Is it necessary to take antibiotics after surgery?

Most plastic surgeons give a perioperative dose of an antibiotic before a facelift. There is no clinical evidence to support this particular practice. The antibiotics do not decrease the risk of infection which is extremely low in the facelift anyway.

Thank you for your question. The risk of infection following facelift surgery is very low. In an effort to further lower the risk of infection, many surgeons prefer to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics for peri-operative use. Many of those surgeons would argue that any temporary negative effects due to such prophylactic antibiotic use is outweighed by the possibly greater likelihood of avoidance of the potentially catastrophic effect of a significant surgical infection. Such an infection can negatively influence the result and your appearance. Speak with your surgeon about your concerns. 

I do usually recommend antibiotics, especially if my patients have drains in place. Check with your doctor about any questions you may have.

Prophalactic (preventative) antibiotics are warranted to minize the chance of infection. As it is being used as a preventative studies show that  only 24 hours or less are indicated for most plastic surgical cases such as a facelift (most clean surgeries for that matter). The first dose is always given just prior to your surgery. By using such a short time span there is less risk of problems with your gut/body. If you are concerned use a probiotic such as yohgurt with active cultures while on antibiotics.

Non-discriminate use of antibiotics is irresponsible and potentially dangerous from the public health perspective.  However, surgical practice guidelines do support the use of limited prophylactic dosing.  For elective, non-contaminated procedures, we provide a single dose of antibiotics within an hour of starting your procedures.  This is given prophylactically to cover risk of bacterial exposure during the procedure.  As long as the surgery is performed without accumulating excessive bleeding, or tissue damage, the risk of infection is very low.  No additional doses of antibiotics will be needed unless symptoms of infection appear.  These will usually show up several days later as clinically increasing redness, pain, swelling, local tissue heat, or fever. 

The use of antibiotics varies with the surgeons. I personally like antibiotics as a preventative measure for infection for brief duration of time. You will have to ask your surgeon his or her thoughts on the matter. 
Earl Stephenson, Jr, M.D., DDS, FACS

It’s
true that antibiotics kill off some good bacteria in your system as well as the
bad. However, this is a minor inconvenience compared to the risk of a serious
infection after surgery, the likelihood of which increases dramatically if you
don’t take antibiotics. Although every effort is taken to make sure the
operating environment is as sterile as possible, your body is busy healing
after surgery and doesn’t have as much energy to devote toward fighting off
infections. That’s where antibiotics come in to help out. You can also
repopulate digestive flora pretty easily with probiotics and prebiotics, so
don’t let those concerns keep you from doing what’s right for your health.

Dear Noel, thank you for your question.Facelift surgery can dramatically improve the
cheeks, temple area, jawline, and neck.  Preop and Postop instructions vary from surgeon to surgeon. In San Diego, we routinely prescribe antibiotics, but you should follow the advice of your qualified surgeon. Consult with a board certified facial
plastic surgeon who can offer a variety of options. Good Luck!

Antibiotics may be beneficial at the time of surgery, however the benefits after the procedure have not been fully demonstrated.  I usually give my patient s all of their prescriptions prior to surgery so that they do not have to worry about any thing the day of surgery as it already may be a stressful time.

The need for antibiotics really depends upon the surgery you are having, and surgeons are different in their thoughts on quantity and need for usage.