Many patients can’t wait to show off their new look to their friends after getting facial plastic surgery. However, it’s important to give yourself adequate time to recover. In this post, Mt. Vernon facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Grant, M.D., F.A.C.S., discusses how soon you can expect to socialize after getting facial plastic surgery.
Plan for Two Weeks of Recovery
A two-week recovery period is a general rule of thumb for most types of facial plastic surgery. After your procedure, you may be dealing with the following issues:
- Your face is swollen or bruised and you need to give it time to heal.
- You may feel some pain, tightness or numbness.
- You may need to take pain medication, which may cause you to feel groggy or lethargic.
- You may need to sleep upright or with your head elevated, which some people find challenging.
Because of all these factors, you may not be looking or feeling your best immediately after surgery. You may have less energy than usual. It’s certainly not recommended to schedule a facial cosmetic procedure within two weeks of an important social event.
You should expect to take time off of work and social activities. Some people even plan their surgeries around holidays since they will already have some days off of work or school.
Recovery Time Can Vary
Several factors can affect your recovery time. First, different procedures have different recovery times. An ear surgery or an eyelid surgery may require a week to 10 days for recovery, while a facelift should take closer to two weeks.
Recovery time can also vary from person to person. You can avoid missing important events by planning ahead and giving yourself a buffer in your schedule.
If you have a big vacation, wedding, or business meeting coming up, schedule your surgery well in advance to prevent complications. If your recovery takes a little longer than expected, you’ll still be ready for your important social event.
If you want to be fully recovered by a certain date, tell your plastic surgeon about your concerns before you schedule your facial cosmetic surgery procedure.
Get Your Facial Plastic Surgery Questions Answered
Learn more about what you can expect from facial plastic surgery during a consultation with Dr. Grant. Schedule your consultation at our Mount Vernon office by calling (360) 336-1947 today.
