Neck Lift Post Operative Beverly Hills | Los Angeles

NIGHT AFTER SURGERY

Temporary bruising, swelling and numbness are common the first night after surgery. You may need to go to the bathroom frequently during the night because of the IV fluids you were given during your surgery. Drink a lot of fluids in order to keep up with this fluid loss. As your body begins to balance itself out, it will rid itself of this extra “water weight and everything will return back to normal. You should leave all of your bandages intact overnight.

ONE DAY AFTER SURGERY

The next morning following your surgery, you will return to Dr Motykie’s office for your first post-operative visit. You should leave all bandages and dressings intact overnight and until you reach the office the following morning. Upon arrival to the office you will be escorted to a private examination room where your dressings will be changed and your operative sites will be evaluated. After your examination, you will be placed back into your neck compression wrap and you will be allowed to return back to your home. All of your questions will be answered and you will be given instructions for the following week that will include the following:

Dressings: You will be given special instructions for showering and changing your dressings.
Drains: If a drain was placed into your neck during surgery it will most likely be removed during this visit.
Diet: Mostly patients start with a liquid diet the night after surgery. Usually by the next day most patients are back to a normal diet.
Medications: Some swelling, bruising and discomfort are normal immediately following surgery and it is typically controlled with your prescription pain medication. Do not take any other pain medication including Tylenol, aspirin or ibuprofen in combination with your pain medications unless you are given permission by Dr Motykie. You should begin you prescription antibiotics the morning following surgery and continue them for one week after surgery. A combination of Arnica Montana and Bromelain are encouraged after surgery in order to promote your healing process.
Surgical Garments: A compression neck wrap will be worn for the first few days following surgery.
Bathing: Showering and bathing are permitted the very next day after surgery.
Activity: Light activity is allowed and encouraged including moving about your house and going for walks outside in order to aid the circulation in your lower extremities. However, no heavy lifting or strenuous activity should be attempted during your first week of recovery. You can usually return to a desk-type job within 72 hours, physical exercise generally can be resumed three weeks after surgery.

You may feel tired and sore for several days following the surgery. Your neck will be swollen and tender. The sensation/feeling in your neck may also be diminished in the immediate post-operative period and may take several months to return to normal. Specific instructions regarding exercise will also be provided. Aerobic and impact cardio exercise should be avoided for one to two weeks post-operatively. Weight lifting should be avoided for 3-4 weeks post-operatively. The resumption of and amount of physical /athletic activity should be guided by the level of patient discomfort with “pain” being the ultimate guide.

ONE WEEK AFTER SURGERY

The results of your surgery will typically be obscured by swelling and bruising at one week after surgery. Your neck will be bruised, swollen, and uncomfortable for a day or two, but the pain shouldn’t be severe. Any discomfort you do feel can be relieved with your prescribed medications but most women say that a necklift surgery is almost “painless.” Some people can return to work after a few days and some after one week. Most patients can drive their vehicles within a few days after surgery, but plan on having someone drive you to your first few post-operative visits anyway. In regards to an exercise program, use common sense and use pain as your guide; if it hurts, simply don’t do it! The majority of patients are allowed to return to light, low impact cardiovascular exercise after the first week of recovery. You can expect some loss of feeling in your neck, caused by the swelling after surgery. For this reason, men should be careful when shaving their neck after surgery. This numbness usually fades away as the swelling subsides over the next several weeks or so.

Dressings: During this appointment, the surgical tapes placed during your surgery will be removed and any sutures will be removed. Neosporin should be applied to the incision line once a day for the next week.
Surgical Garments: You will be weaned out of your compression neck wrap over the next week.
Medications: Some continued swelling, bruising and discomfort are normal and they are typically controlled with your prescription pain medication. Arnica Montana and Bromelain may be continued for another week in order to promote your healing process.
Bathing: You may bath and shower freely during the second week after surgery
Activity: Exercise of some sort is very important, even if it is just walking around your house. Having said this, rest is also important to the healing process and heavy lifting and strenuous activity are still restricted during the first month after surgery. You will be able to return to more strenuous exercise/heavy lifting at 3-4 weeks after surgery. You can typically return to work within a week and to full activity within a few weeks. Sensation in your neck may be reduced temporarily, but should return to normal as your neck heals.

ONE MONTH AFTER SURGERY

Depending on the amount of physical exertion required to perform your expected duties, you should already be back into your normal rhythm at work. Exercise and workout routines may begin at this point in your recovery process with pain as your ultimate guide. Any activity that causes discomfort and/or pain needs to be avoided until further along in your recovery process. When you return to the activity, start at half speed and increase to your normal routine as long as you do not feel any pain during and/or the day after your workout. Although exercising will not adversely affect your end result, it may temporarily cause more swelling immediately after the exercise that will subside over the next few hours. Over the next several months many of the benefits of your necklift surgery will begin to materialize and you will begin to enjoy the transformation you have received from surgery.

LONG TERM RESULTS

All patients vary in their ability and speed to recovery after surgery but most commonly you can expect the final result from surgery to be evident by six months after surgery. Your friends and family will may begin to ask if you have lost weight as well as tell you that you look rested and younger. Since a necklift surgery is essentially scarless, it is up to you whether or not to give your secret away.

To find out more about Neck Lift please contact us at 310-246-2355

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