Facelift Recovery Tips | No Drains, Less Downtime
Heal Faster, Feel Better, Look Your Best
Facelift recovery doesn’t have to be difficult. At Balikian Facial Plastic Surgery, we’ve reimagined the healing process with state-of-the-art techniques and advanced care protocols that help patients recover faster, with less swelling, less discomfort, and no surgical drains.
Whether you’re preparing for surgery or already scheduled for a facelift, here’s what you need to know about recovering the right way.
What to Expect After a Facelift
Dr. Balikian’s signature procedure, the Artiste Lift™, uses a preservation deep plane facelift technique that minimizes tissue trauma. Because less skin is lifted, and everything is stabilized using fibrin glue instead of deep stitches or drains, most patients experience:
- Little to no bruising after the first few days
- Significantly less swelling
- No need for a bulky head wrap after the first night
- A quicker return to work and social life
Many patients begin to see the contours of their face within 5 to 7 days, and final results continue to refine over the next several months.
Top Tips for Facelift Recovery
To help you recover as quickly and comfortably as possible, Dr. Balikian recommends the following facelift recovery tips that go beyond standard advice.
- Avoid Blood Thinners - Stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, and other anti-inflammatory medications at least two weeks before surgery, unless advised otherwise by your doctor. This reduces bleeding during surgery and lowers your risk of swelling and hematoma formation.
- Use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy - We often recommend hyperbaric oxygen chamber sessions before and after surgery. Just 2 treatments before and 3 treatments after can improve your healing response by up to 30%.
- Skip the Head Wrap - With Dr. Balikian’s facelift technique, you only need to wear a wrap the first night. After that, it’s removed, giving your skin space to breathe and heal without irritation.
- Sleep Flat on Your Back - Instead of sleeping elevated, we recommend lying flat. This directs swelling toward the back of the neck where it can drain more efficiently, reducing puffiness under the chin.
By following these expert guidelines, you can significantly improve your facelift recovery experience and enjoy your refreshed results with less downtime.
Light Therapy for Faster Facelift Healing
One of the most innovative ways we support facelift recovery is through advanced light-based therapy, used both before and after surgery to enhance your body’s natural healing process.
These painless, non-invasive treatments use targeted wavelengths of light to prepare the skin, reduce inflammation, and speed tissue repair.
At Balikian Facial Plastic Surgery, light therapy is a key part of our protocol for minimizing downtime and maximizing your results.
Pre-Op Preparation: Blue Light Detox Therapy
Before your surgery, we utilize a blue light treatment designed to deeply cleanse the skin and create the healthiest possible surgical environment. This visible 400-nanometer wavelength targets harmful bacteria, regulates oil production, and detoxifies the skin without the need for harsh chemicals or antibiotics.
How It Works
Here’s how blue light therapy prepares your skin before surgery, creating a clean, balanced environment that promotes smoother healing and reduces post-operative complications:
- Reacts with bacterial porphyrins to kill harmful microbes on the skin’s surface
- Regulates sebaceous gland activity to reduce excess oil and congestion
- Minimizes the risk of infection and inflammation following surgery
- Calms redness and irritation in sensitive skin types
This treatment not only reduces the bacterial load on the skin but also leaves it balanced and soothed, so when the first incision is made, your skin is in an optimal state to heal cleanly and efficiently.
Post-Op Healing: Yellow Light Cellular Repair Therapy
After surgery, we shift to yellow light therapy, which penetrates the skin at a depth of 1–2 mm, precisely where healing and tissue regeneration occur. This wavelength supports the body’s cellular repair functions by stimulating the mitochondria within skin cells to produce more energy, driving faster recovery at the molecular level.
Key Benefits of Yellow Light Therapy
Yellow light therapy plays a vital role in post-operative healing by targeting the skin at just the right depth to activate regeneration, reduce inflammation, and promote faster, more comfortable recovery.
- Enhances lymphatic drainage to reduce swelling and fluid retention
- Accelerates collagen production, which improves skin firmness and incision healing
- Decreases post-operative bruising and redness
- Calms inflammation and discomfort
- Promotes even skin tone as the skin regenerates
Patients often report a sense of deep relaxation during treatment, making it as soothing as it is effective. Most importantly, it shortens the visible signs of healing so you can enjoy your results sooner, with less downtime and fewer complications.
Real Patient Recovery Story
Brooke’s story is a powerful reminder that facelift recovery is not just physical, it’s emotional, too. Like many patients, she approached surgery with a mix of excitement and nervousness, unsure of what the healing process would truly feel like.
What surprised her most wasn’t just how manageable the discomfort was, but how deeply the light therapy treatments supported her peace of mind.
The soft warmth of the light helped her relax during those quiet early days, when rest and patience are so important. It gave her a sense of reassurance, grounding her emotionally while her body focused on healing.
“The light therapy really grounded me during recovery. It was calming and made a big difference in how I felt day to day.” — Brooke, facelift and neck lift patient
Everyone’s journey is different, but with Dr. Balikian’s advanced surgical techniques and recovery protocols, most patients, like Brooke, are able to return to daily life sooner than they ever expected. It’s not just about looking better, it’s about feeling supported every step of the way.
Why Choose Dr. Richard Balikian?
Dr. Balikian is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon known for natural-looking results and a refined approach to healing. With over 19 years of experience and a focus exclusively on the face, he combines surgical precision with artistic vision to deliver rejuvenation that looks effortless.
His facelift technique:
- Requires no drains
- Produces minimal scarring
- Results in less bruising and faster recovery
- Uses advanced light therapies and oxygenation protocols to support healing
This thoughtful approach ensures that every facelift is not only beautifully executed, but also supported by a recovery process designed for comfort, confidence, and long-lasting result
Learn More About Facial Plastic Surgery
Trust Your Face to a Facial Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Balikian is an experienced, double board-certified, facial plastic surgeon. He is double board-certified both in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Balikian belongs to a very select group of elite cosmetic surgeons with at least six years of specialized surgical training exclusively in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the face and neck.
Richard V. Balikian, MD, FACS
Double Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon
Balikian Facial Plastic Surgery: Richard V. Balikian, MD, FACS
