One of the questions we are frequently asked is how long it will take to recovery from a plastic surgery treatment.
Once you’ve had surgery it’s understandable that you will want to return to normal life as quickly as possible. Most people also want to avoid telling too many people they’ve had surgery, so it’s helpful to get an idea of when your dressings will be removed and how to disguise any visible signs of surgery such as stitches and scarring.
Any facial plastic surgery is a bigger concern as it’s much more difficult to hide the fact that you’ve had surgery. Unlike a tummy tuck or a breast augmentation, facial surgery and chin surgery in particular cannot easily be covered.
Our priority is to ensure we carry out your treatment in a safe and effective manner, but we do understand the need to minimise the size and shape of any incisions we need to make and ensure scarring is kept to a minimum, so you can rest assured these issues will be central when planning your surgery and recovery.
Everyone responds differently to surgery so it’s not possible to give a precise recovery time for chin implants. That said, patients typically feel much better within seven days of surgery and are generally ‘back to normal’ after around six weeks, when their bruising and swelling has normally fully settled. However, it’s important to be aware that you may recover more quickly or more slowly, it is very much an individual thing.
There are several factors which aid a fast and straight-forward recovery from chin implant surgery, with the most important being rest and relaxation.
The ability to take it easy in the immediate aftermath of surgery makes all the difference when it comes to the recovery period. If you work, make sure you book at least two weeks’ leave so that you can stay at home and look after yourself (or better still, get friends and relatives to help you!)
Your chin and jawline will be bruised and a little swollen in the first few days so you may find it less easy to eat and speak. Don’t worry, it won’t take long to return to normal.
• Speaking - Whilst we will encourage you to speak and eat so your chin gets movement, you don’t want to overdo it, so a few days at home where you see only family and friends will mean you don’t feel obliged to talk, so you can ensure you remain comfortable. Whilst you may feel able to go about normal activities like shopping or working, the fact is that you’ll run the risk of having to speak more than you should, simply because you don’t want to be rude to the people you meet.
• Eating & washing – you may prefer to eat soft food for a few weeks in order to minimise chewing and chin movement. When you leave hospital your chin area will be covered in a dressing so you will be able to carefully wash your face without interfering with your implants.
You’ll be invited back to hospital to have your dressings removed and your healing checked but if you have any concerns or issues before that appointment, feel free to get in touch and we’ll be able to provide you with support and advice to aid your recovery.
Want to know more?
The first step is to book an initial consultation with one of our experienced plastic surgeons who will be able to help you decide if chin surgery is right for you. At this initial appointment your surgeon will assess your physiology and advise the best approach, they will also be able to talk to you in more detail about what the surgery and recovery entails.
