When can I eat pizza-type foods after mid face and neck lift?

I allow my patients to eat whatever they feel comfortable chewing after a facelift. Most patients do best with soft foods immediately after the procedure. Food that is high in salt can increase and prolong swelling.  Speak to your surgeon to see what he or she recommends.

Hello and thank you for your question.Typically,  you can return to your normal diet as soon as you feel ready. Soft food for  the first few days may be beneficial, but if you feel up to having pizza go ahead and have it. Best of luck and enjoy!

Typically as long as you are keeping foods down, we have no specific dietary restrictions after midface-, face-, or necklifting.Hope that helps and best wishes, Dr. Donath 

Hello, great question! Typically you can return to a regular diet pretty immediately. Some surgeons will tell you to keep to a minimal chewing diet for 2 weeks, but it ultimately is up to your board-certified plastic surgeon on what they would prefer for you to do.Good luck!

Dear imaupser,I recommend a low salt diet for 4 weeks after the face and neck lift. Pizza is definitely high on salt. This restriction is because salt causes fluid buildup and in my experience, prolonged swelling. Each surgeon's protocol however is different and I never force patients. I just give them information to guide them and then they make the decision. Best regards,Nirmal R. Nathan, M.D.Certified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Great questions!  Generally, there is no dietary restrictions after having a facelift / neck lift.  However, I would still ask your plastic surgeon for his/her advice as we don't know exactly what was done during the procedure.  Best of luck and hope this information helps!
- Dr. Roger Tsai  @DrRogerTsai
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

You should be able to eat anything you want after a facelift. However your surgeon may suggest specific dietary restrictions based on the operation and placement of supporting sutures and such. Really, only your surgeon can specifically asked that question. Best of luck! Dr. Boschert

Thanks for writing,The answer depends on the type of mid-face lift you are having. If your surgeon is utilising a Little, MD style lift, then chewing, and excessive motion is not a good idea at all. If  there is not mid-face undermining and aggressive work then you can eat comfortably. I do not like a high salt diet as this can make swelling much worse. Most importantly, ask your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon what he / she will be doing and how they feel it best you be cared for in the post-op phase. All of the answers in this RealSelf segment are based on general principles because we don't know you, there are no photos and we don't know what your operating Plastic Surgeon will be doing. Good luckStephen M. Davis, MD, FACSCertified: American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic SurgeryMember: American Society of Plastic SurgeonsMember: RealSelf Hall of Fame

Thanks for the question.  There are two components that determine the best diet after a face and neck lift. The first is related to the neck lift portion of the procedure.  Most patients report tightness in their neck after a necklift type procedure.  This can often result in some difficulty with foods that require rigorous chewing.  I would count pizza in that category.  I often recommend a soft diet for the first few days after the procedure to avoid the need for chewing.  Secondly, I often recommend a low sodium (2 gms or less per day) and high protein diet for all patients after surgery.  Too much salt can lead to water retention which will slow your recovery.  The additional protein is required for wound healing in the postoperative period.  Pizza is probably not the best dietary option given these guidelines. 

There should be no restrictions on your diet after a facelift. Some surgeons may recommend you eat soft foods the first few days after surgery to keep movement around the mouth to a minimum, but this is not essential.Hope the pizza is tasty!