing normally. 😊
Im on day 11 and my face is so wide - swollen around the temples wide. I know logically this will get better but, I must admit its difficult to deal with. Everyone hang in there. We will get through this. Can we talk about pain though ? I wasn’t able to take the codeine and I felt like I had been shot through the ear
I'm at day 12 and I've got the same!!👽 I feel weirdly reassured that someone else has a similar experience. I had more pain than expected too, but that has subsided. I had ear aches. My ENT said swelling could be putting pressure on ear canal and nerves. It got better only recently.
I’m so glad I found this video tonight! I’m on day 6 and I’ve been absolutely miserable! Every issue you’ve described, I’m experiencing. Most of all I feel like I look like a cartoon character and keep thinking, “dear God, what have I done?” So I’m realizing that I need to calm down and be patient! I’m so happy to have found your video! Staples and stitches are being removed tomorrow and I’m thinking that should knock out some swelling too. Thank you again!!😘
Hello Deborah! So glad to hear that the video was helpful :) Hope the staples and stitches removal go smoothly! Keep us posted on your recovery journey!
@@MsKatze I'm exactly 1 year out and my face and neck still aren't how I would've liked them to be. I had my neck tweeked again in surgery 5 months after but I'm going to have the neck completely done again as it still hangs on one side, ugh. And my jawline is still weird 1 year later and seems swollen to me. My eyes look great, I'm thankful for that. What an ordeal!
@@deborahreynolds3787 omg how awful! I am so sorry you're having to go through that! I actually really like my neck but my face is really swollen. I had a mini lift with neck work and a buccal fat reduction, I think that's why my face is extra swollen. I really just want the swelling to go away because I'm really not having any other issues and fingers crossed that's all it is! What do you mean about your neck exactly?
Don't go to this Dr. If you want to know why message me. If he tries to say "this doesn't sound like a patient of mine" I'll show you receipts. Butcher.
Dear Doctor, I am on day 6 of my surgery. Staples and sutures come off on Wednesday... What a journey and experiencing all TEN concerns you have mentioned. OMG Swelling and Bruising is so scary . My neck and jaw line look beautiful. I'll stop worrying ❤
@@KonstantinVasyukevichMD you got that right. I am on day 5 and I am wishing I never did it.. This recovery is awful. I have so much tightness.. in the face too not only the neck.. I hope it is normal. THANK YOU!
This video was very informative to me. I’m on day 4, lots of bruising, right down to my chest, swollen with no feeling under my chin and parts of my neck. Certainly wondering if it was worth it, but I wanted the chin implant so much, so the lower face and neck lift were a must to balance it all out. Oh I also had a lift lip (which I love). Thank you so much for posting the video…you truly put my mind at ease ❤ 6:30
This is so helpful. I am 10 days out from deep plane neck and lower face lift. Temporal brow lift and facial fat grafting. I was getting really concerned that one eye has become swollen again after the swelling seemed to be going. I think it is because I woke up lying flat this morning. I found this video very reassuring
Thank you, Dr., for this video it's helpful. I feel exactly like that after 7 weeks of my face and neck lift and righnoplasty, I am still sweeling. I am back crazy with all these questions .thank you so much for all these answers it's helped me a lots.
Hello dr . What a great video. I went in for a neck and lower face lift and upper eyelids five weeks ago, I s still look like an alien that went through a wind tunnel. I cry every day and am having l blown panic attacks, is this normal at five weeks? Thank God for my amazing husband who does all he can to calm me down,
@@Evandrosab it took about 4 months. I promise it will get better. I was so depressed I had to go on medication. Now I love it. It takes time and it passes so slow but I PROMISE it gets better and you love it. Hang in there!
@@ygs338thank you for your reassuring post. I had the same procedures as you and I’m nearly four weeks post op and I still have a crooked mouth and one eye still does not full close (at least it’s not wide open like it was the first ten days). I’m not sure it’s worth all the trauma.
This is a fabulous video, and very reassuring. Would you be able to tell me typically how long most of the swelling should last? I am on day 6 after a SMAS mid & lower facelift and upper neck lift and my swelling is still the same as day 2. When do you suppose it might subside please? Many thanks
I haven’t had a facelift but an upper blepharoplasty that went a bit wrong on my left side and my whole side and eyelid is swollen… I’m on day 6 and I can only start opening m my lid, but it is still kinda closed unless I force it open. I’m getting so discouraged and frustrated because my right side looks great so I am trying to find comfort in these videos 😅😅 I think the Dr injected too much lidocaine in my left side (because I was in pain during the procedure) and that’s why I swelled up so much… has this ever happened in your experience? I can’t wait for my eyelid to look normal again 😢
I had my face lift 4 days ago and I’m unrecognizable. The first day I looked like a 1 headed monster and now I look like a 2 headed monster that’s gotten uglier.
I am almost 3 weeks post op facelift/platysma tightening. I am having so much anxiety due to the tightness in my neck still. Any suggestions on how to feel better? I am allowed to massage the area 2 x's per day per my Surgeon.
I wish I had a surgeon who told me what to expect after my surgery. Thank you so much for putting my mind at ease….I’m on day 5 after lower face lift, neck lift, chin implant, lip lift, and lipo injection …. my neck feels like a rock with no feeling in a good part of it, and I can barely open my mouth to eat…
@@barbaramoore5070Hi how are you doing now, do you like the results? I'm 3 days out after deep plane face, neck lift plus breast lift and I'm in a lot of pain and look like a crazy cartoon. Looks like I have no chin left. but huge cheeks, crazy swelling, quite alarming. Everything got better for you i hope?
@@jasminemariedarling I love the results now! Give it time! I’m right about 6 months in. I still don’t have much feeling from one ear, around to the other ear, below my chin. My surgeon said in time it will come back! Yes there’s a lot of swelling and your face/neck and chest can become quite colourful!! I wore a cloth strap for at least a month or so just to help with the swelling…keep me updated!
@@barbaramoore5070 Thank u for letting me know!! It's so helpful to hear about good results, while going through the craziness-looking phase. I'm so happy u love your results and hope you get full feeling in the ear soon! The ears are the weirdest part for me! Looking like mickey mouse, swollen, can't feel the skin..but still have pain there, so strange. Anyways thank u again! Let me know how your ear situation changes too 💓💓💓
I had a neck lift four months ago and it is not as taunt as I would like. Is it too soon? I don’t really want to do a revision so what about facetight? And when would be appropriate to do it? I still feel that tightness you are talking about and my ears feel like something is hanging on them
I am so happy your recovering well. Good luck tomorrow. As for the line on your neck there is a new laser called OpusRF. I had it done last week on my neck and I can already see a better texture of skin and all the teck neck lines are gone! It is supposed to help with tightening too but it takes time to build collagen which tightens the skin. Maybe see if they have that machine. Again good luck. All that healing and it is so disappointing when it is not perfect. I would give my results a 8 out of 10 so that’s not bad but wondering how it will look in 5 years from now if I don’t work on the very small probably only noticed by me 😂 issues
He forgot to mention about stretched skin. I'm at 4 weeks and i think my doctor pulled out my skin and maked it too tight. I saw patiens of him and they llook great at 2 weeks, i looked horrible , he said is gonna get better, but im.not sure , does any of you get the same too streched look and get loose overtime,? Seriously, i look like joan Rivers, hoping it will change soon
Thank you for sharing with me! Feeling of tightness is very common after a facelift surgery, things will improve with time. You will still be healing for the next months....
My necklift was on 9-27. I am still numb and lumpy in my neck. Have terrible pain near my GAN behind my ear. Shooting pain.Is that the nerves coming back to life?
I had a lower facelift and chin implant 8 months ago. The sensation on the left side of my jaw and chin came back quite quickly but I still have numbness on the left side of the jaw and lower lip. Is there still a chance that this will resolve or is it most likely permanent?
Hello ladies and gents. I’m on day 5 and I feel better today and of course I have bruising and swelling and sleeping is a challenge. But what’s really bothering me is my ears. Like the doctor mentioned it looks and feels rubbery and most of all inflated. When should I anticipate my ears to get back to normal ?
Hi there! The recovery time for the ears after a facelift can vary depending on several factors, including the individual's healing ability and the specific surgical techniques used. However, in general, the ears should start to return to normal within a few weeks to a few months following the procedure.
Dear Doctor I had a facelift explaining to the Surgent not to touch my eyes now I noticed two knots on the corners of eyes and one line Uber my eyes. My eyes looks smaller. I been having the edema eye bags as result. Please help . Thanks
The illustration of the incision was also left too briefly, and because the incision seemed to go over the actual ear, many people will think the ear is being cut. You should EXPLAIN that the incision goes BEHIND the ear, not into the ear itself. The illustration is ambiguous.
Have to tried lymphatic drainage massage? I'm at day 19 and I'm looking more like myself every day - have had 5 lymphatic massages really helps with the healing. Also, look into a hypaerbaric oxygen chamber. Speeds healing a lot! I haven't had it, but another friend that I know had it and after the 3rd treatment there was a noticeable improvement.
It’s not uncommon to have discomfort last for a fairly extended time after a facelift, but please check with your doctor to make sure that there’s no medical problems that need treatment!
I had an endoscopic browlift + lower blapheroplasty 3 weeks ago (with a bit of skin removal under the eye). I feel one of my eyebrows is higher than the other and even one eye looks higher and bigger. I never noticed assymetry before the surgery. Is this normal after 3 weeks? Will my eyebrows become symmetrical? I am regretting doing this as maybe i didn't really need such browlift :( And worst case scenario, is this reversible?
Thank you for your question! Three weeks is too early to judge on the results of the surgery. I recommend to be in close touch with the Doctor who performed the procedure - he will be the best source of your information at this point. All the best!
Last week I had a lower face and neck lift and these are my concerns too. I did ask my surgeon and she said exactly what you said lol. I am worried about my ears feeling and looking like Mickey Mouse and the lumps in my neck
Hi Pamekay, I’m on day 7 and I have a lump in right side of my neck. It looks like you might be a week ahead of me. Is the lump in your neck any better? I hope your ears turn out how you want them! I know.....it’s kind of scary!
@@donnalee2310 hi. I am on day 18. Most of the horizontal long lumps have gone down and one ear has returned to normal as for size and getting feeling back the other ear is half way there ! I am back to walking a mile and half a day and feeling good. Guess I turned the corner yay. Still some swelling going on. I continue to wear the face bra all day and all night except for showers and eating. Sleeping in a recliner helps with the swelling. Hope this info helps. Heal well my friend!
Hello Dr Vasyukevich, 2 things, should I wear a compression garment of any kind post op? will hyperbaric chamber treatments help me heal faster? Thank you!!!
Hi! We recommend compression garments to our patients during the first 4 weeks after the procedure, however, please check with your own surgeon before wearing/buying anything. Hyperbaric chamber might help people who have delayed healing, but not recommended for everyone. Again check with your surgeon :) Hope this helps!
Great video. I am 1 monthans 10 days post op after full facelift, still have an even bumps and lumps on my cheek Area 😢😢 and my eyes swelled up e ery morning. Just curious what after care would you recommend it any massages or other treatments?
I am a man so hair length is usually shorter. For your skin closure, is it better for me to have buzzed short hair or longer? What length of hair makes it easier for you to do the closure for lateral facelift? I am not talking about hiding the scar with hair, I am referring to the ease of the surgeon be able to close the incision .
The most important thing is not to shave the hair too closely, so the surgeon still can see your hairline. Other than that any hair length would not interfere with incision closure.
*In general* , how many stitches are placed behind each ear? A friend had about 10-12? stitches behind each ear, which were removed a few days after surgery. Is 10 stitches behind each ear about right? Just curious about the *approximate* number of stitches behind each ear.
@@KonstantinVasyukevichMD Yes, one stitch for the whole incision makes sense. And for males that have platysmaplasty, how long is the incision under the chin? I know that surgeons try their best to hide the scar, but have heard the scar could create a raised bump and make it inconvenient for men to shave. Is this platysmaplasty incision chin scar/bump a common issue of concern for males? 🤔
The incision is fairly small and hides in the natural skin crease, in those rare situations when it causes a problem, it can be easily solved by doing a small touch-up procedure.
I’m 2 years post op and my face is still numb. The platysma muscles in my neck are so tight I have a hard time smiling, chewing, even licking my lips. Really not sure it will ever improve. I have so regretted having this surgery or wish maybe picking a different Dr. as he really botched the right side of my face. 😭😭
Wow I’m so sorry to hear that. Did you go to somebody who had a lot of experience and maybe you were one in 1 million? Or did you go to somebody who actually does something else and is not board-certified? You need to start stretching out that muscle in your neck just by leaning your head back. Just a little bit here and there. You should’ve done this early on probably but it’s never too late
Thank you for sharing and I’m sorry for your outcome. Is there a place to share about procedures and experiences? I know there’s Real Self but didn’t know about it’s accuracy.
@@KonstantinVasyukevichMD I went to my pre op yesterday and in the middle of filling out paperwork I got up and rescheduled for august :( I think my biggest concern is just the recovery in general and it hindering me from caring for my toddler.
@@KonstantinVasyukevichMD I begrudgingly had to reschedule for July 18. At the last minute I had a work related dinner that I could not bow out of. I’m scared to death to have the surgery, tho. Have scheduled an Ultraformer treatment in a few days to try and buy some time. I’m fortunate that at 63 everything seems to be pretty good!
Wow so informative I am crying daily I had jawline lift and neck lipo with incisions behind my ear snd omg my jaw and neck look worse than when I started I really didn’t need this but wanted more jawline definition and I’m sad as I can go out anywhere I look horrible with all this lumpy hard jawline I can’t even see my jawline Drs saying trust the process I’m anxious I got botched and then another Dr said I got scar tissue I’m at a lost this is my face and can’t cover it up .. ughh I’m sad 😢 I do have alittle bruising still left on my chin and neck and using Arnica gel twice daily and getting massages .. what else can I do to make sure my jawline isn’t permanently lumpy with hard skin and not a normal jawline ? This is so frustrating. And my bottom of ears haven’t flattened out all the way yet .. my incision was behind my ears.. please some advice My surgery was Dec 8th..
Bsm Very good video. I had face and neck lift, upper and lower blepharoplasty,and cheek implants, almost 2 years ago. I have had continuous severe atypical facial pain which started 1 month after surgery. It is everywhere my skin was Undermined. The surface is intense burning pain and deep aching pain. I was hospitalized twice, pain so severe second time BP 175 /105 and I developed atrial fibrillation. Trying to find out what happened,since none of my doctors Know why.
@@KonstantinVasyukevichMD Hi there, mine is 3 weeks out tomorrow. It actually went very well. I got an upper eye blepharoplasty, face lift...incisions in front of ears and back, fat transfer cheek and under eyes, and neck lift. I am getting mixed reviews. Anywhere from I don't look much different to I look twenty years younger. I know, that is a huge difference. lol But I especially love the eyelift and neck lift. Those two are where I can tell the most. My surgeon is Dr. Buckingham from Austin Texas. He has an awesome reputation...and now I am here to add to that testimony.
I am 6 weeks post surgery and the right side of my face doesn't work like the left side it's like I have slight paralysis is this going to go away or do I have nerve damage?
I would recommend seeing your surgeon with this concern. There could be multiple reasons for your asymmetry. Fortunately most of these reasons are reversible.
Hi Dr. I am two weeks today, however I developed a facial hematoma right after the lower facelift. I had to be put in the OR opened and flushed out and cordoized. Now I have a lump where the hematoma was and a lot of scabbing in the back of that ear that was re-opened. I pray I heal, off to the dr. today to see what is going on. Thanks for everything.
God bless you! I hope and pray you are better by now. I had got a hematoma after a brow lift in my 30s. . One eye swelled inside out so my eyelashes were inside my eyes. The doctor damaged my surpanorbital nerve and I had a headache for years afterward. It was a nightmare. Worse still I didn't even need a brow lift. The problem wasn't my brows were too saggy, it was that the lid over-retracted giving me a harsh surprised look. The brow lift made me look worse, and he even got my brows uneven by a mile. I ended up getting it fixed by an ocular plastics and insurance covered the eyelid retraction correction (it threatened my vision) but I paid for a bilateral brow lift to fix the unevenness. The ocular plastics did a superb job. I hope and pray your problem resolves better and easier than mine.
I just had a Facelift on Wednesday and on Thursday I had to have the hematoma evacuation just like you. How are you now? How is your skin? I have some blisters and things underneath my chin
Hi Esther! If you go to my page you will see that 2 of my recent videos actually deal with returning to work after a facelift, and how to hide your recent surgery. They will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding this topic. Thank you for watching!
I see you didn’t get an answer but you posted this a couple of months ago. Did your smile even out later? Im only on day 11 of recovery but I have noticed my smile is quite crooked also. I started doing some mouth exercises on one side of my mouth to try to strengthen those muscles. I was just wondering if it turned out OK for you. This is pretty scary!
I have now seen that this crooked smile is linked to nerve damage. They say that the nerve repairs themselves with time. Hopefully, yours has corrected itself by now. I have it also and am hoping it goes back to normal with time.
@@Kaththee Sorry Kaththee, I dont’ think I ever saw your reply here. I’m fine now. I saw what you posted above. If I knew THEN what I know NOW, I’d go to a very experienced specialist, an ocular-surgeon to have any work done on or near my eyes. I did a lot of research but never knew of the problems that could occur in the eye area until I went through it myself and started reading on youtube. That sounds so scary what you went through and I hope you are ok now!