Driving after Cosmetic Surgery
Many people who choose to undergo cosmetic surgery lead active lifestyles. Patients often enjoy physical activities, have a full social life, and a rewarding career. As a result, it is not unusual for them to be used to driving to work, school, or to run errands on a regular basis. The staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery often fields questions from prospective cosmetic surgery patients as to how soon they can resume normal activities. Driving is often among the most common of these activities. There are a number of good reasons why our staff encourages patients to not attempt to drive too soon following cosmetic surgery. We strongly recommend waiting at least one week after surgery to resume operating a motor vehicle.
Cosmetic Surgery Is Still Surgery
Many people assume that elective cosmetic surgery is not as serious as medically necessary surgery. In fact, elective and medically necessary surgery require time for the body to heal. In both cases, incisions have been made into the skin and underlying tissue, which were then sutured closed at the end of the procedure. Patients should expect a certain amount of bruising, swelling, and pain following surgery. These are all part of the body’s natural healing process.
Certain types of cosmetic surgery are far less invasive than others. A patient undergoing a brow lift can reasonably expect to have a shorter healing period than a patient undergoing a tummy tuck procedure, which is more invasive. Therefore, the brow lift patient can usually return to driving sooner than the tummy tuck patient.
Impaired Judgement
It is considered a felony crime to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of narcotics. This is why patients are not allowed to drive themselves home on the day of surgery. If patients attempt to drive after being under anesthesia or while taking certain pain pills, they risk having impaired judgement and slowed reaction time to the possibility of accidents. This is perhaps the most important reason why patients should wait until their pain can be managed by over the counter medications to resume driving. Under no circumstances should patients drive the day of surgery.
Reduced Range of Motion
Many people don’t consider range of motion when it comes to driving. However, this can be crucial following cosmetic surgery. A patient who has undergone a facelift procedure may find that their head range of motion is reduced, thereby preventing them from checking for other drivers in their blind spot or glancing at their side mirrors. A patient who has undergone a tummy tuck procedure may find the position of the seat belt to be very uncomfortable. The same also holds true for patients who have undergone breast augmentation, lift, or reduction surgery.
Patients who are accustomed to driving may find it frustrating to not be allowed to do so following cosmetic surgery. They may get impatient or restless with their healing process. Unfortunately, the benefits patients may derive from driving too soon after cosmetic surgery are far fewer than the risks of doing so. To learn more, contact Jefferson Plastic Surgery today.