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Facelift: What Recovery Really Looks Like, Day by Day
Episode 68
Published 2 weeks ago
Description
Most people know what a facelift looks like on the outside. Almost nobody talks about the weeks in between — the swelling, the numbness, the moment a worried spouse finally exhales.
Dr. James Koehler walks through the real timeline: the 24-hour dressing change, why he skips drains, when stitches come out, and how long bruising actually takes to settle.
The most counterintuitive part might be the six-week mark. Many people look camera-ready by then, but the last of the swelling under the chin doesn't fully resolve for three to six months — and comparing a one-week photo to a friend's isn't a fair test of how surgery went.
Koehler also covers what almost never comes up before surgery: temporary numbness around the ears, the rare nerve bruising that can affect a smile for a few weeks, and why spouses tend to worry more than the person having the procedure.
Read more about the deep plane facelift: https://www.easternshoreplasticsurgery.com/face/face-lift/
Questions answered by this episode:
Have a question for Dr. Koehler, Dr. Gardner or Kirstin? Record your voicemail at alabamathebeautifulpodcast.com and we'll answer it on the podcast.
Eastern Shore Cosmetic Surgery is located off Highway 98 at 7541 Cipriano Ct in Fairhope, Alabama. To learn more about the practice or ask a question, go to easternshoreplasticsurgery.com
Follow the team on Instagram @easternshorecosmeticsurgery
Watch Dr. Koehler, Dr. Gardner & Kirstin on YouTube @JamesKoehlerMD
Alabama The Beautiful is a production of The Axis: theaxis.io
Theme music: Never Need a Reason, Guy Trevino and Friends
Dr. James Koehler walks through the real timeline: the 24-hour dressing change, why he skips drains, when stitches come out, and how long bruising actually takes to settle.
The most counterintuitive part might be the six-week mark. Many people look camera-ready by then, but the last of the swelling under the chin doesn't fully resolve for three to six months — and comparing a one-week photo to a friend's isn't a fair test of how surgery went.
Koehler also covers what almost never comes up before surgery: temporary numbness around the ears, the rare nerve bruising that can affect a smile for a few weeks, and why spouses tend to worry more than the person having the procedure.
Read more about the deep plane facelift: https://www.easternshoreplasticsurgery.com/face/face-lift/
Questions answered by this episode:
- What happens during the first 24 hours after a facelift?
- Do you need someone to stay with you the first night after a facelift?
- When do facelift stitches or sutures come out?
- How long does bruising and swelling last after a facelift?
- Does a deep plane facelift require drains?
- When can you shower and wash your hair after a facelift?
- Are you camera-ready six weeks after a facelift?
- Is numbness normal after a facelift, and how long does it last?
- Can a facelift affect your smile or facial nerves?
- How long before facelift swelling fully resolves — three months or six?
Have a question for Dr. Koehler, Dr. Gardner or Kirstin? Record your voicemail at alabamathebeautifulpodcast.com and we'll answer it on the podcast.
Eastern Shore Cosmetic Surgery is located off Highway 98 at 7541 Cipriano Ct in Fairhope, Alabama. To learn more about the practice or ask a question, go to easternshoreplasticsurgery.com
Follow the team on Instagram @easternshorecosmeticsurgery
Watch Dr. Koehler, Dr. Gardner & Kirstin on YouTube @JamesKoehlerMD
Alabama The Beautiful is a production of The Axis: theaxis.io
Theme music: Never Need a Reason, Guy Trevino and Friends