Autumn offers many things to look forward to: Cooler days, the scent of frost in the morning, ripe pumpkins, and cozy socks and sweaters. For those interested in having facelift surgery, fall has the added advantage of providing a convenient, comfortable recovery period.
3 Reasons Why Fall is a Great Time to Have a Facelift
1. Finding recovery time is easier between September and November.
Most Americans feel like they’re busy almost all year long, and for good reason: Between summer and winter holidays, spring break, and peak times at work, finding time for rest and relaxation often proves challenging. Fortunately, for parents, in particular, fall provides something of a reprieve from constant activity. After September, any children you have will be back at school, making childcare help a bit easier to arrange. (You’ll need someone to assist you at home for a couple of days after you have a facelift.) At the same time, both your child’s school and your workplace will be in a post-vacation lull.
Keep in mind that many patients prefer to take one to two weeks off work if they’re having a full facelift. Facelift recovery isn’t usually uncomfortable (as long as patients consume soft foods and take their pain medication on schedule), but some patients experience redness and swelling that lasts from 10 to 14 days. For aesthetic reasons, you might want to remain at home until the signs of facial swelling completely subside. (Note that the recovery time required after a mini facelift is typically much shorter. Most patients return to work just seven days after having a mini facelift.)
3. Covering incisions is easier during the cooler months.
Facelift incisions are usually made along the hairline and around the ears so that visible scarring is greatly reduced. Still, patients need to take certain precautions in order to ensure that their scars fade away over time. Foremost among these precautions is avoiding direct sun exposure: Sun damage is the number one cause of thickened, darkened, and raised scar tissue.
For best results, you should keep your face protected any time you go outdoors, even on cloudy days. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and a medical grade sunscreen with a high SPF value. (You may also want to wear a scarf, both for added protection and to hide any facial swelling you’re experiencing.) You should make sure to limit your sun exposure as long as your incisions are pink. Incisions are still vulnerable to sun damage for several weeks after they have closed up.
3. Having surgery in the fall will help you prepare for the holidays.
Facelift surgery can take up to three months to completely “settle,” but most of this process is completed within six weeks post-surgery. As such, if you have a facelift in September, you can rest assured that you’ll look completely revitalized by the time the winter holidays arrive.
Autumn is already on our doorstep, so if you’d like to have facelift surgery this year, you should act quickly. To begin your personal transformation, contact Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg either online or via the telephone at (540) 371-7730. If you’re a resident of Virginia, we’ll be happy to help you achieve the youthful, graceful results you deserve.
