When it comes to getting a neck lift, or any plastic surgery, Orange County patients are naturally concerned about the recovery process. And it makes total sense. The actual time of your surgery is short, but depending on the procedure you have performed, you’ll be spending days or even weeks recovering. When it comes to recovering from a neck lift, it’s especially important that you take extra care of yourself. After all, your body has just undergone surgery; you deserve a little downtime!
Continue reading as Dr. Sikorski of Natural Image OC in Orange County provides 5 tips for recovering from a neck lift.
- Listen to Your Care Nurse
Because your health and safety is so important to Dr. Sikorski, she requires that all her neck lift patients be assigned a care nurse for the first 24 hours after their surgery. This isn’t because a neck lift is a particularly complicated procedure from which to recover, but because Dr. Sikorski only wants the best for her patients. We know it can be hard to let someone else take care of you when you’re used to doing so much, but now really is the time to sit back, relax and let yourself be pampered. Listen to your care nurse, and follow his or her instructions at all times.
2. Wear Loose, Comfortable Clothing that Buttons or Snaps
Recovering from a neck lift is almost like an opportunity to shop for a new wardrobe! During your initial 10-14 day recovery period, Dr. Sikorski recommends that you don’t wear pullover shirts or tanks. Alternatively, she suggests loose clothing that buttons or snaps, so you don’t have to worry about manipulating clothing over your neck
3. Monitor Your Temperature
Anytime you have surgery there’s always a risk of infection. Neck lifts don’t provide any higher risk for this potential complication, but Dr. Sikorski, as we’ve already mentioned, is particularly concerned with your overall health and well-being, not just your aesthetic look. To make sure that you keep any potential infections at bay, she recommends her neck lift recovery patients regularly check their temperature, to confirm they are not developing a fever. And if you do develop a high fever, don’t grab the aspirin or ibuprofen first. Call Natural Image OC right away and explain what’s going on so that you can be seen immediately.
4. Take Your Pain Medication Exactly as Prescribed
Whenever you have surgery – elective or not -, there will be some discomfort involved. After all, you’ll have incisions, manipulated muscles, and sutures that are healing. While many of Dr. Sikorski’s Orange County neck lift patients report that there is minimal discomfort during their recovery time period, she always recommends her patients take their pain medication exactly as prescribed, even if that means waking up in the middle of the night so you don’t skip a dose.
5. Rest in a Reclining Position – With Lots of Pillows
When you’re recovering from a neck lift, you’ll want to get plenty of rest. The best position in which to do this is a reclining position. To keep you as comfortable as possible, have plenty of pillows on hand, which will allow you to comfortably assume the reclining position.
Contact Natural Image OC for More Information
If you have other questions about neck lift recovery or are ready to schedule a consultation, we’re here to help. Contact our office.