Face & neck · Vancouver and North Vancouver
Facelift Recovery, Week by Week
Comfortable out in public at about a month.
Facelift recovery with Dr. Thomas Buonassisi, MD, FRCSC, Specialist in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, with a practice limited to facial plastic surgeries: the dressing and staples, bruising and the tight feeling, when you can work, exercise and fly, and how long your face takes to settle. In his words, and in his videos.
The first step is a complimentary, friendly call with a patient care manager.
At a glance
Facelift recovery time, in short
Confirmed by Dr. Buonassisi, November 2026.
- Dressing
- Worn for the week after surgery, then as much as is comfortable for a few weeks
- Staples
- Out at your one-week visit with Dr. Buonassisi
- Pain
- Generally not a very painful surgery to recover from; pain is manageable with the medication you're prescribed
- Bruising
- Turns yellow and is easier to cover about two weeks after surgery
- Tight feeling
- Turning your head feels tight for a couple of weeks; some tightness lasts a few months
- Exercise
- Walks at one week; the gym, without heavy lifting, at three weeks
- Flying
- Fine within a couple of days, though it can add some swelling
- Back to work
- Usually 3 to 4 weeks, depending on your job (about 6 weeks for on-camera work)
- Out in public
- Comfortable at about a month
- Final result
- At 3 to 6 months, and still settling for about a year
Hear it from Dr. Buonassisi
Facelift recovery videos
Filmed at 8 West: Dr. Buonassisi on what recovery takes, and one patient's visit a week after her facelift, as her staples come out.
3:06Recovering from a facelift
Swelling, bruising and feeling tight, how the amount of surgery shapes your recovery, and when people go back to work.
One week after · 3:07What a face looks like at one week
Her dressing is off and her staples are coming out. Dr. Buonassisi points out the puffiness, bruising and tightness that are normal at this stage.
One week after · 2:26What you can do at one week, and at three
Skin products, makeup, hair colour, flying, swimming and the gym.
One week after · 2:50Her one-week follow-up
How her week went, what Dr. Buonassisi checks for, and how long to wear the dressing.
Week by week
The weeks after a facelift
How much surgery you have plays a part, so every recovery is a little different. This is the usual pattern Dr. Buonassisi describes.
- Week oneYou wear the dressing, rest and take short walks. Bruising, swelling and a tight feeling are normal, and turning your head is hard.
- At one weekYour staples come out at your visit with Dr. Buonassisi. Most skin products and makeup that is easy to remove are fine; keep anything off the incisions for a couple more weeks. No running, long bending over, saunas or getting overheated.
- About two weeksBruising turns yellow and is easier to cover.
- Three weeksHair colour, swimming in a pool (not hot tubs) and the gym, without heavy lifting.
- Three to four weeksMost people are back at work, depending on the job, and the face looks more natural. On camera, give it about 6 weeks.
- About a monthComfortable out in public. Puffiness under the eyes keeps easing for 4 to 6 weeks.
- The next monthsSome numbness where the skin was lifted is expected, and it usually gets better with time. Some tightness can last a few months.
- 3 to 6 monthsThe final result, and things keep settling for about a year.
Dr. Buonassisi gives you your own instructions and sees you for follow-up visits as you heal.
Facelift stories
Jenn's facelift recovery
Jenn Sheaves, RN, filmed her own deep plane facelift recovery: her visit a week after surgery, a lymphatic drainage massage at three weeks, and how those weeks went.
0:45Her follow-up, a week on
Dr. Buonassisi checks her incisions and bruising, and Jenn talks about the two days after surgery.
1:32Where her incisions sit
In front of the ear, behind the earlobe and at the hairline, shown by Dr. Buonassisi as they heal.
2:32Jenn at three weeks
Swelling, sleeping propped up, lingering bruising, and what she found hardest.
0:23Her lymphatic drainage massage
Jenn, three weeks after her facelift, at a lymphatic drainage massage.
Coming from out of town
Travelling to Vancouver for a facelift
Your consultation with Dr. Buonassisi can be in person or virtual, so you can meet him before you book a trip.
Your staples come out at your one-week visit, so plan your stay around it. Flying is fine within a couple of days of surgery, though it can add some swelling. A patient care manager can help you time your trip and your follow-up visits.
Coming from the United States? Read about having a facelift in Canada.
The consultation with Dr. Buonassisi has a fee. The call with a patient care manager before it is complimentary.
Questions
Facelift recovery questions
The guide
The Essential Guide to Facial Rejuvenation
It answers the questions most people have before a facelift consultation, with drawings and short videos from Dr. Buonassisi. Inside:
- The deep plane facelift and the neck, explained, with drawings of where the incisions go
- Jenn's facelift recovery, week by week, with a short video at each stage
- Eyes, brows and the lip lift, with before-and-after photos
- Cost and financing, and your next steps
More about facelifts
Facelift surgery with Dr. Buonassisi
A facelift is often done with a neck lift, and sometimes with a lip lift at the same time.
Two clinics
Find us in Vancouver and North Vancouver
8 West Clinic is at 1788 W Broadway in Vancouver and 221 West Esplanade in North Vancouver. Financing is available through partner companies, and we can help you choose an option that fits your budget.
Every patient is unique and treatment results vary.
Get the Conversation Started
Tell us what you're interested in, and a member of our team will call you for a complimentary, friendly conversation. We'll answer your questions and help you figure out your next step, with no commitment.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
We strive to provide quality services and care in a timely manner. If you require a faster response or have not heard back from us within 2–3 business days, please call us directly at 604-733-1669.