Facelift Pre-op Instructions - Philadelphia

Facelift procedures have steadily remained one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries year after year. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the time and effort that prospective facelift patients are willing to put into making themselves look more youthful. Of course, given how much patients intend to invest in improving their facial features, they are well advised to carefully follow any surgical instructions given to them by the staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery.

It should be obvious that post-op instructions are designed to help patients have the best possible healing period and outcomes from the procedure, with minimal scarring. However, many facelift patients may not realize that following pre-op instructions are every bit as important as following post-op instructions. These guidelines are designed to help the patient prepare for surgery by reducing the chances for complications both during and after the facelift procedure.

Tobacco and Alcohol Use

Cigarette smoke can not only dry out the facial skin, which may lead to poor wound healing and excessive scarring, but may also increase the risk for excessive bleeding during the facelift procedure. The staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery recommends that patients stop smoking at least two to three weeks before their facelift procedure. While the ideal situation would be for patients to quit for good, they should at least wait until four to six weeks after surgery to resume smoking, if at all. In fact, an upcoming facelift procedure has given many patients the impetus to quit smoking that they might otherwise not have.

Alcohol is a known blood thinner, which may present complications for excessive bleeding both during surgery and afterward, leading to longer times until the incisions are completely closed over and, in turn, excessive scarring. As with smoking, patients are highly encouraged to stop any alcohol consumption at least two to three weeks prior to surgery. Stopping or reducing alcohol consumption for good is optimal, but patients should at least wait four to six weeks after surgery to resume any alcohol consumption.

Medications, Vitamins, and Supplements

Any aspirin, ibuprofen, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be discontinued starting about two weeks prior to surgery. As with alcohol and tobacco, these medications may increase the risk for excessive bleeding both before and after the facelift procedure. Patients should continue any prescription medication as normal. Continue regular daily vitamin dose, but avoid any mega-doses of Vitamin E beginning two weeks prior. Herbal medications and diet pills should also be stopped two weeks prior to surgery.

Night Before and Day of Surgery

Do not have anything to eat or drink (except for a few sips of water for any regular prescription medications) after midnight before the surgery. If the stomach is not completely empty, it may increase the risk for nausea and vomiting as a result of the anesthesia. This will place undo pressure on the sutures and incisions, which may cause them to open wider, thereby increasing the risk of infection, as well as poor wound healing.

With care and advanced planning, patients will greatly increase their chances of not only a successful surgery, but also a short healing period that will provide them the result they want.