Temporal Lift Recovery: Swelling, Scars and Timeline
Updated: 13 hours ago
Medical editor: Dr. Semih Yıldız, plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon (FEBOPRAS) · Last updated: October 2026
Recovery from a temporal lift is fairly short. Swelling and tightness peak in the first 2–3 days, the stitches come out around day 7, and most people return to desk work after 7–10 days. The scars lie in the hair of the temples and are usually not visible. The final result appears at 3–6 months, once the tissues have settled.
These are the typical milestones for a temporal lift in Istanbul. Your own pace depends on how much you swell, how your skin and scalp heal, and whether upper eyelid surgery was done at the same time, which adds eyelid stitches and some extra swelling.
The first 48 hours
After the 1–2-hour operation, most people return to their hotel the same day. Expect the temples to feel tight and the outer brows to feel pulled upwards. Some people notice the tightness more when they chew or yawn, because the chewing muscle of the temple lies beneath the lifted area.
Swelling gathers around the temples and eyes and can drift down towards the eyelids and cheeks. If bruising appears, it often shows around the eyes rather than at the incisions themselves.
What helps in these first days:
Sleep on your back with your head raised on two or three pillows.
Use cold compresses around the eyes and temples for short periods, with a cloth between the compress and your skin.
Take the painkillers you were prescribed, and avoid aspirin, ibuprofen and other blood-thinning medicines unless your team approves them.
Walk around your room several times a day, but avoid bending forward, lifting and straining.
Week one: hair care, stitches and the flight home
Your team will tell you when you can wash your hair, often within the first few days. Use lukewarm water and a mild shampoo, let the water run over the incisions rather than rubbing them, and pat the hair dry. If you use a hair dryer, keep it on a cool setting: the scalp near the incisions is often numb at first and may not feel heat.
Avoid tight hair ties, clips, headbands or hats that press on or pull at the temples. Saunas, steam rooms, hot baths and swimming should wait until the incisions have healed.
The stitches or staples sit in the hair and are usually removed around day 7, which is when most people are cleared to fly home. Staying away from cigarettes and other nicotine products for at least 4 weeks after surgery matters during this phase, because nicotine narrows the small blood vessels that the incisions and the lifted tissue depend on.
Back to work and everyday life
Desk work: most people return after 7–10 days. Some bruising around the eyes may still show at this point.
Social plans: most of the bruising has faded by weeks 2–3, when normal activities resume. Make-up can cover what remains around the eyes, as long as it stays away from the incisions.
Exercise: walking is encouraged from the first day. Running, the gym and anything that involves heavy lifting or bending are reintroduced step by step once your team clears you.
Sun: protect the healing scalp and any bruised skin from strong sun, with a loose hat that does not press on the temples.
Where the scars are and how they heal
The incisions are small and placed within the hair of the temples, so the scars are usually not visible once the hair falls over them. Like any scar, they are pink and slightly firm at first and then gradually flatten and fade over the following months.
They can be easier to see if you wear the hair at the sides very short or pulled tightly back, if the hair at the temples is thin or receding, or if hair is lost along the incision line. Some shedding of hair along the incisions in the first weeks is not unusual, and in most cases it grows back over the following months. Permanent thinning along a scar is a recognised risk, which is one reason your hairline is assessed before surgery.
Keep the incisions clean, leave any crusts in the hair to come away on their own, and do not scratch, even when healing makes the area itch.
Numbness, itching and brow movement
Numbness of the temple and of the scalp around the incisions is common in the first weeks. Sensation usually returns gradually over weeks to months, and tingling or itching is often a sign that the small sensory nerves are recovering.
The branch of the facial nerve that raises the brow runs across the temple. Swelling and the surgical work in this area can temporarily weaken brow movement on one or both sides. This usually recovers as the tissues settle, and permanent weakness is rare, but tell your team if a brow does not move at all so that it can be followed up.
When to contact your team
Get in touch with your surgical team without delay if you notice:
swelling on one side that increases quickly and feels tight or painful, which can be a sign of bleeding under the skin
fever, spreading redness, warmth or discharge from an incision
pain that gets worse after the first few days instead of easing
an incision that opens or keeps oozing
How the result develops
In the first weeks, the outer brows can look a little higher or more pulled than planned, because of swelling and tightness. This softens as the swelling settles, and by about one month most of it has gone and the lift looks natural. The two sides often swell differently, so height and symmetry are judged later, not in the first days.
The final result appears at 3–6 months, as the tissues settle into their new position. After you return home, follow-up continues through photos and video calls, so your progress can be checked at each stage. Preparation steps, including which medicines and supplements to pause before surgery, are listed on our temporal lift page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear glasses after a temporal lift?
In most cases, yes. The arms of glasses usually rest below the temple incisions, so frames can normally be worn from the start. If swelling makes the arms press on tender skin, loosen them, switch to a lighter frame or take your glasses off when you do not need them. Mention it at your check-up if a frame keeps rubbing on the same spot.
When can I colour my hair after a temporal lift?
Hair dyes and bleaching products can irritate healing incisions, so wait until the incisions have closed completely and your team has checked them, which usually means several weeks after surgery. If your hair colour matters to you during recovery, have it done a few days before the operation rather than soon after it.
Will I need someone with me after the operation?
It is sensible to have someone with you on the day of surgery and the first night, especially after sedation or general anaesthesia, as you should not drive or travel alone that day. After that, most people manage on their own at the hotel and return for their check-ups as planned.
If you are planning a temporal lift and want to know how the recovery would fit around your work and travel, send your photos for a free online assessment.
This article provides general information and does not replace a medical consultation. Results vary from person to person.
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