Did you just make up your mind to go under the knife for a facelift surgery? If yes, then you need to prepare yourself for some swelling post the procedure. Although many patients say that they experience just a small pain portion, for many people, the swelling, tight, and uncomfortable feeling around the incisions, mouth, chin, jaw, and other areas on the face may turn out to be a nerve-wracking phase.

Although swelling and pain are both natural responses that your body gives, you do not need to suffer in silence, especially when the symptoms after the facelift in Atlanta begin to surface. In order to eliminate or reduce swelling post-circumcision, here are some tips that will help you and ensure that you have a smooth recovery following the facelift surgery.

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Follow the Facelift Post-Operative Instructions

As you visit your surgeon during the initial consultation, the board-certified surgeons will then take their time to discuss the aftercare and postoperative instructions with you to make sure that all the incisions heal and your recovery phase proceeds swiftly. Keep in mind that if you end up ignoring any of the care instructions that your plastic surgeon, such as a Crispin Plastic Surgery specialists provides, this could give you some major setbacks to the process of healing. Often, this may cause severe discomfort and pain.  As you meet your surgeon, you can discuss the post-operative care checklist to ensure that you follow everything they suggest.

Here are some of the instructions that your surgeon’s list could include:

  • Avoid touching the bandage they apply, and leave it in place until your surgeon instructs you to remove it otherwise. Try to follow all the care instructions precisely, keep the incision areas sterile, and clean from infections, which will add to the swelling.
  • Take pain-relieving medications as your surgeon directs.
  • You need to eat soft meals and chew easily. Know that prolonged chewing could lead to extra swelling, which is not suitable for the recovery phase.
  • Skip any form of vigorous or strenuous activities, as they may increase the flow of blood to your face. This will lead to pressure creation and swelling. The activities you should prevent include straining your body, bending over and lifting heavy objects.

Avoid Exposure to Sunlight and Heat

After the facelift surgery, there is a reason why the American Board of Plastic Surgeons say that patients should apply some cold compresses. “Cold compresses often help the inflammation to subside as it constricts the blood vessels.” Not only does it help to suppress swelling, but also has a numbing effect on the nerve endings in spots to reduce pain and discomfort. Furthermore, the head does the opposite in terms of subsiding the incision swelling. As a fact, heat stands out as the main source that causes an increase in the flow of blood to areas that experience swelling, in return, resulting in over swelling.

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Post a facelift surgery, it is best that you avoid sitting in hot places, such as close to a lamp, sauna, avoid sunlight exposure, and stay close to air-conditioned areas. If the season is winter, you can keep the heating somewhat low to maintain a constant temperature for the best recovery.

Keep Your Head Elevated

When you consult your surgeon, you will find it slightly strange when they discuss your sleeping habits, but you should know that this is something important for the recovery phase. Most probably, your surgeon will recommend that you keep your head high when you sleep, with pillow supports, keep your back straight when sitting in the car and watching TV. As you keep your face and head at an elevated level, this helps to reduce the buildup or the exertion of pressure on the facelift areas as it heals. For some days, if you follow this, you will end up noticing the flow of blood moving away, and the swelling will subside.

Rest Well

As you have your pillows all set at a higher level, the next thing you need to focus on is getting enough rest. You should know that healing is necessary and something that our body does all on its own. One of the best ways to achieve this is through ample sleep and rest, which will help your body to relax and prepare you for healing post the facelift.

Rest assured that healing after the facelift surgery could be a quick process of healing. You have to prepare yourself that post the surgery; you will make the most of the postoperative time and let your skin heal in the best way. Before you decide to go under the knife, you should consider discussing all your options with your plastic surgeon and be sure they guide you well on the recovery and surgery details. Follow all the care tips they provide you and implement them well.