How to Sleep After Facial Plastic Surgery

Anticipating a facial cosmetic surgery comes with a mix of emotions. While you may be excited and anxious to get the results and feel more confident in your appearance, you are also likely to be scared and nervous about the recovery process. Knowing what to expect during the post-operative period of your specific surgery can help ease your fears and plan accordingly.

Your activity level, diet and water intake can certainly impact how well (and fast) your body heals after plastic surgery. You should expect to make some temporary adjustments to your normal routine, which includes the way you sleep.

Sleeping Position After Facelift Surgery

When we sleep, our bodies are in the same position for several hours at a time. If you’ve just had facelift surgery, this needs to be heavily considered because sleeping in the wrong position may compromise your results as well as invite unwanted complications. While you shouldn’t panic if you wake up in the “wrong” position, your plastic surgeon will encourage you to do your best to facilitate a proper sleeping position for the first 2-4 weeks after your surgery.

What is the best sleeping position after a facelift? Patients should sleep on their back with their head slightly elevated using pillows. Not only does this sleeping position help to reduce swelling and foster better healing, but it also lowers the risk of postoperative complications, such as unintentionally pulling out your stitches or irritating sensitive skin.

If you are side or stomach sleeper, sleeping on your back may be difficult to get used to. However, many patients report this position feels the most comfortable after their facelift procedure, as it does not put pressure on the surgical area. Extra pillows and rolled up towels can be used to secure this position and help you avoid rolling over during sleep.

Contact Your Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon Today

If are considering facelift surgery or have this procedure scheduled, you’ll find that sleeping on your back is a very small price to pay for the youthful, confident and beautiful new look you’ll receive. At the Beverly Hills Center, our award-winning facial plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Talei provides exceptional care before, during and after every cosmetic procedure. Let us help your facelift surgery in terms of your experience and results!