Having a facelift is an exciting experience. It can also feel slightly stressful. Patients know that they will need to schedule some time off and that they may experience some short-term side effects from surgery. On the other side of these minor inconveniences, though, are years of looking and feeling younger and more attractive. We know our patients want to gather all the details they can about their facelift experience before the day of their procedure. Here, we discuss two specific mistakes that we hope all of our patients can avoid as they heal from their surgery.

Mistake #1 – “Wait and See”

There are some situations in life where we can take a “wait and see” approach. After a facelift is not the time. And yet, it is something too many patients do. What are they waiting to see? How they tolerate pain. If you see a facelift in your future, now is the time to commit to taking pain medication as prescribed, regardless of how good you feel on surgery day. There is a reason for the comfort that is felt once patients return home from their procedure, anesthesia. Facelift surgery is often performed under general anesthesia. This blunts pain reception in the brain and can last for several hours. Feeling good at home after a facelift is something we want to last, which is why the first dose of pain medication is often taken before the full effects of anesthesia wear off. Don’t wait and see how uncomfortable you may get after a facelift. Take pain medication as prescribed and avoid unnecessary stress.

Mistake #2 – Not being Selfish

People who schedule a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure often struggle with feeling selfish, at least to some degree. This sense of needing to put rest and recovery on the back burner can kick in strongly once at home and amid family, pets, and chores. If you are used to taking care of everyone else’s needs before your own, expect to face some level of guilt. When you expect it, you can understand that it is a normal effect of devoting time to your healing and you can process it healthily. Remind yourself that, in a week or two, you will be right back to your normal routine and you’ll feel even better than you did before because you’ve prioritized your needs, too.

Looking younger often goes hand-in-hand with feeling more confident and alive. To explore facial rejuvenation, contact our Denver office at (303) 839-1616 for an appointment.