How do I prepare for a facelift?
Your surgeon's written instructions come first, and no general schedule replaces them.
Two sets of instructions, surgeon and facility
Follow the instructions your own surgeon and facility give you, and ask for them in writing. For a general view, the plastic surgery society's article on preparing for a traditional facelift is a useful read before your consultation.
Medicines, health and the surgery setting
Preparation depends on your health, your medicines and where the surgery will take place. If your surgery is at a hospital, the hospital's own website is where to look for its patient information, though what it lists for facelift patients is something to confirm by phone.
Preparation can be a long-view question too. Ask your surgeon whether preparation starts months before surgery or only in the last week.
Five preparation questions for your surgeon
- Ask your surgeon for written pre-operative instructions.
- Ask which medicines and supplements to tell them about.
- Ask who can be with you and how long.
- Ask what the plan is for the first days at home, and what to buy ahead.
- Ask about the facility, including where to call after hours.
If you are comparing surgeons in Kirkland or elsewhere, ask each the same questions so the answers line up.
Keep every instruction in one place
Write your questions down before the visit, because it is easy to forget them in the room. Keep the surgeon's instructions in one place and bring them to every appointment. If anything in two sources disagrees, follow your surgeon and ask them about the difference.