Overview
The operative area is wrapped with a sterile padding and an elastic bandage to inhibit bleeding and edema. There will likely be numbness and temporary discomfort around the surgical site. These symptoms are easily controlled with medication.
The head should be elevated for two to three days after surgery to inhibit swelling. Bruising and swelling is inevitable around the eyes and cheeks, but this begins to disappear in about a week.
As the nerves regenerate, numbness of the forehead and scalp will soon be replaced with itching. It may take up to six months for these sensations to fully disappear. The bandages will be removed a day or two after surgery. Within 10 to 14 days, the stitches or clips will be removed.
Review Date 12/31/2023
Updated by: Tang Ho, MD, Associate Professor, Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.