What To Avoid Before Surgery
- Smoking: It is critical to stop smoking two weeks prior to the facelift and neck lift surgery and two weeks after the surgery since tobacco slows down the healing process significantly for this type of operation.
- Medications: Before undergoing any type of elective cosmetic surgery, especially a facelift or neck lift, it is important to avoid certain medications. Many medications prolong bleeding time and can create a hematoma beneath the skin of the neck or face. If this should occur, it will need to be evacuated and removed. Medications including some prescription drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements also contain elements that thin the blood and interfere with anesthesia. Any medications including aspirin or ibuprofen and prescription blood thinners such as Coumadin and Plavix should be avoided two weeks before the surgery. Vitamin E, diet pills, and all herbal remedies need to be stopped two weeks before any surgery as well.
- Avoid exposure of the face to sunburns from both natural sunlight and tanning beds within the first month after the facelift or neck lift surgery.
- Patients should wash their hair and face prior to the surgery and should not put on any makeup on the morning of the facelift or neck lift surgery.
- It is very important to avoid eating or drinking anything after midnight the night before the facelift or neck lift. The reason for this is to prevent any nausea and vomiting during and after the surgery.
- It is important that patients wear comfortable clothing such as sweatpants and a shirt or sweater that has a front closure. These garments should not have to be pulled up over their face after surgery. Do not wear any makeup, wigs or jewelry on the day of the facelift or neck lift procedure. Please leave all jewelry at home including rings, earrings, watches and any piercings. Contact lenses should not be worn the day of the surgery. Eyeglasses are acceptable and can be taken into the operating room with the patient. In the first week of the postoperative phase, eyeglasses can be worn; however, contacts should not be worn for the first 7 to 10 days after the facial surgery, especially if a blepharoplasty is performed at the same time.