Facelift recovery — week by week

What healing actually looks like — week by week — for facelift.

Recovery timeline

1. Days 0–2
   Drains placed in most cases. Compression wrap. Pain typically less than expected — soreness more than pain.
2. Week 1
   Drains and most sutures removed by day 7. Bruising peaks day 3–5, fades through week 2.
3. Weeks 2–3
   Most public-comfortable by week 3. Some patients return to work day 10–14 with scarves and makeup.
4. Weeks 4–8
   Tightness, lumps, and numbness gradually resolve. Massage often prescribed.
5. Months 3–6
   Final result emerges. Scars mature from pink to skin-tone.
6. Years 7–12
   Deep plane facelifts last 10+ years; SMAS typically 7–10. Aging continues from the new baseline.

Quick reference

Back to work

2–3 weeks for desk; longer for client-facing roles.

What's normal vs. what to call about

Some swelling, bruising, asymmetry, numbness, and tightness are expected in the first weeks. Sudden severe pain, fever above 101°F, drainage, spreading redness, or one-sided swelling that worsens after improving warrant a same-day call to your surgeon.

See facelift results across the recovery curve on the main Facelift page.