With aging, your skin starts to lose its elasticity, muscle tissue loses strength, and fat starts to build up in the neck. These lead to sagging. To lift the sagging skin and tighten it, you will need to undergo neck-lift surgery. Neck-lift surgeries are performed to improve and correct aging signs in your neck region.

If you’re interested in a neck lift, you may be wondering how soon you will be able to go back to work afterwards. In this blog, you’ll learn more about the neck-lift recovery process.

Recovering After Your Neck Lift

Typically, a neck lift can be completed in a couple of hours. You may need to arrange a ride home afterwards with a friend or relative, since general anesthesia can cause temporary nausea and other aftereffects.

The recovery for a neck lift isn’t long; you can expect to heal in around one to two weeks after the surgery. During the initial week following the surgery, make sure you have someone on hand to help you deal with any recovery issues. Also, make sure you wear your bandage 24/7 for the first week.

For pain and discomfort, you can take painkillers as prescribed by Dr. Volpe. You can also lower discomfort levels by using a cold compress, but make sure you never apply ice straight onto your skin.

When lying down, always ensure that your head remains elevated. Do not take long hot showers or steam baths for the first few months after the procedure. Make sure you do not take part in any strenuous activities for the first few weeks following surgery, since these can negatively affect the healing process.

If you follow these steps, you can return to your workplace in around two weeks. However, if your work involves heavy lifting, then you must consult with Dr. Volpe to find out when it is safe to return to work. You should also consider changing your workload and schedule to minimize strain to the neck.

Post-Surgery Tips

Immediately after the procedure, you will need to resume walking in order to help reduce the swelling and to eliminate blood clot issues. It is not advisable to drive until you have completely stopped taking painkillers.

During the first week following your operation, your recovery involves:

• Coming to follow-up visits to remove or change dressings and assess your incisions and swelling
• Dealing with swelling and bruising, which may cause numbness and tingling as well as tightness.

After the second week, you can resume work, provided you do not overdo it. In the third and fourth weeks after surgery, you will notice real improvements in the contours of your neck. You can resume exercising and enjoy normal activities.

If you take the required precautions and follow the post-operation care regimen, you will get ideal results.

Get In Touch to Find Out More

Interested in learning more about neck-lift recovery? Contact our office to schedule your initial consultation with skilled plastic surgeon Dr. George Volpe. Dr. Volpe has helped multiple people look refreshed and rejuvenated with a neck lift.