Facelift Scars and Healing Time

Scarring following facelift surgery varies from patient to patient and is dependent upon a multitudes of variables. These include the skin type of the patient, the wound healing characteristics of the patient, type of facelift performed, and the technical skill of the surgeon.

The surgeon can influence several of these variables, but unfortunately has no control over a patient’s wound healing biology and skin type. Darker and oilier skin tends to take longer to heal and stays red for a longer period of time. For these reasons, plastic surgeons make every effort to place scars where they’re well hidden when performing facelifts. In the vast majority of patients, these wounds heal nicely and the scars are difficult to see.

It is common for scars to fully mature for up to a year. With the passage of time, skin redness and raised scars usually flatten and lose their redness. This improvement becomes noticeable in about six to eight weeks, but takes 12 to 18 months to reach completion.

There are a few things that may help expedite the healing:

1) Scar massage and topical agents can sometimes facilitate wound healing and are often recommended in the postoperative period
2) Silicone sheets or scar gels for about six months to a year
3) Fractionated lasers to help blend the scar into the background starting about 4 weeks after surgery and repeated every four weeks for six months
4) Sunscreen to prevent the scars from darkening

Learn more about facelifts by calling our Newport Beach, California office at (949) 777-6883 for a complimentary consultation.