How long does it take to recover from surgery?

Everybody is busy in this day and age. Vacation time comes at a premium, and we all want to use our free time for the things we like to do the most.

A short recovery time from surgery is not just highly desired, but a necessity when it comes to accommodating your busy schedule. One of my goals for every surgery that I perform is to get you back to your normal activities as soon as possible.

So how long does it take?  A few factors to keep in mind to help minimize your recovery time:

1)      Good nutrition – a good, healthy diet around the time of your surgery improves healing.

2)      Avoid herbal meds and vitamins – Many of these products can thin out your blood, causing more bruising to occur after surgery. To make things simple, I request that all of my patients stay off these medications at least 2 weeks before their procedures.  You can start them again 2 weeks afterwards. By simply stopping these before your surgery, you can help reduce your recovery time by several days.

3)      Avoid medications like Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and Naproxen (Aleve) – These also have a similar blood-thinning effect as many herbs and vitamins. Avoid using these 2 weeks before your procedure and you can reduce your recovery time.

4)      NO smoking – it goes without saying, but smoking significantly hinders your body’s ability to heal.

5)      Light activity – while you should avoid strenuous activity after surgery (anything that makes you red and sweaty, or any lifting over 10 pounds), don’t be a couch potato either. Get out and walk, do things around the house, keeping your body moving, and you will also recover more quickly.

Recovery time for the most common surgeries that I perform: Mini “RT” facelift and/or mini “RT” necklift: 7-10 days (hence, the mini Recovery Time), Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery): 4-6 days, Rhinoplasty: 5-7 days, Fractional CO2 laser facial peel: 3-5 days.

In general, I want to get you back to your normal activities in a week or less. You can get the results you have always wanted, without having to give up your precious free time.

 

Here’s to the beautiful human face,

-Dr. Yamamoto