After buccal fat surgery, can you drive?

Question

I want to drive home from Surgery but do they normally put you on pain medication? Or is it just an antibiotic? Does the local anesthetic make you tired or drowsy?

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear jess85251,every plastic surgeon has his own postoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. I would suggest you to discuss this with your plastic surgeon.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Eduardo Ochoa, MD · Answer

Hello, thank you for your question!
Buccal fat removal is a procedure performed under local anesthesia and the level of discomfort during and after the procedure is very low. Also you should know by now how sensitive you are regarding medical treatments and your pain threshold. I think it´s always better to have someone to go with you on the day of your buccal fat removal for support and aid if it´s needed but if you are going alone, discuss it with your plastic surgeon and follow his/her instructions and technique, also what medication (sedation and painkillers will be used) to prevent any risks. 
I hope you find this useful, wish you the best

Miguel Delgado, MD · Answer

You can drive after local anesthesia, however discuss this with your surgeon as to pain medication which would prevent you from driving. Be sure to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck.

Omar Lazos, MD · Answer

Yes you can drive after, the local anesthesia lasts a few hours, like going to the dentist. When a patient has a full and round face and despite weight loss the 
fullness persist or if the patient is in his normal weight and the 
chipmunk faces has stayed all the time, a bichectomy or buccal fat pad 
removal is useful. It´s true that with aging the buccal fat pad tends to
 diminish in volume do to atrophy, but if the volume is excessive a 
bichectomy will not hollow the cheek overtime. Many patients are happy 
with the results, a proper selection is a very important manner. Usually
 the procedure takes less than 30 min and you can go homethe same day. 
You'll be able to go back to work on the 3rd day post-op but 1 week off 
would be more comfortable. Best regards

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Treatment of ‘chubby cheeks’ cannot be achieved alone with buccal fat pad removal; a fact that I encounter time and time again when seeing patients in consultation for lower facial sculpting. My approach is to use a combined protocol that redefines aesthetic contours of the face. This includes the following: 
  
 
  
Buccal Fat Pad Removal 
  Non-surgical Muscle-Fascia Tightening
  Venus Legacy or Venus Viva
  Ultherapy
  Submental Liposuction or Coolsculpting
   
  
The combined approach is ideal. Buccal fat pad removal is a exceptional procedure that can remove excess fat from the cheek pads. Using an intraoral approach, a small incision is carried through the mucosa to remove a small fat pad within the cheek. Closure of the incisions is minimal with an absorbable suture and patients will experience some swelling post-operatively. We use SwellX tablets post treatment. Once healed, the contour of the cheek is improved and we begin Non-invasive tissue tightening to further enhance results. 
  
 
  
Best, 
  
Dr. Karamanoukian
  
Realself100 Surgeon

John Mesa, MD · Answer

The ability for somebody to drive by him/her self after buccal fat removal depends on how the surgery is performed by the surgeon. In my practice, I do most of my patients under strict pure local anesthesia. My patients do not receive any narcotics nor any kind of sedation. Therefore, my patients can drive themselves back home similar.If patients are given any narcotics, sedatives ( like benzodiazepines) or other medications different to pure local anesthetic or tylenol, they are not allowed to drive by themselves and somebody (a family or friend) must drive them back home for safety.Therefore, asl yours surgeon if it is safe to drive by yourself back home after buccal fat removal.

Ali Riza Öreroglu, MD · Answer

Buccal fat removal can be done under local anesthesia therefore you can immediately go back to your daily life. As you will not be receiving any sorts of sedation, you should be okay to drive. You may want to take it easy for the first hour after the operation maybe. Regular anti-inflammatory pain medication will also not interfere with your driving.

Hope this helps,Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey

Hope this helps,Ali Rıza Öreroğlu, MD FEBOPRASEuropean and Turkish Board Certified Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeonIstanbul, Turkey

After buccal fat surgery, can you drive?

Answers (7)

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