POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
FACELIFT/MINI FACELIFT/
FOREHEAD LIFT/TEMPLE LIFT/BROW LIFT
ACTIVITY
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Rest
Wiggle your toes and ankles every hour while in bed.
Walk 3 minutes every few hours while awake, beginning the day of surgery
After one week you can take longer walks and do light housework.
No heavy exercise, bending, lifting, baths, swimming, sun exposure, smoking, alcohol or
sports for 4 weeks following surgery.
If you wear glasses, frames should not touch skin or be too heavy. Keep eyeglasses
above temple incisions.
POSITIONING
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Elevate head on 2 or more pillows when you sleep to alleviate swelling (Place pillows the
long way so your chin is elevated at all times).
Headaches are common after a forehead lift or brow lift so keeping your head elevated
will help.
Keep chin position up.
DIET
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Good nutrition: Eat non-constipating nutritious food (as tolerated) after surgery. Stick to
a diet of soft, bland, nutritious food for the first 24 hours. Prevention of constipation is
important.
Fluids: Adequate fluids are important following surgery especially the first few days
Avoid carbonated drinks, alcohol, and tea for the first 3 days. Ideally you should
consume at least 8 ounces of fluid every 2 hours.
Avoid eating shellfish for 3 months. Although not necessarily bad for you, many people
have allergic symptoms after eating shellfish and it is generally best to avoid it.
WOUNDCARE
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If present, leave tapes in place until removed in the office.
Your head will be bandaged after surgery. You must keep these dressings on until we
remove it at your next post operative visit. After we remove the dressings, you may
shower and wash your hair. Gently wash with warm water and avoid pulling hair. Blow
dryer may be used on low setting.
Use a blow dryer on COOL setting to dry the tapes (if any) after you shower.
Do not go swimming for 4 weeks.
Do not dye or perm your hair for 6 weeks after surgery. It is important to make sure all
wounds are healed.
POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
FACELIFT/MINI FACELIFT/
FOREHEAD LIFT/TEMPLE LIFT/BROW LIFT
ICE PACKS
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Apply ice 20 minutes on/20 minutes off for 48-72 hours after surgery to minimize
swelling and bruising.
DO NOT apply ice directly on skin.
A bag of frozen peas work well
DRIVING
 Driving is restricted for 3 days after surgery and while taking prescription pain
medication.
MEDICATIONS AFTER SURGERY (NOT ALL MAY APPLY TO YOU)
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Antibiotic (Keflex)-Take 1 pill every 6 hours until the course is completed.
Pain Medication (Norco or Tylenol #3)-Take 1 tab every 4 hours as needed for pain.
Blepharoplasty is not a painful surgery, so most patients do well with just regular Tylenol
Extra Strength for pain control.
Stool Softener (Miralax)-Constipation is a common problem after surgery because of the
pain medicines and decreased activity. Miralax 1 capful in 8 oz of any beverage of your
choice should be started the morning after surgery, and repeated every morning until
your bowel habits have returned to normal. Miralax is available from your drug store
without a prescription.
Healing Supplements (Traumeric)-Take 2 pills once a day until finished. These
supplements help decrease bruising and swelling. This is highly recommended for
patients undergoing facial procedures.
Antinausea (Zofran)-Dissolve 1 tab under the tongue every 8 hours as needed for
nausea.
NORMAL POST-OPERATIVE SYMPTOMS
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Expect bruising and swelling. Numbness and itching are also normal during the healing
process
Shiny skin or itchiness: Swelling can cause the skin to stretch and appear shiny.
Asymmetry: Both sides of your body heal differently: One side of your body may look or
feel quite different from the other in the days following surgery.
If having a forehead lift, temple lift, or brow lift, it is normal for the brows to have to
appear too high in the beginning. It will take anywhere from 2 weeks-8 weeks for the
brows to settle to a more natural appearance.
Scars: It is normal for the incisions to look raised, red, or uneven. It takes 6 months-1
year for the incision to settle and look its best.
CALL THE OFFICE IMMEDIATELY IF YOU EXPERIENCE
POST OPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
FACELIFT/MINI FACELIFT/
FOREHEAD LIFT/TEMPLE LIFT/BROW LIFT
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A high fever, (over 101º), shaking chills followed by significant sweating, severe nausea
and vomiting not controlled by anti-nausea medications, continued dizziness or
incoherent behavior, such as hallucinations.
Excessive bleeding or fluid seeping through the incisions.
Progressive or severely misshapen region anywhere on your face