What is the recovery after a cheek lift?The recovery time after a cheek lift depends on the type of intervention. Cheek enhancement with dermal fillers generally has zero downtime, while surgical lifts require days to weeks to recover fully. A surgical cheek lift with fat grafting requires that the patient abstain from exercise and lifting heavy objects for 2 to 3 weeks. Postoperative swelling and bruising usually disappear by week two, although it may take as long as two months in some cases. Patients can generally expect to return to normal activity levels approximately 3 to 4 weeks after a midface lift.