After your procedure, your surgeon will monitor you in our recovery rooms until you are awake and alert after your anesthesia. You will need a designated, trusted friend or family member to pick you up from your surgery and bring you home. Your surgeon will meet with you and your responsible party to give you a prescription for pain medications and run through your customized recovery instructions (you’ll also be given a paper copy to take home with you). You’ll also need to schedule your first follow-up appointment so that your surgeon can monitor your healing progress.
Once you are home, you should make sure you have a comfortable place to rest that provides support for your head and neck. You will need to spend a week or two away from work and public daily activities. This time allows swelling, bruising or redness to subside. You may also experience some sensations of tightness or numbness in the area while you heal. These are normal side effects as your body adjusts to the surgery.
Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on when you can shower, what kinds of soaps or products you should use, how to change your dressings and how to care for your surgical scars. Following these instructions will ensure that you don’t experience complications and that your neck heals seamlessly and beautifully. You will have regular follow-up appointments so your surgeon can check to make sure you are recovering well, and we will provide you with contact information in case you have any concerns that arise.
After about two weeks, you should be cleared to return to work, school or family responsibilities. You will be able to cover any remaining discoloration or visible scarring with makeup. After about one month, you will likely be able to return to more strenuous activities like working out. Six weeks after your surgery, you will be able to see your final results emerging, and you will be ready for post-op pictures. It can take many months for your scars to fully flatten and fade, but they are typically well-hidden and most people do not notice them within a few weeks after surgery.
We encourage our patients to keep in mind that, since every neck lift surgery is unique, every recovery progresses at a different pace. Some people feel able to return to work in a week, while others require longer before they are comfortable being in public. Depending on your age, health, natural healing pace, lifestyle and surgical plan, you may experience aspects of your recovery that differ from the outline provided here. We will work closely with you throughout the recovery process to ensure your safety and satisfaction.
