Neck Lift in Sydney – Recovery

What should you expect after a neck lift in Sydney?

Most neck lift procedures are performed with the plan of an overnight stay in hospital. This ensures your safety after your neck lift in Sydney. Many patients will have small drains in their necks when they wake up, to prevent the build up of fluid. Drains are usually removed the next morning, but occasionally the drains will stay in until there is only a small amount of fluid coming out of them. This typically takes a few days, although it can be longer or shorter in some patients. The removal of the drains is generally quick and not painful.

Side effects that may occur after a neck lift in Sydney

In the first 24 hours, it is normal to expect the following symptoms:-

•    Drowsiness
•    Dry throat
•    Nausea (possibly)
•    Discomfort and stiffness

Pain management after your neck lift

The local anaesthetic helps with pain control for the first evening, but has usually worn off by the following morning. This is usually the time when patients feel the most soreness. Regularly taking paracetamol and anti inflammatories for the first few days after the operation is important in minimising your discomfort and need for stronger pain killers.

You will wake up with a surgical or post operative compression garment on, and you should wear one at all times in the first few weeks after your neck lift in Sydney. This helps compress reduce the swelling, the amount of fluid in the drains (so they come out earlier), and helps contour the neck.

Return to activity after your neck lift in Sydney

Once you are comfortable moving around your room, you will be discharged home with a prescription for pain relief and antibiotics. You will need to take these medications for several days after your neck lift in Sydney. If you are prone to feeling nauseated after operations, you will also be given a prescription for something to help with that.

There is some social down time after a neck lift procedure, where you will not want to be in the general public or having photographs taken at events. Most people can return to an office job within a couple of weeks. Usually by the time you see our practice nurse at 3 weeks post-operatively, most patients are back at work. If you are able to work from home, you will feel up to doing some work within 1 – 2 weeks.

Gently walking is the only exercise you should plan on doing for the first few weeks, and it will take about four weeks before you will feel well enough to return to the gym or restart running. Your body will tell you (with pain) if you are trying too soon. When you feel pain, it’s important that you back off and wait a few days before trying that activity again, rather than “pushing through the pain.” Allowing time for your body to heal will result in the fewest complications from your neck lift in Sydney.

Follow up after your neck lift in Sydney

You will be asked to see Dr Gavin Sandercoe for several follow up appointments to ensure that your body is healing well from the procedure. This also allows your Specialist Plastic Surgeon in Sydney to treat any complications that occur. You will have appointments scheduled at one week and three weeks with the practice nurse,  and at three and twelve  months post operatively with Dr Gavin Sandercoe after your neck lift in Sydney. If there are any problems, we want to hear from you and sort it out as soon as possible!