NIGHT OF SURGERY

• Movement is Important.  Make sure to get out of bed and be up and walking around immediately after your surgery. When lying down in bed or on the couch, make sure you move your legs and ankles. Take deep breaths frequently to keep your lungs clear.
• Sleep. Sleep on your back with your head elevated about 30-40 degrees (2-3 pillows).  Do not sleep on your side.  Keeping your body more upright will minimize swelling.  Continue this for one to two weeks.
• Ice Compresses.  Apply ice compresses made of gauze sponges that are dipped into iced water. You may also use frozen peas wrapped in a towel as a cool compress or preferably a Jaw Bra Compression wrap.   For the first 24-48 hours, apply the cool compresses to your chin and neck area for 20 minutes at a time, taking breaks in between. Use Jaw Bra continuously for one week.

MEDICATIONS

• Antibiotic.  Start your antibiotic tablet 24 hours before surgery and take all tablets as prescribed and until finished.
• Pain Medication. You will be prescribed pain medication for post-operative pain control.  If your discomfort after surgery is not substantial, you are welcome to take Tylenol instead of the prescribed medication.  Please do not take the Tylenol with the pain medication, as most often, the medication you are prescribed will have Tylenol in it.  Do not exceed 4,000 mg of Tylenol in any 24 hours.  Take medication with food to minimize the risk of nausea.
• Constipation.  You will experience constipation if taking narcotic pain relievers. Miralax or other over-the-counter laxatives are recommended. Do not wait to take until you are constipated. Begin treatment with narcotic use. 
• Nausea.  If you are experiencing nausea, which is common after general anesthesia, and a known side effect of some more potent pain medications, we advise that you take your nausea medication. 
• Medications to Avoid.  Take only those medications approved or prescribed by your surgeon. Avoid medications containing aspirin for two weeks before and after surgery. These medications may increase bleeding. 
• Substances to Avoid.  Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, for these will dramatically slow the healing process.

NUTRITION 

• Diet.  A light, low-fat diet is best after surgery. You may start a regular diet after your surgery if you are not feeling nauseous or vomiting. 
• Hydration.  Stay hydrated by drinking 8 -10 glasses of water a day.  Avoid alcohol while you still have to take pain medications.

BATHING

• Showering. You may remove your compression wrap to wash your hair and face, as usual, the next day following your surgery. Replace the wrap immediately after you shower. Avoid submerging your neck in water. 
• Hot Tubs/Baths/Swimming Pools.  No tub baths or Jacuzzi until your incisions have healed and approved by your surgeon, which is usually around two weeks.  It is best to wait one month for hot tubs as they have more bacteria than regular chlorinated swimming pools.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR INCISIONS

• Cleaning your incisions. Gauze will be placed on the small incision line after your procedure. Keep this on until the next day and replace it with a band-aid. Replace band-aid every couple of days.  You may apply an antibiotic ointment (Bacitracin, Neosporin, etc.) to reinforce healing. 
• Crusting. Occasionally, crusting will occur around the sutures. Crusting is normal and will resolve. Do not try to pull off any crusts.  Showering daily will minimize crusting.   Apply your bacitracin ointment daily to keep incision sites moist. 
• Sutures. At your first post-op office visit, your surgeon will remove all necessary sutures. All remaining sutures will be dissolvable. Sutures are usually removed two weeks after your procedure. 

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Mild Bleeding/Drainage. It is common to experience a small amount of bloody drainage from the liposuction access sites for the first several days after liposuction.  
• Bruising. Bruising is a very common side effect of submental liposuction.  You may have to bruise under the chin that extends farther down the neck and even onto the chest. Most bruises will heal after about 2-3 weeks. The bruise will go from a purplish color to a yellow/green shade as it starts to resolve. 
• Swelling. Swelling is to be expected for weeks and sometimes months. The swelling can improve with intermittent rest. Exercise and physical activity can transiently worsen swelling but is encouraged. Total resolution of swelling and skin shrinkage can take up to 3-6 months.
• Itching. Itching at the incision sites is normal for a few days. You may take Benadryl to help with this. 
• Pain. It is normal to experience tightness, pressure, shooting pain, soreness, and fatigue for several days to weeks following surgery as your body recovers. 
• Sensory Changes in Skin. There is usually an area of numbness under the chin following a liposuction procedure. Numbness is temporary and will resolve with time.

ACTIVITY

• Physical Activity. Normal daily activity may be resumed a few days after surgery. No bending over, straining or lifting more than 5lbs for the first week after surgery. Be extremely careful if wearing any “pull-over the head” clothing.
• Compression Wrap. The compression wrap must be worn AT ALL TIMES for the first week following the submental liposuction procedure and on and off for the next couple of weeks as further advised by your surgeon.
• It is crucial to make sure the wrap is placing smooth and even compression on the neck. No curling or bunching up of the wrap should occur.
• Shaving. It is common to have numbness and irritation under the chin following a submental liposuction procedure. For this reason, it is advised not to shave for at least the first five days after your procedure.
• Driving.  Do NOT operate a vehicle or make important decisions until you have been off pain medications for 24 hours. Use good judgment.
• Return to work. Most patients require approximately 5-7days off work depending on their job responsibilities and the amount of physical contact your job involves.
• Exercise.  You can resume an exercise regimen approximately three weeks after surgery, though start easy and build back up to your previous exercise levels.  Just know that swelling may transiently be worse with exercise.
• Travel. Automobile travel can resume immediately, although frequent breaks are needed every 2 hours to prevent blood pooling in the legs and blood clots. Airline travel is restricted until 1-week postop. You will notice increased swelling with airline travel, and this can happen even 6-8 weeks postop related to the pressure changes that occur. 

DO NOT’S

• DO NOT place anything frozen directly on the skin. Make sure ice is wrapped in a gauze pad or a towel before applying it to the skin.
• DO NOT soak in baths, Jacuzzis, or hot tubs, or submerge your face in water until all incisions have fully healed.
• DO NOT take Aspirin, Naproxen, or other blood thinners until your surgeon advises you it is safe.
• DO NOT rub or massage your neck until after you are examined and told it is all right.
• Signs of Infection.  Spreading redness, worsening swelling, increased drainage or drainage of pus, worsening pain and warmth at the incision site.  Temperature over 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Excessive Bleeding.  If the dressings are saturated with bright red blood, you have to make very frequent dressing changes.
• Other Emergency Situations.  Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chest pain, lightheadedness that does not quickly resolve, severe vomiting, pain, or asymmetric swelling in your legs.

DON’T TAKE CHANCES! If you are concerned about anything you consider significant, call us at:
505-291-9600 Mon-Thurs 8-4, Fri 8-12.
Afterhours 505-857-3721

SHOPPING LIST

• Prescriptions. Fill all prescriptions before your surgery date.
• Compression wrap. It is provided to you by Our Center.
• Tylenol (Acetaminophen).  Alternative to narcotic pain medication if the pain is not severe. Do NOT take NSAIDS or ASPIRIN for two weeks before your surgery.
• Arnica.  An herbal supplement that can reduce swelling and bruising.
• Laxative or stool softener. It is used to reduce constipation that may be caused by anesthesia or narcotic pain medications.
• Band-aids. To place over incisions.