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Preop & Postop Instructions - PREPARING FOR YOUR PLASTIC SURGERY

STARTING NOW

  • STOP SMOKING: Smoking reduces circulation to the skin and impedes healing. For your safety, stop 3-4 weeks prior to surgery.
  • TAKE A MULTIVITAMIN: Start taking 1 multivitamin per day to improve your general health once you have scheduled your surgery. A lot of people have nutritional deficiencies that they do not know about. Obviously, the best option is to go to your medical doctor to get blood work and verify all your specific lab nutrition panels.
  • DO NOT TAKE BLOOD THINNERS, ASPIRIN, IBUPROFEN OR NSAIDS: Stop taking medications containing aspirin or Ibuprofen/Advil or NSAIDs to decrease your surgical bleeding risk. Review the list of medications you take and stop all blood thinners too such as Coumadin, Xarelto, Eliquis etc. Such drugs can cause bleeding problems during and after surgery. Instead, use medications containing acetaminophen (such as Tylenol).
  • STOP VITAMIN E: Do not take vitamin E for 3-4 weeks prior to surgery because it increases bleeding risk.
  • STOP TAKING ALL HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS: Many supplements have also been linked to an increased risk of bleeding problems during and after surgery. Worse offenders include Fish Oil, Vitamin E, Ginko, Garlic, Ginseng, St John’s Wart, Feverfew just to name a few. Diet/weight loss pills also cause significant issues (especially with your heart, anesthesia and healing) and should be stopped 3-4 weeks before surgery.
  • FILL YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS: You will be given prescriptions for medications. Please have them filled and bring them to your appointment the day BEFORE your surgery so we can review everything with you again. It’ll make things much easier for you after surgery.

THE DAY BEFORE SURGERY

  • CONFIRM SURGERY TIME: We will call you to confirm the time of your surgery. Please make sure we have your cell number on file. Please call us to confirm at (847) 696- 9900. The hospital or surgery center might also call you but please ask us if they give you a different time than we do. We prefer all patients have a Pre-Op appt in person at our office for consents, pictures, markings etc. and discussing everything with Dr. Speron again. If you cannot, our clinical staff is available 7 days a week for preop appointments.
  • PRESCRIPTIONS: Make sure you have filled the prescriptions and set the medications out to bring with you tomorrow on the day of surgery. Please ask us if you have any questions.
  • CLEANSING: The night before surgery (and morning of surgery), wash the surgical areas with Dial soap or Hibiclens. Do not loofah or scrub off your markings. At the very least, we prefer all patients take a full shower and wash their hair the morning of surgery. Please do not put on any moisturizer, deodorant or make up. Please make sure you are not wearing nail polish.
  • EATING AND DRINKING: You can eat a normal dinner. Do not eat or drink anything after 12:00 midnight. This includes water. The hospital or surgery center will call you and let you know if you can take some of your medications with a sip of water in the morning. If they do not call or you are unsure after they talk to you, just bring all your medications the day of surgery and the anesthesiologist will instruct you exactly what to do at the hospital or surgery center.
  • GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP & DO NOT DO ANYTHING STRENUOUS THE NIGHT BEFORE SURGERY: Relax and think positive. Positive imagery helps put you into the right frame of mind. You can work out if you want to although we usually do not recommend a strenuous work out. Please make sure you do not do anything too strenuous or out of the ordinary.

THE MORNING OF SURGERY

  • SPECIAL INFORMATION:Do not eat or drink anything! If you take any daily medications, you may take it with a sip of water in the early morning if the anesthesiologist said you could.
  • ORAL HYGIENE: Please brush your teeth but do not swallow the water.
  • CLEANSING: Shower and wash the surgical areas again with Dial soap or Hibiclens. Do not loofah or scrub off your markings.
  • MAKE-UP & PIERCINGS: Do not wear any piercings, moisturizers, creams/lotions, nail polish, makeup anywhere on your body.
  • CLOTHING: Wear only comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that does not need to go over your head. Remove hairpins, wigs, and jewelry. Anesthesia will usually ask you to remove your dentures.
  • DRESSINGS: We typically see you the day after surgery to take off dressings, except for skin grafts which stay on for 5 to 6 days. If your dressing gets saturated and you have a lot of oozing, the nurses at the surgery center or hospital should have given you extra dressing supplies so you can remove your dressing and change it. If you have any questions, call our office ASAP. You can also take pictures with your cell phone and email it to info@prplastic.com but please let the office know so they can notify Dr. Speron who will try to check your pictures.

THE DAY AFTER SURGERY

  • SPECIAL INFORMATION: Take it easy! If you take daily medications, take them as you normally would, except for blood thinners.
  • ORAL HYGIENE: Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth twice a day. If you have had facial or intraoral surgery, please be gentle.
  • CLEANSING: You may shower (but do not get skin grafts wet) after seeing Dr. Speron, who will make sure everything looks ok first.
  • INCISIONS: Dr. Speron will instruct you on dressing changes after your 1st visit. Usually, we have you clean with Hydrogen Peroxide and put Bacitracin ointment on all incisions (except skin grafts) 2-4 times a day. When there is no more scabbing, please stop using hydrogen peroxide as it can slow down healing. Please do not put any antibiotic ointment outside the skin incisions on normal skin because then you can get an overgrowth of fungus and a fungal infection.
  • MAKE-UP: Please do not wear moisturizers, creams, lotions, or makeup until all your sutures are removed and usually not for at least 1 week even if you have no outside sutures.
  • CLOTHING: Wear only comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that does not need to go over your head. Avoid hairpins, wigs, and jewelry.

 

** Call the office for bleeding, severe or uncontrollable pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns
** You may return to school or work per your doctor's specific instructions and with limitations discussed
** Do not drive, operate machinery or drink alcoholic beverages while taking prescription pain medication

 

23 Things To Do While Recovering From Your Surgery

23 Things To Do While Recovering From Your Surgery
Critical-Questions

By Dr. SAM SPERON

When I first published The 7 Critical Questions to Ask Before Letting Any Surgeon Touch You, I had no idea that it would be so popularly received. Since its publication, this brief guide has helped thousands like you to more safely navigate the world of cosmetic surgery. The 7 Questions have been updated and a bonus section, Applying the 7 Questions, has just been added. Be my guest to read, learn and share.