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Post-operative care · South Berkeley
One side always settles faster than the other.
Facial surgery produces dramatic early swelling and then a long, uneven tail. Almost everyone notices that one side is puffier, or looser, or simply behind the other, and almost everyone quietly panics about it. That asymmetry in healing is normal, it is extremely common, and lymphatic work is well suited to helping it even out.
- Common start
- Once your surgeon clears you
- Also covers
- Neck lift, eyes, rhinoplasty
- Note
- A facelift needs drainage, not a facial
- First step
- A free phone call with me
Why the face responds so well
A dense network, close to the surface.
The head and neck are richly supplied with lymphatic vessels and nodes, and they sit close to the skin. That is why facial swelling looks so alarming at first, and also why gentle, correctly directed work can move so much so comfortably.
Facial surgery interrupts those routes. The fluid still arrives. Drainage encourages it toward the nodes that are still working, usually beginning at the neck and collarbone rather than the face itself, because there is no point pushing fluid toward a blocked exit.
One thing worth knowing before you book: if you have recently had a facelift, you may not be ready for a lymphatic facial. What you probably need is lymph drainage with a focus on the face and neck, which is a different thing. I would rather see you first and decide properly.
What this helps with
From the first weeks through to settling.
Facial surgery timing is set by your surgeon and varies more than people expect.
Swelling and puffiness
The obvious one, and the reason the mirror is upsetting in week two.
Bruising
Clears faster when the lymphatic system is helped along.
Uneven settling
One side behind the other is normal. Gentle work encourages both to keep moving.
Tightness and numbness
Common around the jaw, ears and neck, and usually temporary.
Sinus and ear congestion
Often overlooked, frequently uncomfortable, and very responsive to focused work.
Scars, later
Around the ears and hairline, once fully closed. These can bind and pull if nobody addresses them.
Timing
When to start.
Your surgeon decides. Some are happy for very gentle drainage within the first week or two, others prefer to wait. What is almost always true is that starting sooner, once cleared, is better than starting late.
The first visits usually work the neck, collarbone and upper chest rather than the face. That is deliberate. Opening the route out has to come before moving anything toward it.
A lymphatic facial, with cleansing, exfoliation, mask and product, is a different service and generally comes later. If you are not ready for it, I will tell you, and we will do focused drainage instead.
Worth saying plainly
Where my part ends.
I do not assess your surgical result
If you are worried about how something looks structurally, that is a conversation with your surgeon.
Anything sudden goes to them
Rapidly increasing swelling on one side, redness, warmth, fever, or a change in an incision.
I do not do wound care
Anything open or not yet closed belongs with them.
I will not rush you into a facial
If drainage is what your face needs, that is what we do, even if a facial is what you booked.
Before you call
Questions I get asked.
How soon after a facelift can I have lymphatic drainage?
Your surgeon decides, and practice varies. Some clear it within the first week or two, others prefer to wait. Ask them and tell me what they said.
Why is one side of my face more swollen?
Because that is extremely common. Bodies rarely heal at the same rate on both sides, and facial surgery makes it visible. It is one of the things I am asked about most.
Can I have a lymphatic facial after a facelift?
Possibly, but often not yet. Early on you likely need lymph drainage focused on the face and neck rather than a facial. I would rather see you and decide than have you book the wrong thing.
Will it help my sinuses and blocked ears?
Often yes. Congestion in the sinuses, ears and jaw is common after facial surgery and responds well to focused work.
Does it help bruising?
Yes. Clearing damaged blood products is precisely what the lymphatic system does, and helping it along tends to shorten the process.
What about the scars around my ears?
Once fully closed, those scars are well worth working. They can bind and pull, and it is easy to address before it becomes established.
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The next step
Tell me what was done and when.
Fifteen free minutes on the phone with me. Tell me the procedure, the date, and what your surgeon has said, and I will tell you honestly when to start and whether you need drainage or a facial. Those are not the same thing and it matters.