Face Lift Preparations

A face lift is a cosmetic surgery procedure that is likely to be invasive even for the lighter kinds of techniques. This means that it is an actual operation that requires opening the patient's skin and tissues to manipulate these in order to improve the appearance of the facial features. The desired results are usually ones that give the person who had the procedure a fresh, younger look with less sag and wrinkles. It is understandable that many men and women are eager to improve their current appearance for this basic operation that is not as risky as others, especially for the least invasive ones. 

Preparations

The first step in getting a face lift is to consult a reputable surgeon in a hospital or clinic. Many, if not all doctors are very open about the procedure and they even encourage the patient to ask questions in order to ease anxiety and apprehensions about it. The explanation that the surgeon gives is a great help in preparing the patient regarding what to expect during the surgery and afterwards. Other than this step, the doctor is likely to request some tests be done to the patient in order to see just how suitable he or she is to undertake a major operation. Blood tests and some psychological tests are the usual things to go through before any cosmetic procedure. The blood work helps determine the overall health of the patient while the psychological tests helps to determine how stable the patient is regarding changes in physical appearance. 

Smokers and those who are strong drinkers are discouraged to do so weeks before the surgery. Smoking can affect the nerves of the patient by constricting them and making access to them difficult. Blood flow may be restricted to some nerves, making them unreachable by medications and drugs during the face lift procedure. Constantly imbibing alcohol can make a person not susceptible to some medications and drugs. It is important that these activities be stopped weeks before the operation. 

A few days before the face lift, the individual is encouraged to rest and sleep well. A well-rested person is less likely to be tense and anxious before the procedure. Getting a good rest can also encourage the body to be prepared for the ordeal of the operation by having healthy organs and systems that can cope with the trauma of being operated on. Some doctors might discourage eating too much right before the undertaking since a full stomach may be affected by the anesthesia. They also encourage the patient to learn more about the procedure in order to understand what happens during and afterwards. Doctors also encourage their patients to buy the prescribed medications and whatever helps to ease the discomfort before the actual face lift. This saves the patient trip to the drug store to buy them right after the operation. It is important that the individual knows the importance of following the prescription and recommendations of the doctor in order to recover well and quickly.