Once you have decided to have a facelift, you will have several weeks to prepare for your surgery. If you’re preparing for a facelift, here are 9 expert tips to help you feel ready for your procedure.
As you age, the skin begins to lose elasticity, it’s more prone to sagging, and wrinkles start to form. These signs of ageing are especially visible on the neck and face. Unfortunately, no one can escape the ageing process altogether. But many people opt to have a facelift to reverse the clock and improve their appearance.
What is a Facelift?
A facelift or rhytidectomy aims to restore the youthful appearance of the face and leave you feeling rejuvenated. During the procedure, your surgeon will tighten the underlying muscle and lift the skin from the face. They will then reposition the skin and remove any excess skin. The sutures that hold the skin in place are at the hairline to keep any scarring to an absolute minimum. As with any surgery, there are potential facelift risks, including but not limited to:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Numbness
- Unfavourable scarring
- Skin irregularities
- Asymmetrical results
You can expect a facelift to take around 2 hours, with full recovery taking about 6 weeks. You will see the final result in 4 months or so, and any scars will continue to fade throughout the following year.
Your Facelift Consultation at the Harley Clinic
The first step in preparing for a facelift is booking your consultation. This is a one-on-one appointment between you and your plastic surgeon. Initially, they will help you figure out if a facelift is right for you. To do this, you will talk about your concerns, expectations, and medical history. Your consultation is an important time to get to know your doctor and ask as many questions as needed. You should leave your cosmetic surgery consultation with complete confidence in your plastic surgeon. You can expect to cover the following:
- Review your health and medical history
- Discuss treatment options, risks, and side effects
- Talk about how much a facelift costs and finance options
- Look at facelift before and after images
- Talk about your expectation and concerns
- You will understand the whole process from start to finish
Preparing for a Facelift: 9 Expert Tips
1. Quit Smoking
Nicotine restricts blood flow and can increase the risk of complications during surgery. Any type of nicotine is off-limits in the run-up to your surgery. Smoking can also make your skin look older and more wrinkled.
2. Meal Prep
It’s a good idea to make healthy food choices before and after your surgery. To give yourself the best chance to recover, meal prep some healthy meals for after your facelift. You need to have ample rest, and this helps to take the hassle out of cooking.
3. Share Your Medical History
Make sure you share your medical history with your plastic surgeon. Discuss any current medications and medical history so that you can get the best and most relevant advice.
4. Maintain Healthy Habits
Follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly. As with any cosmetic treatment, you should be in good health before surgery to achieve the best results.
5. Discuss Your Expectations
Your plastic surgeon should give you a realistic expectation of what you can expect from your surgery. It’s important to have this conversation so that you can prepare for the outcome.
6. Avoid Alcohol
In general, you should avoid drinking alcohol five days before your surgery. While you may want a glass of wine to calm the nerves, alcohol can thin the blood and increase the risk of excessive bleeding during surgery.
7. Follow Your Surgeon’s Instructions
Your plastic surgeon is an expert in cosmetic treatments. A thorough assessment and consultation mean they can give you the best instructions to prepare for your surgery. It’s essential that you follow the pre and post-op preparation and recovery instructions.
8. Arrange Help
Before your facelift, arrange help from a partner, family member or friend. This will include driving you home from the procedure and staying with you for the first few days while you recover.
9. Financial Preparations
You will need to prepare to finance your facelift. Fortunately, there are several ways you can finance cosmetic procedures at the Harley Clinic. You can find out more about our finance options here.
Preparing for a Facelift: The Day of Your Surgery
When preparing for a facelift, there are things you need to do in the weeks running up to the procedure like stop smoking and arrange help for your facelift recovery. On the day of your surgery, the time has come for your facelift. At this point, you will have prepared your recovery space and feel a combination of nerves and excitement. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your facelift on the day of your surgery:
- Bring loose clothes that are easy to get on and off your head. Avoid anything tight that you have to pull over your head, as the area will be sensitive after your procedure.
- The surgery itself will last a few hours. Your plastic surgeon will give you an estimate of time, so expect the procedure to last for a few hours.
- You will be administered with some anaesthetic and monitored, so expect to feel tired after your surgery.
- After the facelift is complete, you will wake up in a recovery room. Once your surgeon gives you the all-clear, you will be able to go home to start your recovery.
Combining Your Facelift with Other Cosmetic Procedures
When talking about anti-ageing procedures, a facelift is often top of the list and for a good reason. Choosing to undergo multiple procedures can maximise your surgery and recovery time. It’s common to combine a facelift with another cosmetic procedure, like:
- Eyelid surgery
- Neck lift
- Brow lift
By preparing for a facelift properly, you can put yourself in the strongest position to allow your body to recover and achieve the safest and best results possible.
If you’re considering a facelift, contact the team at the Harley Clinic to book a consultation today.
