Pain Medication for lower Facelift?

Each patient’s
comfort level varies. However, in general, my patients find they are very
comfortable after surgery, due in part to proper management of discomfort with
medication. I offer my patients pain medication to last 3-4 days, as a
precaution, and I tell them to fill the prescription so they have it if they
need it. Some patients don’t use any of it, and take Tylenol instead. Other
patients use prescription medication for 4 days. I don’t usually see patients
needing medication any longer than 4 days.

Usually, I hear
patients describe their after-surgery sensations as “tightness” or “stiffness”,
which is often due to the muscle tightening and swelling, versus pain. Some
people interpret this as pain or discomfort.

I also give my
patients my personal cell phone with instructions to call me, day or night,
whenever they want, after surgery. This allows my patients to rest easy,
knowing if they feel uncomfortable, I’m always there for them. I think having
direct access to your surgeon, or a member of their staff, is very important
during recovery. Speak to your physician about how you will able to contact
them during recovery. I think knowing you will be well-cared-for during your
recovery will help put your mind at ease with the process.

Hello, and thank you for the great question. Generally speaking, most patients do require low-dose prescription pain pills after their lower facelift and necklift (I personally prescribe 5 mg hydrocodone with 325 of tylenol every 4-6 hours as needed for discomfort). The good news is that they generally only need to take these pills consistently for 2-3 days. Certainly by one week post-op, all patients have stopped taking any type of narcotic pain pill (and use tylenol instead). There is a small sub-set of patients that can actually recover without any narcotic pain pills whatsoever. They are the exception, but those patients do exist! Good luck to you!

Describing post surgery pain is difficult as pain is such a subjective feeling and varies between individuals. What I tell my patients is that they can expect to be using the pain medication for the first 24-48 hours after the procedure. After which, most patients are using tylenol and saving the stronger medication (either vicodin or tramadol, prescribed for about 3-5 days) to help sleep at night or for stronger pain. Most of the pain is due to the dressing that is placed the first night. So I have my patients return the next day to have the dressing changed and a smaller one placed. This provides significant relief and further comfort. 

Thank you for your question.  I performed my Concept Facelift on patients, which is performed under local anaesthetic (no drains or bandages) however still targeting the SMAS muscle, giving the longevity of a traditional facelift.  The reason my patients opt for this is not only the fact it has a lot less health risks than general anaesthetic, however the swelling, bruising and recovery period is significantly reduced.  My patients still experienced pain for the first few days however paracetamol is a satisfactory pain killer usedAll The Best!! 

Each patient is different, however, most do not find a face lift very painful, usually there is swelling and tightness for a few days. You will find different doctors prescribe different medications, most patients need a prescription pain med for only a day or two and then find that Tylenol is very effective. Good luck.

Pain medication is commonly prescribed after a lower facelift.  The duration a patient takes pain medication after a lower facelift is different from patient to patient.  In general most patients take pain medication from 2 to 4 days, some longer some shorter.It is important to take pain medication, or any other medication prescribed by your surgeon, only as directed.  I hope this helps. 

It is true that this type of procedure does not involve excess amount of pain or need for longterm pain medications.  Most patients only need something the first night and then after that they can transition to plain tylenol.  Typically hydrocodone is prescribed for the first night or two.  I would question the reason why a drain is not recommended.  

Most patients says that they have a lot less postoperative pain than they anticipated with a facelift.There is some tightness from repositioning the tissues in the face and neck.  Also there is some numbness with that too limiting the discomfort.I usually prescribe a narcotic and muscle relaxant that is taken as needed.  Patient pain tolerance is quite variable and I want my patients to be comfortable postoperatively.

Patients undergoing face lift surgery usually do not have any post-operative pain! Tylenol, if needed, is usually quite sufficient. Local anesthetic given in the course of surgery usually has a long lasting component that takes care of pain for 6-10 hours after surgery.

Dear Pretty2468, thank you for the great question.  One of the most common misconceptions about facelift surgery is that there is a great deal of pain postoperatively.  The information that you received is correct, pain is generally very minimal to tolerable.  Obviously, there will be some variation between surgeons and patients. The reason for this general lack of pain is that the intravenous anesthesia received for the procedure is coupled with local anesthesia, thereby preventing the pain receptors from becoming primed.  After the procedure, patient describe a sensation of pressure on their ears, especially if a compression dressing is used.  Inflammation after any injury, including surgery, peaks at 48-72 hours, during which time it is critical that the patient avoids any straining or bending. We provide pain medication to all facelift patients, but many do not use it. Narcotic pain medication is also associated with nausea, constipation, and urinary retention and most of our patients find that an anxiolytic like valium is more useful. Anxiety is a greater problem for most facelift patients than pain. Patients who do experience a lot of pain generally have a reason for this experience, such as a hematoma.  Hematomas are rare but are a known complication of the procedure.  I hope this is helpful.