“How bad is the pain after a facelift?”

Pain after facelift depends on individual pain tolerance as well as what type of facelift is being performed. Generally, though, facelifts do not particularly hurt, especially as plastic surgeons utilize solution containing local anesthetic with epinephrine (adrenaline) to numb up the skin and soft tissues as the facelift is being performed. Again, depending on the type of facelift, you may experience an internal tightness from sutures or the tissues (i.e., a layer called the SMAS) having been manipulated. [By comparison, discomfort after breast augmentation or abdominoplasty ('tummy tuck') or extensive liposuction tends to be more significant as deeper muscles are involved, have been irritated by instrumentation, or have been manipulated or cut.]
Pain is for the most part well-handled with a regimen of Tylenol (acetaminophen) alternating with other non-narcotic medications such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). I no longer routinely prescribe narcotics in my practice, and should your doctor still prescribe them, your need to take narcotics should be short-term and minimal. By the first or second week checkup, patients should be down to just using Tylenol and occasionally NSAID-taken with food to avoid GI upset-for pain control.

Most facelift patients experience mild discomfort which is relieved withntylenol.

Usually there is not much pain for face-lift. Mostly, patients complain the feeling of tightness and numb. Most of the discomfort is the area behind the ears and the temporal area just above the ears. That's where the lifting sutures are.