How Do I Prepare For A Facelift?

As in the case of any other surgical procedure, a face lift too requires the patient to prepare himself physically as well as mentally for the operation. The mental preparation helps the patient focus on the procedure at hand, while the physical preparation readies his body for the procedure.

As part of the physical preparations, it is essential to quit smoking altogether about a week prior to the rhytidectomy, and continue that trend during the week after the procedure. This is vital: smoking prevents the uniform flow of blood to the skin, and also retards the pace of the healing process. Thereby if you smoke immediately after the operation, you will find that the wounds are taking longer to heal than they usually do.

Besides stopping smoking, get a confirmation from the surgeon regarding the common prescription drugs that you should avoid using during this period. The reason for avoiding these medicines, such as aspirin, is that they can hamper the clotting process itself.