Recovery after aesthetic surgery

Before you read this, and especially if you have only incipient signs of aging, I recommend to learn to know about home made microneedling. If I had got to know microneedling at an earlier stage, I think that I could have postponed the surgical operations for a couple of years ahead.

The recommended recovery time ("representation condition") is usually 2-4 weeks. I haven't been away from work after any operation for more than 9 days (computer work). Depending on the kind of operation, I have still had some small swelling when returned to work. Bruises also, but it is always possible to cover them with make-up. It takes about six weeks for the bruises to disappear.

Below you can see tips on how to cover the marks.

4 days post-operation,  without make-up	4 days post-operation,  with make-up
8 days post-operation,  without make-up	8 days post-operation,  with make-up
5 weeks post-operation,  without make-up

 

How I have covered the bruises after operation

The secret is to combinate wet and dry products, which makes the make-up layer cover up the marks very effectively, and also makes it very durable. Here is the "recipe" by which I have achieved the situation in the pictures above.

1. First put the basic cream that you normally use. 
2. After this, put light pink powder rouge. The rouge will sink in into your pores and give a light pink tone to your skin, which at this moment probably is either dark or yellowy. 
3. Put concealer over the rouge. 
4. If needed, you can make another layer of rouge and concealer. 
5. Finally powder. 
6. If your eyes are bruised, use dark (lilac) or reddish eye shadow; the bruises will "drown" into these tones very well. I have even done such a manner, that a few days after the operation, I used eye shadow on one eyelid, and nothing at the other, since on the other eyelid I already had natural eye shadow: ie a bruise. 😉

Get the products in advance and make sure that they cover enough and that they are durable enough. You can test for exampel on a bruise or a birthmark.

Additionally, especially if you have swelling, it's a good idea to start using eyeglasses in advance (if you don't have glasses from before). You will find fake glasses for a few euros from the department store. And of course there are more expensive too. The glasses will hide any kind of marks very effectively. Your hairdo may also have a great impact. Long hair is of course an advantage.

Scars

The surgeon always strive to place the scars in as invisible places as possible, taking into account the direction of the natural convolutions of the skin. Depending on the operation, the scars can be placed in the scalp, in which case they are of course covered by your hair. The cut in a facelift, will start from the temples (in the hair), above the ears, along the front line of the ears and behind the ears.

2 days	4 days
7 days	2 ½ months
6 months	1 year

The scab protects the wound, and the skin recovers itself behind it. So don't remove the scab, but let it be there until it come loose by itself. If you remove the scab too early, it might take with it tissue that is about to form new skin, and there might remain a small hollow in the skin. When the scab comes loose by itself for example when washing, it means that the recovery process of the wound is at a point when there is no more use for the scab.

Hematoma

After my facelift, I got a complication called hematoma, in other words a bleeding under my skin. If you want to read more about it, have a look here.