Heart Condition and Facial Plastic Surgery

Dear Lorelei
Generally for our cosmetic patients seeking purely elective surgery, there is no reason to take unnecessary risks with surgery. This does not mean that a person with say a history of coronary heart disease can't have a facelift but no surgeon would consider this if the coronary heart disease was untreated. Occasionally appartently health adults present themselves for cosmetic surgery. It is our job as surgeons to determine if our patient is able to safely have cosmetic surgery. This may involve a careful assessment by a cardiologist. However, the testing and treatment that is need is what would be recommended whether or not you are having surgery by an large. However, there are individuals with certain types of heart disease who are as well managed as possible and they still present unacceptable risk for purely elective surgery.
Your picture also does show that you have profound upper eyelid ptosis which will be benefited by surgery. Your first step might be to talk with your primary care physician to learn if you are physically able to have cosmetic surgery. Your physician may also be able to help you identify a highly qualified surgeon.

In your particular case, the surgeon should speak with your cardiologist.  You will need to have the cardiologist allow you to stop aspirin or other blood thinners.  The cardiologist will let your surgeon know if you are in good enough shape to have a facelift performed.

If you have any significant medical history or health history, you must have clearance obviously before having any elective or aesthetic cosmetic surgery. It would behoove you to get medical clearance before considering having any type of elective cosmetic surgery. Sometimes you may have medical problems, such as previous cardiac surgery or other major health issues that are now stable. In those types of cases, I do those patients in a hospital setting so they can be monitored more closely post operatively.