Care: Facelift
All in one place: the facts about the procedure, how recovery progresses, and the guides you should read.
The information in this section is for general orientation and does not replace personal medical assessment, instructions or follow-up. Always follow your surgeon's recommendations.
Your surgery in figures
- Length 4 to 6 hours
- Anaesthesia General, with an anaesthetist
- Hospital stay Usually one night
- Back to work 15 to 21 days
How recovery progresses
- First 48 hours Dressing, significant swelling and a feeling of tightness and numbness rather than pain. Rest with the head raised. This is the period of closest watch, because of the risk of a haematoma.
- Week 1 Drains and some of the stitches come out. The bruising is at its worst between the third and fifth day and then starts to turn. The face still does not look like itself.
- Weeks 2 to 3 Back to social life with make-up and to desk work. Uneven swelling and numb areas persist, especially in front of the ears, which is normal and temporary.
- Months 1 to 3 The swelling clearly settles and the jawline appears. The scars are at their reddest and are looked after with strict sun protection.
- Around 6 to 12 months Settled result and mature scars. Sensation in the numb areas finishes returning to normal over this period.
These are the indicative timings from the procedure page. Yours depend on your case and come from Dr. García.
The guides that apply to you
In this order: before, the day itself, and afterwards.
- 1 Before your surgery Tests, preparation and the decisions of the weeks beforehand. This is the stage you can influence the most.
- 2 The day of your surgery From the alarm clock to the operating room: fasting, documents, what to bring and what is going to happen.
- 3 Recovery and aftercare Wounds, drains, hygiene, rest and follow-up. What is normal, what is not, and who to call.
- 4 Food and nutrition What food actually does before and after, with no miracle diets and no lists of forbidden ingredients.
- 5 Compression garments What they are really for, how to choose the size, and how to look after them so they last as long as they should.
- 6 Specific aftercare Scars, sun, sleeping positions, exercise, going back to work, and the signs that do not wait for your next appointment.
Reading about this procedure
Warning signs
Some signs do not wait for your next appointment. If one appears, contact the practice immediately and, if you cannot get through or the situation is serious, go to an emergency department.
See the warning signsNeed help?
If something is unclear or worrying you, write to us. We would far rather settle a small question in time than a large one too late.
Contact usWhat applies to your case is given to you in writing by Dr. García, with your quotation and your consent form. If anything here does not match your sheet, your sheet is the one that counts.