I am booked in for a facelift - how soon after will I be able to drive?

Hello, Thank you for your question. Driving should be avoided for the first 7 days until the swelling begins to settle (the swelling can make your vision blurry). You are also required to be off of your neurotic medication for roughly 24 hours prior to driving. I'd recommend speaking to your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon first for their recommendation. Take care. 

In general, you will probably need to wait about a week. Speak with your surgeon, though, as everyone has their own unique post op protocol. Best, Dr. Nazarian

#facelift: driving after surgerydepending on the type of lift, anaesthesia and medications,   three to seven days is reasonable.

Thank you for your question. Typically facelift patients can drive at 1 week post op. When considering driving again, it is advisable to drive with someone at first in case you are feeling uncomfortable. In the event you are uncomfortable you can switch drivers. All the best, 

You should not be driving if on narcotics or sedatives first of all.  Accompanying eye surgery that affects the visual fields would also have to heal sufficiently to be certain your sight is not impaired.  No surgeon wants a fresh face lift to hit the steering wheel or air bag and so most would feel a week would be the minimal time to allow some healing to occur.  Being a passenger is just as much an issue so keep the driving to an absolute minimum for the first few weeks.  

Most of my patients are able to start driving one week after surgery.  It is important to remember that some of the pain medications can make you very sleepy and you should not drive if you are still taking those medications.RegardsDr. J

I
do not recommend for my patients to drive for at
least 7-10 days and
of course one must be off of pain medication.

Great question.First, you can not drive if you are taking sedatives or narcotic pain medication because this is not safe for yourself or others and is essentially driving under the influence.The second factor is your vision which should not be an issue after a facelift and the other aspect to consider is your ability to turn (rotate) your neck, especially in heavy traffic or in an unexpected situation.  Typically, most patients feel comfortable and safe driving two weeks after surgery, but I have had patients OK to drive in 7-10 days and others at 3-4 weeks.I hope this helps.

I permit my patients to drive after a facelift as soon as they can do so safely. They of course cannot be taking pain medication which is generally not needed after a facelift. They also have to be able to turn the head adequately for purposes of safety. Most patients can drive themselves to the office for the first set of suture removal which is five days.

I would recommend waiting 1 week before driving.  You may be fine in just a few days but plan for 1 week.  You will need to have someone drive you for your 1st follow up appointment.