Will My Face Feel Different After a Facelift?

Will My Face Feel Different After a Facelift?

Age is inescapable but not wholly impossible to hide. We all age, and the signs of aging often start to show long before we get to where they are impossible to hide. It is possible to temporarily hide the signs at these junctures or through more complex procedures. Makeup is one of the most popular temporary solutions. But it washes off, and often, it can look overdone. 

On the other hand, a procedure like a facelift is a complex solution with more long-lasting effects. A facelift can eliminate the most obvious signs of aging. It mainly affects the face and neck by removing sagging skin, wrinkles, and jowls. The results from the procedure may take some time to manifest, but you will see them as you heal. 
 

How Does a Facelift Affect Your Facial Skin?

The Facelift Procedure

A facelift procedure addresses two main sets of tissues—the face and neck tissues. On the face, your plastic surgeon lifts two flaps of the skin on either side of the face to reveal underlying tissues. They eliminate all the excess tissues that make you look older. They then make alterations to the tissues to give a more youthful look. 

Your plastic surgeon may also address the excess tissues and fat in the neck using a neck lift. They will eliminate the excess fat and skin to improve the contouring of the jawline. Despite their effectiveness, these procedures will not eliminate all signs of aging, especially those resulting from sun damage. 

Effects a Facelift

After a facelift, you will wake up with bandages around your face. You may also have drains attached to specific parts of your face. The bandages are meant to keep the bruising and swelling resulting from the procedure down. You may feel some pain during the first few hours after the procedure.

Numbness

After the pain subsides, you may notice numbness or a complete loss of feeling. You may also have tingling sensations around the spots where the surgeon made their incisions. Some patients say the feeling is similar to when your arm or leg “falls asleep.”

What Causes This Alteration in Feeling?

Several things can lead to this change in skin sensations after the procedure. Here are some common reasons.

Anesthesia

Your plastic surgeon's anesthesia is the biggest reason for feeling numbness after a facelift procedure. While this can feel weird, it is a good thing. The numbness helps reduce the discomfort you may feel from the procedure. If you are experiencing this type of numbness, it will usually fade away after a few hours. 

Nerve Damage

The face is a sea of nerves that run across to help activate muscles in the face and communicate sensations. Most of these may become interfered with during a facelift, significantly altering facial tissues. The nerves may take some time to regenerate and restructure according to your new look. 

The Incisions

Your plastic surgeon's incisions may also lead to some nerve damage at the sites. It is a common occurrence in all surgeries. You should have a feeling restored after a few months.
 

For more on how and why your face may feel different after a facelift, call Scott Harris, MD, in Plano at 972-736-9600 to discuss questions today.