BEFORE NECK LIPOSUCTION SURGERY
At your preoperative neck liposuction appointment our nurse will provide all the instructions for you to follow before and after surgery. On the business day prior to the operation we ask you to call to confirm your arrival time for plastic surgery. Upon arrival for your neck liposuction surgery, you will talk with a nurse (who will start an IV), discuss anesthesia (with local anesthesia and IV sedation you are asleep and comfortable) and meet with your doctor before going to the operating room. Neck liposuction takes about one hour depending on the anatomy and structure present prior to surgery. If you are having a combination of procedures your plastic surgery will take longer. Recovery time from the anesthetic takes about an hour and you will be discharged about four hours from the time of arrival for your cosmetic surgery.
PREOPERATIVE NECK LIPOSUCTION INSTRUCTIONS
- Please avoid any aspirin, aspirin-containing products, or ibuprofen (Advil, Aleve, etc.) for one week prior to your neck liposuction surgery. Please see our medication list (separate page of instructions) which outlines in detail products to avoid prior to surgery. If you are on any medications that affect bleeding (such as coumadin or warfarin) please notify the office immediately.
- Please refrain from tobacco products and alcohol for one week prior and two weeks following neck liposuction surgery. Along with delayed wound healing, persistent skin redness and other complications may persist when tobacco and alcohol are not discontinued.
- Please notify us of all routine medications and significant health history. We ask that you remain on your daily medications unless instructed otherwise. At the preoperative neck liposuction appointment, our nurse will tell you which daily medications to take with just a sip of water on the morning of your plastic surgery.
- At your preoperative neck liposuction appointment you will be given prescriptions for use following surgery including an oral antibiotic (Keflex/Cephalexin), swelling medications (Medrol Dosepak/methyl prednisolone) and pain medications (Vicodin/hydrocodone). Please obtain these prescription medications before your surgery so you will have them ready for use when you return home after neck liposuction surgery.
- The day before your neck liposuction surgery, we will ask you to begin Vitamin C 1000 mg (ascorbic acid), which helps promote healing, three times a day with food for one week before and two weeks following surgery. To minimize bruising, you will also be asked to start Arnica (a natural supplement) the day before your neck liposuction surgery and continue for one week following surgery.
- Please call the Lindsay House Center for Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery before noon on the business day prior to your procedure at 267-8200 to confirm your arrival time.
- You may not eat or drink after midnight the evening before the procedure unless instructed otherwise. You may brush your teeth. Your procedure will be cancelled if you do not follow these instructions.
- Do not bring valuables (cash, credit cards, watches, jewelry, etc.) to the Lindsay House on the day of your neck liposuction surgery. Remove all make-up and nail polish before arriving for your procedure.
- It is not required that a family member or friend stay at the Lindsay House during your surgery. However, someone must be available at all times while you are here at the Lindsay House for neck liposuction surgery. Someone will need to drive you home after your surgery and stay with you that evening. Transportation to the office for suture removal three days following surgery is also recommended.
AFTER NECK LIPOSUCTION SURGERY
When you wake up from your neck liposuction surgery you will notice a chin strap dressing that may feel a bit tight because of the swelling. This dressing helps minimize swelling and promotes the skin to adhere securely to the underlying architecture. Following your neck liposuction, the nurses will ask assist you to meet the discharge criteria: to drink liquids, walk with a steady gait, void, manage your discomfort, and have a responsible adult at home following the procedure. The nurses will review all instructions you will need for care following neck liposuction.
The chin dressing must be kept dry and in place for 24 hours following neck liposuction surgery. You will be asked to come to our Lindsay House Office (not the Surgery Center) the next day after surgery for dressing change. The next appointment is postoperative day four or five for suture removal. The morning of the suture removal, we ask you to shower and wash your hair (it's OK to get the sutures wet), prior to your suture removal appointment.
Although most patients describe suture removal as discomfort rather than pain, you are encouraged to take your pain medication about an hour prior to suture removal. When sutures are removed, small steri-strips will be placed to reinforce the incision. These steri-strips must remain dry and in place for four days.
Wound care
Keep dressing dry and intact the evening after your plastic surgery until your appointment the next morning. Notify your doctor if the dressings become loose or fall off.
Medications
Most patients complain of discomfort more than pain. Use pain medication (Vicodin/hydrocodone) as directed/as needed. Vicodin contains Tylenol. Do not take additional Tylenol or acetaminophen while taking Vicodin. Do not drive or drink alcohol while taking pain medication. Taking pain medication with food helps minimize nausea sometimes associated with pain medications.
Start your antibiotic (Keflex/cephalexin) when you get home and one at bedtime. It is not uncommon to have a low-grade fever for 24 to 48 hours following neck liposuction surgery.
Start swelling medication (Medrol Dosepak/methyl prednisolone) when you arrive home. Take with food.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 3000 mg. daily for two weeks helps promote healing.
Diet
Advance diet from liquids to soft food (oatmeal, French toast, yogurt, soup, and pasta) to your regular diet as tolerated. There are no dietary restrictions for neck liposuction patients postoperatively.
Activity
Rest for entire day after neck liposuction surgery. Sleep with head of the bed elevated or use two to three pillows for one week after surgery. Absolutely no bending, lifting or straining. If you have little children, bend at the knees or sit on the floor and let them climb on to your lap. No driving for one week following neck liposuction surgery. One week off work is recommended; two weeks off is ideal.
Always protect your face from the sun. At this point, a hat and sunglasses are a good idea. Following neck liposuction surgery, our staff will tell you when it is ok to apply sunscreen, cosmetics or facial creams. Avoid unprotected prolonged sun exposure for three months following neck liposuction to prevent pigmentation of incision lines.
Please Remember!
Swelling, bruising and disrupted sleep are very normal postoperative symptoms for neck liposuction and will decrease as the healing process occurs. Assistance with daily activities the first two to three days after surgery is recommended.
Final Result
Following neck liposuction, it takes time for the swelling to subside and for the skin to heal. Most patients return to work one week following neck liposuction surgery, however patients occasionally will remain out of work two weeks, depending on the degree of privacy one is trying to maintain. At two weeks postoperatively, swelling and bruising may be apparent to you but not to many of your coworkers and closest friends.
Final results following neck liposuction are not apparent for one full year following surgery. After three months, the changes are ever so subtle, although still important. Being perfectionists about our work, you may tell us you are pleased long before the one-year anniversary. However, we request that you follow-up with us at that time for postoperative neck liposuction photographs and so that we can enjoy your final result.
Please notify the office 244-1000 and ask for our nurse for any concerns. For an emergency, please contact our office or professional answering service at 258-4851. Remember, we are all here to help in any way we can.
Copyright 2010 Quatela Center for Plastic Surgery