Facelift, Browlift and Endoscopic Browlift

Post-Operative Instructions

It is important that you be sufficiently prepared for your postoperative recovery period, as well. The day of surgery, for instance, you will feel sleepy from the anesthesia. Most likely, you will have no discomfort due to the long-acting local anesthesia that was used. When this wears off, most patients describe some discomfort, usually around the scalp, ears, and neck, which is easily alleviated by analgesic pills and cool compresses, prepared as follows:

1. Fill a plastic bowl with ice cubes, water, and a shake of salt. Soak and wring out gauze pads or small wash cloth. Place these over your surgical site--10 minutes on, 5 minutes off--while you are awake, or until it warms slightly.
2. Ice bags should never be used against the skin, as the area may be numb due to local anesthesia and swelling.

Keep away from mirrors. Everyone experiences a temporary surprise when viewing a slightly bruised, swollen "stranger" in the mirror. Remember that a more attractive, youthful "you" will show through in several days.

Immediately after surgery, you may want to use a shower cap while bathing to protect scalp and facial incisions. Two days later you can wash your hair with baby shampoo, but it should be towel dried only.

For the first few days you should be on a soft diet until your swelling and soreness resolve.

You can resume use of a hair dryer after two or three days, but use only a cool setting until all feeling returns to the scalp area to prevent burns. Hair can be set loosely two to three weeks after surgery, but do not use tight hair rollers or perm or color your hair for six weeks. Glasses can be worn as long as the stems do not irritate your ears.

Facial moisturizer can be used immediately after surgery. Three days later you can apply make-up to camouflage bruising as long as it does not cover incision lines. Our office can suggest facial care products.

Following eyelid surgery, compresses can be placed over the eyelids before you go to sleep. These do not have to be changed during the night. A small piece of paper tape or scotch tape can be used from one side of the forehead, over the compresses, and to the other side. You may also have a temporary safety stitch from your lower eyelid taped to the side of your forehead to protect your eyes during the first night. It will be removed the next day.

If you have had eyelid surgery together with facial surgery, you may also be provided with eye ointments and drops. For the first few evenings before you go to sleep, apply a thin layer of ointment inside the bottom eyelid. Gently pull up the lid, squeeze in a small amount, and gently smooth the lid against the eye. This will decrease dryness and irritation. Use your eyedrops in the same manner, three or four times per day. During the first few days following surgery, slight tearing, itchiness, and mild irritation are common, and use of your ointment and eye drops will help to resolve these annoyances. Any creams or ointments used around the eyes should be water soluble. If you must use any non-water soluble facial cosmetic or skin care product, be very careful not to get the solution near your eyes.

If you have surgery performed from inside the mouth (such as chin or cheek augmentation or reduction) add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a glass of cool water and wash out the mouth several times a day. The stitches used during your surgery will dissolve within two weeks. The day of surgery you should have only clear liquids such as Seven-Up or cool tea. The second day, add lukewarm soup or broth. The third day you can follow a soft diet, eating such foods as eggs and custard.

We will provide you with specialized ointment and a care program to optimize healing of your incisions. Initially, your new skin will be sensitive to sun, wind, and temperature changes. It is important that you cover up with a hat, sunglasses, facial and neck scarf, etc., whenever you go out for the first few weeks following surgery or until the sensitivity resolves.

PERSONAL INCISION CARE PROGRAM
In those unusual cases where there is a genetic tendency toward hypertrophic scarring or, in very rare cases, keloids, the following treatments can be instituted one month after surgery:

I. Topical cortisone, such as hydrocortisone 0.5%- 1% applied twice per day for two to four weeks.

II. Small injections of Kenalog, two to four treatments, two to four weeks apart.

III. Cordran steroid tape, placed directly over the scar and changed every day or two for two weeks. This is optional depending on the doctor's determinations.

A NOTE ON SATISFACTION AND DISSATISFACTION
It is important that you work with the doctor to establish realistic appearance goals. More than seventy items contribute to a surgical result. With this type of surgery, good results are nearly always achieved. When a combination of browlift, eyelid, and facial surgery is followed by a superficial peel and you are willing to reserve final judgment for a period of six months to a year, our results are usually excellent.

Beautiful paintings and sculptures by world-renowned artists always have small imperfections, but these are rarely scrutinized. Instead, one sees the overall beauty and mastery of the art. In order to remain natural looking, facial surgery will result in small imperfections when closely scrutinized. To avoid these, the doctor would have to pull the face tight enough to distort the features. Instead, we utilize an artistic approach while maintaining your safety. We strive for a youthful, yet natural look—the mark of an artist.

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