| Dr. Dimitrijevic's postoperative instructions for face lift
1. Swelling and black-and-blue discoloration around the
eyes, face, and neck are likely to occur following surgery.
It is usually the worst between 48 hours to 72 hours following
surgery. This is not a cause for worry. The swelling and bruising
will go away in around 7-10 days after surgery.
2. Your suture line is in the upper and lower eyelids and
around the front and back of your ears. These areas may have
some crusting and or slight amount of bleeding. You can clean
the areas around the ears with peroxide and Q-tip once daily.
Apply Neosporin lightly over the incision in front of and
back of your ears once daily for 7 days following surgery.
3. Dr. Dimitrijevic will place a bandage and a neck-compression strap
over your face on the first day after surgery. You can take
this bandage off in 48 hours and shower. After the shower,
you can dab everything dry and wear the neck-compression strap
over your neck and head. The rest of your incisions can be
left open to air.
4. Take medications as directed. Do not take aspirin, anti-inflammatory
medications (Motrin, Ibuprofen, Alleve) or Vitamin E supplements
for 2 weeks after surgery.
5. There may be areas on your face which are numb or tingly.
This is normal during the early postoperative period. Do not
apply heat or cold pack directly on your face as you may obtain
a burn from the extreme heat or cold.
6. Your eyes may tear frequently. This is OK. This is a
sign of dryness and irritation to your eyes. Use of artificial
tears may help this problem. You may also experience blurry
vision early after surgery. This is usually due to the lubricant
which was put in your eyes during surgery. If you experience,
loss of vision, contact the office immediately and have Dr. Dimitrijevic paged.
7. If you experience sudden swelling in one area of your
face or neck or if you experience difficulty breathing, call
Dr. Dimitrijevic immediately.
8. No driving while under narcotic medications for pain.
9. Ask Dr. Dimitrijevic in your first follow-up visit regarding going
back to work.
10. You should sleep on your back with your head elevated
on 2 pillows for 1 week following surgery.
11. Avoid alcohol or cigarette smoking for at least 3 weeks
following surgery.
12. Call and make a follow-up appointment for 5 days following
surgery.
13. Apply cold packs to your eyes to help with the swelling.
Check every 15 minutes to make sure that your skin is OK.
Check the temperature of your skin with your finger tips.
Since surgery may cause numbness around your eyelids, extreme
cold can cause burns to the eyelid skin.
14. You can sponge bathe your body and face.
15. Keep your incisions out of the sun. Sun exposure will
make your scars red, raised, and persistently irritated for
a long period of time. Make every effort to avoid the sun
for up to 1 year following surgery. You can cover up the incision
with sun screen (SPF 15 or above) or clothing.
16. You may return to normal activity and exercise at 3
weeks following surgery.
17. If you are constipated, take over-the-counter laxatives.
You do not want to strain over the toilet. This may lead to
your blood pressure rising and cause bleeding.
18. Call with any questions or concerns. Dr. Dimitrijevic is available
through the office phone number 24/7. Don’t ever feel badly
about calling.
Check photography before and after intervention.
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