As mentioned above, following cosmetic surgery you will experience obvious swelling, lumpiness and bruising of the face to varying degrees, which will last up to 3 weeks. After this initial traumatic phase, you will continue to have some degree(although much less than before) of lumpiness and swelling in your cheeks and neck area for a somewhat longer period. Occasionally, isolated bruised and hardened areas can take up to four months to resolve. The appearance of tiny thread veins on the cheeks can rarely occur. Swelling may produce some temporary lag in the normal motion of the facial muscles but this should gradually subside without permanent change. You will also experience a feeling of numbness and tension in the neck and cheek areas as well as around the ear. This is a result of the small sensory nerve fibres in the skin being separated during the operation. Sensation usually returns to normal but may take anytime up to 9-12 months. Mr. Solomos has modified his technique so that no hair elevation occurs with his facelifts. In men however the beard may be repositioned underneath and behind the ear, as a result of the skin being lifted, necessitating some adjustment of shaving in these areas.