• Stop any alcohol consumption
• Stop all daily vitamins and herbal supplements unless approved by Dr. Truesdale
• Stop smoking, vaping, hookah or nicotine products.
• Stop taking all weight loss medication ie: /tirzepatide

• Remove any eyelash extensions
• Remove all nail extensions, gel, acrylic or nail polish
• Remove any hair extensions, wigs, or installs
• Avoid tanning. This includes sunbathing, tanning products, or using a tanning bed
• Begin preparing for your surgery. Purchase items you will need the first few days.

• Refrain from eating or drinking anything outside of a small sip of water with blood pressure medication (if applicable)
• Wash your face with antibacterial soap
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing (Example: button up/zipper shirts and jackets that don’t require overhead placement)
• Remove contact lenses
• Please leave all valuables at home, including jewelry
• Please arrive on time to True Surgical Center 150 S. Rodeo Drive
• Suite 220, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 with your loved one.

True Surgical Center is a premier facial plastic surgery center dedicated to providing exceptional care and results.

We are proud to be AAAHC accredited, ensuring the highest standards of patient safety and quality. Our experienced team, led by Dr. Truesdale, is committed to minimizing the risk of downtime with all our procedures, allowing you to return to your daily life as quickly as possible. To further prioritize your safety and comfort, we have hand-selected Board-Certified anesthesiologists chosen personally by Dr. Truesdale, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and minimizing all potential risks.

At True Surgical Center, we strive to deliver outstanding surgical outcomes with a focus on your well-being and a swift recovery.

Post-Operative Appointment: You will have several post-operative appointments. Day one after surgery, Dr. Truesdale and his team will check. your incisions, remove your dressings, and clean the area to ensure proper healing.

Icing: Apply ice packs for 20 minutes at a time, then remove for 20 minutes. Always use a cloth or towel as a barrier between the ice pack and your skin to protect your incisions and prevent burns. Do this frequency for the first week.

Post Operative Dressing: Your initial dressings will be removed during your first day post-surgery appointment and a new one will be reapplied for 1-2 days.

Suture Removal: Sutures will be removed 7-9 days post your surgical procedure.

Incision Care: Keeping your incisions clean and moist is crucial for optimal health. Always wash your hands thoroughly before touching the incision areas.

Drain Care: If you’re having a Deep Plane Face and Neck Lift procedure, bulb drains will typically be used to help you heal faster.

These drains stay in for 1-3 days and remove fluid from your face and neck. You’ll need to empty the drain into the toilet when the bulb is half full, then squeeze the bulb flat and close it to maintain suction.

The drains are stitched in behind your ears; to avoid pulling, keep them pinned to your shirt or use the lanyard provided. Showering is okay after 48 hours (72 hours if you’ve had a laser procedure) and also after drains are removed.

To care for your Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain, you need to:

• Wash your hands with soap and water before touching the drain or the dressing.
• Milk the tubing to help move clots and prevent blockage.
• Empty the drain every 24hrs, so once a day at the same time. This way we will know how much fluid drained in a 24 hour period.
• When you uncap the bulb and the bulb inflates, record the time and the amount of fluid that is in the bulb by estimating how many mLs are in the bulbs based on the numbers.
• Empty the drain by pouring out the fluid. Squeeze the bulb and recap.
• Secure the bulb inside your dressing or clothing.

Post Procedure Activities: Complications after a Deep Plane Face and Neck Lift are rare, though you may experience mild drainage bleeding from your incisions within the first two days. Take it easy during the initial two weeks and avoid any strenuous activity like bending, heavy lifting, or excercise to minimize swelling and pressure on your face. You should be able to resume your normal exercise routine after four weeks.

Key Points

• Your initial facial dressing will be removed during your first post-op appointment
• You can shower 48 hours after surgery, unless you had a laser procedure, in which case you should wait 72 hours. When showering, wash your hair carefully, avoiding the incision sites.
• Starting 24 hours after surgery, clean your incisions twice daily (morning and night) with hydrogen peroxide applied using a Q-Tip.
  Continue this cleaning routine for a week or until your sutures are removed.
• After cleaning, apply Aquaphor ointment to keep the incisions moist and promote healing.

FAQ’s

Post Procedure Incision Care

• Try to apply ice compresses to your lip for 20 minutes on and 1 hour off for the first week to reduce swelling and bruising. Icing is not necessary while sleeping.
• Clean the incision with soap and water to clear crust.
• Apply Aquaphor or Vaseline only to the incision at the base of the nose two times dally.
• Take medications as directed
• Do not put tension on your lips. Avoid big smiles, kissing, and excessive mouth movements and be very careful when brushing your teeth. It may be helpful to use a small toothbrush.
• Sleep with your head elevated.
• It is normal to feel stiff for the first month.

FAQ’s

Types of Eye Restoration

• Upper Blepharoplasty: This procedure removes excess skin and fat from the upper eyelids, with the incision discreetly hidden within the natural eyelid crease.
• Lower Blepharoplasty: This procedure addresses the under eye bags by repositioning excess fat. Dr. Truesdale uses a transconjunctival approach, placing the incision inside the eyelid for an invisible scar. In many cases, this is combined with a skin pinch and/or fat transfer for optimal results.
• Skin Pinch Lower Blepharoplasty: This technique removes excess skin from the lower eyelids using an incision concealed within the natural lower eyelid crease.

What To Expect

• Blurred vision: You may experience blurry vision for a day or two after your procedure.
• Burning: It is common to have burning sensation in your eye area post procedure, to alleviate this you may place cold gauze/ice packs on the area for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Use a barrier such as paper towel to protect your skin when using ice.
• Dry Eye: To help avoid dry eye, use eye drops 3-4 times per day.
• Bruising and Swelling: Peak days for bruising and swelling are generally 2-4 days post-surgery. Expect swelling to resolve over weeks to months. Darkness can occur after lower blepharoplasty and will subside over several months.

FAQ’s

What To Expect

Because fat is a living tissue, it requires a fresh blood supply and nutrients to thrive after being transferred. Within two weeks, your body will naturally reabsorb any fat cells that didn’t survive the transter process. The remaining cells are alive and will regenerate, but they won’t immediately “plump up” as they haven’t yet begun storing new fat.

You may notice some initial deflation of the transferred fat within the first 1-3 months. This is a normal part of the process and is often referred to as the “low point”. However, around 6-9 months post procedure, these fat cells will start to re-inflate as they store more fat.

Optimal results are typically seen 1-2 years after the fat transfer, which is why we recommend waiting at least a year before considering any “touch-up” procedures. This approach helps us to avoid overfilling and ensures the most natural looking outcome.

Swelling and Bruising: Expect significant swelling and some bruising, usually peaking within 2-4 days and subsides over 1-2 weeks.

Your face may look dramatically different during the initial week. It’s common to have more swelling on one side than the other, as well as some hardnes or bumps. To minimize facial swelling, avoid bending over, looking down or lifting heavy objects.

Fat Transfer Process: Fat transfer is a gradual transformation. You will be at your lowest point of fat at 2 months but this gradual increase can take up to the year mark where your fat will peak.

Harvest Site: The area fat was harvested from, usually your thigh or stomach area, may be tender and potentially bruised. This will subside within 1-2 weeks post-surgery. There will be a small dissolvable suture that will subside in 1-2 weeks.

FAQ’s

Conditions Treated

Deep wrinkles and fine lines

Scars

Sunspots and uneven pigmentation

Actinic keratosis

Skin tone texture

The number of treatments varies. A personalized plan will be created for your specific needs, possibly including multiple treatments, a combination of treatments, and/or treatments combined with skincare products.

Preparation

• Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin, fish oil, and other blood thinners for two weeks before the procedure.
• Stop using retinol products 5-7 days before.
• Patients with darker skin tones may need pre-treatment with hydroquinone.
• Stop using tobacco and alcohol.
• Take prescribed antibiotics and antivirals to prevent infection and cold sores.
• Arrange for a ride home if taking Ativan.
• Expect 10-14 days of downtime.
• If you have a history of cold sores please notify the office. We will prescribe an antiviral medication.
• Swelling and redness for 10-14 days.
• Possible temporary skin darkening (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) in darker skin tones.
• Expect skin to peel. It is important to only remove skin that comes off with cleansing.

Post-Procedure Care

Items Needed

• Aquaphor
• Popsicle sticks
• Q-tips
• Distilled water
• White vinegar
• Cetaphil lotion and cleanser
• Sterile gauze or esthetician squares

Vinegar-Water Solution

• Mix 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar with 1 cup distilled water.
• Put the solution in a spray bottle.

Crucial Tips

• Keep Aquaphor on the skin at all times.
• Redness will fade in 2-4 weeks.
• Shower after 72 hours using lukewarm water.
• Use mild shampoo.
• Use Dawn dish soap to remove Aquaphor from hair.

CO2 Laser
Post-Procedure Timeline

Maintaining your results is important. While your procedure will significantly turn back the clock, the results aren’t permanent, because aging is ongoing. There are several key things you can do to preserve your results and keep your appearance looking its best.

Changes to your facial structure and volume will continue to gradually age, but your skin requires consistent upkeep to continue looking its best. Therefore, post-procedure care focuses on keeping your skin healthy and youthful. This requires regular maintenance, similar to how you take care of your overall health, your home, or your garden.

Collagen/Elastin production decreases with age, leading to skin thinning, wrinkles, and sagging. Stimulating collagen production is essential for long-term anti-aging. This can be achieved through active skin care with growth factors, in addition to microneedling, lasers, chemical peels, and medical grade skin care. Consistent use of these products and treatments will improve your skin year after year.

Maintaining good skin integrity is crucial for extending the results of your facial rejuvenation procedure. Please let us know if you need skincare recommendations.

Repetitive facial movements and thinning skin create lines and wrinkles on your upper face. Static wrinkles are present even when your face is at rest. Botox, administered every 3-4 months, can slow wrinkle formation and even prevent it. Some wrinkles may require fillers to achieve a smooth, youthful appearance. Many fillers last several months and produce excellent results.

Using a red light therapy mask can be a valuable addition to your post-operative healing process. Red light therapy has been shown to help reduce inflammation, which can minimize swelling and discomfort after surgery. It can also stimulate collagen production, which is essential for skin repair and can aid in scar healing.

Additionally, it may promote better circulation, helping to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the treated area and further supporting the healing process. Always consult with our office before starting any new treatment to ensure it aligns with your specific recovery plan.

If you’re interested in purchasing your very own red light therapy devic, please click the link below to get $100 off Doctor Truesdale’s favorite mask. Use code “DOCTORTRUESDALE”

For your convenience, Truesdale Facial Plastic Surgery offers several excellent third-party financing options to help make your surgical journey more accessible. We partner with reputable financial institutions such as PatientFi, Alphaeon, LendingUSA, and CareCredit to provide flexible payment plans, including options with 0% interest for qualified applicants. Our team is happy to discuss these options with you in more detail during your consultation to find a plan that best suits your needs.

For 14 days prior to surgery and a minimum of 14 days after surgery, do NOT take aspirin, aspirin containing products, or ibuprofen. Do not take any anti-inflammatory agents or Vitamin E before surgery. Even the smallest amounts of aspirin can cause bleeding problems. You may take Tylenol (acetaminophen).