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How Soon Can I Fly Home After the Facelift?

asked 2 years ago by malka zur in tel aviv,ISRAEL
Latest answer by Mike Majmundar, MD
Question viewed 1,620 times
Tags: face, travel

Living overseas, and I want to know how long after a facelift I should wait before traveling?

14 answers to How Soon Can I Fly Home After the Facelift?

Flying after a facelift

The risk of flying in less than 2 weeks after a facelift is that if your HR and BP went up unexpectedly, you could have a hematome up to the 2 week point. Also, a long flight like to Israel carries DVT and PE risks so you need to be up walking every hour on the way home. Stay AT LEAST 2 weeks if you want to do this right.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Living Overseas and Facelift

A facelift, if just a standard SMAS plication or elevation, is well on its way to being healed after 2 weeks. Although there will be some residual swelling the pressure differential in the plane will not result in a change in the outcome or increase the risks of complications. So long and short of it is that 2 weeks should be sufficient. With that said if a more significant surgery is performed perhaps a longer period may be necessary.

Christopher L. Hess, MD
Fairfax Plastic Surgeon

Flying home after a facelift

At our office we require the patient to come back 24 and 48 hours after surgery and then at day 7 and day 10 after surgery. It is not uncommon for patients to go out of town (2-3 hours away) between day 3 and day 7. When our clients fly in from out of state we ask for them to stay in the vicinity for 10 days before leaving or we set up another physician to follow up with them in their home state. For you living in another country we would just have you stay for 10... more

Michael L. Workman, MD
Portland Plastic Surgeon

Flying AFTER a Facelift

The concerns attached to medical tourism are the management of potential immediate complications, the safety of travel and the long term management of any complications by a surgeon who did NOT operate on you. I would wait 7-14 days before considering any travel assuming there were no complications but would be happier if you stayed locally for 2 weeks. I would also ascertain that your surgeon has an agreement with colleagues in Israel (or vice versa) to look after you once you return. Most... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Travel after a facelift

I usually request my patients remain in the area about 2 weeks to make sure everything is proceeding normally. If patients live several hours away I ask they stay here 2 days then come back a week later and 2 weeks later. The reason I request staying 2 weeks after surgery is to prevent a number of complications including pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the legs that can travel to the lungs). I hope this helps you and wish you good luck on your surgery. Have you seen any plastic surgeons... more

Steven Schuster, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Flying after Facelift

I advise patients to wait a minimum of 8 days prior to flying and leaving town; this is only if the patient had an unremarkable recovery period without complications. At day 7, we remove stitiches in front of the ear and they are allowed to travel the next day. The longer you can stay in town close to your surgeon the better.

Mike Majmundar, MD
Atlanta Facial Plastic Surgeon

Flying Home after Facelift

Approximately 75% of our surgical patients fly domestically and internationally from other locations for their operations. Depending on the the extent of their facelift, they return home 7-10 days after surgery.

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Flying home after facelift

If a full facelift than at least 3 weeks, if a mini face lift than wait 2 weeks. This is for your safety. From MIAMI Dr. B

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Stay near your surgeon for 7-10 days after facelift surgery

Plan on staying close to your surgeon for the first seven to ten days after a major surgery like a facelift. It is important that you are close by to your surgeon so that he can address any postoperative complications that may occur such as hematoma, swelling, edema, and seroma formation.

William Portuese, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

Plastic surgery and plane travel

This depends on the type of face lift. For short scar facelifts 3-5 days is reasonable. However, if your surgery is a deep plane type with blepharoplasty, I would recommend up to two weeks. I am assuming your are thinking about coming to the US which would be an extremely long flight from Israel.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

If you need to fly home soon after a lift, you need to share this with your surgeon

I practice in Fort Lauderdale and do many patients who have to return home to distant points. We modify our routines depending on the patients needs. For instance we will not do a technique that takes extended followup ( a deep laser) if the patient is leaving town. We also may modify our suture technique so all the sutures are either dissolvable or will be removed before they leave town. However, only the surgeon who is going to do your surgery can tell you how long you need to be... more

Nathan Mayl, MD
Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon

Traveling after Facelift Surgery

The first two days following facelift surgery are critical in terms of the occurrence of the most significant immediate post surgical complications. Although altitude should not adversely effect your facelift outcome after a couple of days, I would suggest waiting until the sutures are removed, which is usually around six days. Your surgeon will have an opportunity to inspect your wound. If all goes well, they will give you the green light and your journey home should be a safe one.... more

Philip S. Schoenfeld, MD
Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgeon

Flying after facelift surgery

Many of my patients fly in from other states and countries and I require they stay in town for at least 8 days after facelift surgery. Rhinoplasty patients can fly home 7 days later.

Jason B. Diamond, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Flying after a Facelift

Hi, Typically my patients from out of town stay for at least 7 to 10 days. It also depends on how much is done. Its prudent to wait until all of the stitches are removed and there is no sign of infection. Best, Dr. S.