Facelift and Vertical Restore Recovery Timeline, Week by Week

After a facelift or a Vertical Restore facelift, bruising and swelling peak in the first few days, stitches are usually out within about two weeks, and many people feel ready to be seen socially after three to four weeks. Swelling keeps settling for months, so the real before and after result can only be judged fairly at around six months to a year. Your own timeline depends on the technique, whether the neck and fat grafting were included, your health and how you heal.

This guide follows recovery stage by stage, from the first night to the one-year mark, so you can plan your stay in Turkey and know what is normal. Plastic Surgery Turkey Group (PSTG) coordinates the travel, accommodation and follow-up, and the treating surgeon at a contracted healthcare institution in Istanbul or Antalya gives your personal aftercare instructions. For the procedure itself, see our facelift techniques and options page.

Facelift recovery at a glance#

The table is a typical pattern, not a schedule. Follow your surgeon's instructions where they differ.

Week 1: the first days after surgery#

What you may experience#

You may spend the first night in hospital so that blood pressure, the dressings and any drains can be checked; your surgeon will tell you what is planned. Swelling, tightness and bruising around the cheeks, jaw and neck are normal, and they often increase over the first two or three days before they start to settle. Tightness around the ears and jaw is usually part of swelling and healing; tell your surgeon if one side tightens suddenly.

Discomfort is usually managed with the medicines the surgeon prescribes. The head dressing and any drains may be removed within the first days, and your surgeon will tell you when; the surgeon checks the incisions during the first week. Some stitches may come out towards the end of the week.

Care tips#

• Keep your head raised when resting and sleeping, as your surgeon advises.
• Use cold compresses around the treated areas if you are told to.
• Take the prescribed medicines exactly as directed, and do not add painkillers or supplements without asking.
• Walk gently several times a day to help circulation.
• Avoid bending over, lifting and turning your neck sharply.
• Do not remove dressings or a compression garment unless you are told to.

Week 2: bruising fades and stitches come out#

What you may experience#

In the second week, bruising usually fades from purple to yellow-green and swelling starts to go down, although the face can still look uneven from one side to the other. The remaining stitches are usually removed in this period. Numbness or a tight feeling near the ears and along the jaw is common and normally improves as the nerves in the skin recover over the following months.

Care tips#

• Keep sleeping with your head raised.
• Clean the incision lines exactly as you were shown.
• Make-up can often be used to cover discoloration once the stitches are out and the wounds have closed, but ask first.
• Keep up gentle walks and avoid strenuous activity.

Flying home#

Many patients plan around ten days to two weeks in Turkey, so that stitches can be removed and early healing checked before the flight. The surgeon decides when you are fit to fly, based on your wounds, swelling and your risk of blood clots. Swelling can increase a little during a flight. Ask about compression stockings, walking in the aisle and drinking enough water, and do not book a return flight until the date has been confirmed.

Weeks 3 to 4: settling into your new look#

What you may experience#

By the third week, most of the bruising has gone and the face starts to look normal to people who do not know about the surgery. The jawline looks clearer and the neck smoother, although you may still feel tightness when you smile or turn your head. Small firm areas under the skin are common as the tissues heal and usually soften over the next few months.

Care tips#

• Start gentle lymphatic massage only if your surgeon recommends it.
• Protect the scars and the treated skin from the sun with a high-factor sunscreen and a hat.
• Keep incisions clean and use scar gel or silicone only if recommended.
• Avoid strenuous exercise until your surgeon says you can resume it.

Month 2: back to routine#

At six to eight weeks, most people are back to their daily routine, and many return to more demanding work and to exercise as the surgeon allows. Swelling is usually small at rest, although it can still come and go with heat, salt or a long day. The scars are often still pink and are easy to cover with make-up or hair.

Keep up scar care, eat well with enough protein, and attend the follow-up you have arranged, whether in person or by video call.

Months 3 to 4: refinement#

By three to four months, most of the remaining swelling has gone and the contours of the jaw and neck are clearer. Scar redness continues to fade and sensation around the ears and cheeks usually keeps returning, although some areas can stay altered for longer. Many people feel comfortable in photographs and at social events by this point.

Month 6: a fair before and after#

Around six months, most of the swelling has settled and the face moves naturally. This is usually the earliest point at which before and after photos give a fair picture of the result. Scars are generally paler and flatter, although they keep maturing for up to a year and sometimes longer.

Month 12: the mature result#

By one year, the tissues have settled and scars are usually at their final appearance, typically as fine lines along the ear and in the hairline. How visible they are depends on your skin, how you heal and whether there was tension on the skin. The face continues to age from its new starting point, and how long the improvement stays visible depends on your skin, age, weight stability, sun exposure and smoking.

How Vertical Restore and fat grafting change the timeline#

A Vertical Restore facelift follows the same overall recovery as other facelifts. A few differences are worth knowing:

• Mid-face swelling. Because the cheeks are lifted as well as the jawline, swelling in the mid-face and around the lower eyelids can take a little longer to settle for some patients.
• Fat-grafted areas. If fat has been placed in the cheeks, temples or folds, these areas often look fuller at first. Part of the fat is reabsorbed over the first months, so the volume you see at one month is not the final result.
• The donor area. The place where fat was taken, often the abdomen or thighs, is bruised and sore for a while, as after liposuction.
• Massage. Ask before massaging any grafted area, because some surgeons prefer you to leave it alone at first.

Claims that one technique heals much faster than another are not well supported, so plan your time off around the overall pattern above. Our comparison of Vertical Restore and traditional facelifts explains how the two approaches differ.

When to contact your surgeon straight away#

Some symptoms are not part of normal healing. Contact the surgical team, or local emergency services if you are already home, if you notice:

• swelling that suddenly increases on one side, especially with pain or tightness, which can be a sign of a haematoma;
• bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure;
• fever, spreading redness, warmth or discharge from a wound;
• skin that turns dark or very pale near the incisions;
• new weakness of the face, such as difficulty closing an eye or an uneven smile;
• pain, swelling or warmth in a calf, chest pain or shortness of breath, which need urgent assessment.

Keep the contact details and your operation notes with you, especially when you travel.

Scars and how they mature#

Facelift incisions usually run in or along the temple hairline, in the natural crease in front of the ear, around the earlobe and behind the ear into the hairline. A neck lift may add a small incision under the chin. When the skin is closed without tension, scars often heal as fine lines that become paler and flatter over six to twelve months.

Scars are never completely invisible, and how they heal varies between people. Some skin types are more prone to thick or raised scars, and smoking slows healing. Protect scars from the sun for the first year and use silicone gel or sheets if your surgeon recommends them.

Reading before and after photos at each stage#

A photo taken a week after surgery shows swelling and bruising, not the result. Photos at one to three months still include some swelling, especially along the jaw and in any fat-grafted areas. Fair comparisons are usually taken at six months or later, from the same angles, in the same light and without heavy make-up.

The facelift before and after gallery shows real patients at different points of healing. Each photo shows one person, so use it to understand what is realistic rather than as a promise. Our complete Vertical Restore guide lists what to check in photos, such as earlobe position and the area in front of the ear.

The emotional side of recovery#

Feeling low or impatient in the first week or two is common. The face is swollen, bruised and may look uneven, and it is hard to judge anything yet. This usually improves as the swelling goes down and you start to recognise yourself again. If low mood lasts or worries you, tell your surgeon or your own doctor.

Keeping your result#

• Sun protection. Ultraviolet light speeds up skin ageing, so daily sunscreen helps protect the result.
• Stable weight. Large changes in weight can affect how the face and neck look.
• No smoking. Nicotine slows healing in the first weeks and speeds up skin ageing afterwards.
• Skincare and non-surgical treatments. A facelift does not change skin texture, fine lines or pigmentation, so some people add treatments for these later, as their doctor advises.
• Follow-up. Keep your follow-up appointments, including video calls after you fly home, and report anything unusual.

Planning your stay around recovery#

Most people plan around ten days to two weeks in Turkey, arrive a day or two before the pre-operative checks, and bring a companion for the first few days. PSTG coordinates the practical side: consultations before and after the operation, hotel accommodation, airport and hospital transfers, an interpreter or assistant, 24/7 support and virtual follow-up after you return home. Ask for copies of your operation notes and medicines list so that your own doctor can take over care if needed. If you are still deciding where to have surgery, our article on facelift aftercare in Turkey compared with the UK and US covers the trade-offs.

Recovery is easier when you plan enough time and know what to expect at each stage. If you would like your photos reviewed and a recovery plan explained for your case, you can contact us for a free, no-obligation assessment.