Surgery Process
Thank you for choosing South Florida Center
Here’s what to expect during your preoperative process:
Medical Questionnaire
First things first. If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes to complete our Medical Questionnaire found here.
Health Instruction, Supplements, and Medications
Stop Smoking / Using Nicotine
Smoking reduces circulation to the skin and can impede healing. You should avoid smoking, secondhand smoke, and cigarette replacements, such as nicotine patches or gum, for as long as possible leading up to your surgery and after while your wounds are healing.
Take Vitamin C
Vitamins can also help to reduce recovery time after surgery. We recommend taking 500mg of Vitamin C twice daily to promote healing.
Do Not Take Aspirin or Ibuprofen
Medications containing aspirin or ibuprofen can cause bleeding problems during and after surgery. Be sure to review the list of drugs containing aspirin and ibuprofen carefully, and use medications containing acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) instead.
Take Multivitamins
It’s important to keep your body as healthy as possible once you’ve scheduled your surgery. An easy way to improve your general health is by taking multivitamins. We recommend taking a multivitamin daily until your surgery day.
Limit Vitamin E
Excess Vitamin E can cause issues during surgery. Limit your intake of Vitamin E to less than 400mg per day.
Fill Your Prescriptions
Your surgeon will give you prescriptions for your post-surgery medications. Please have them filled BEFORE the day of surgery and bring them with you.
What’s Next – Helpful Reminders
Out of Town Patients
If you’re not local to the Fort Lauderdale area, you will be instructed to visit a LabCorp location for the necessary bloodwork. Don’t worry, it is free of charge and included in the price of your surgery. Every patients must have an adult bring them to and from their surgery and post-operative appointments and stay with them after surgery. If you do not have an adult that can travel with you, your coordinator can provide you a list of vendors who offer post-op care and travel services. We also provide a list of hotels nearby to our Fort Lauderdale location here. We have two surgery center locations, one in Fort Lauderdale and one in Miami. Please confirm which location your surgery is scheduled at ahead of making your plans.
Medical Interview
Before your surgery, a nurse will contact you for a pre-anesthesia phone interview. It’s possible this interview will be conducted in person as well, depending on your pre-op appointment date. This interview, along with the medical questionnaire, is necessary to ensure we have a complete medical history. It is important that you are as honest and thorough as possible during this interview to ensure your safety.
Paying Your Balance
Your balance must be paid in full two weeks before your procedure date. If your balance is not paid in full at this time, you will be at risk of being removed from the schedule and charged with a rescheduling fee. You may stop by the office or call in to make payments at your convenience. The South Florida Center also offers a variety of financing options that your coordinator can help you with if you are interested.
Bloodwork
Blood testing is required for every patient and is offered at no cost to both our local and out-of town patients. All blood work must be completed within 30 days of your surgery date. If blood work was done more than 30 days from your surgery date, it is no longer valid. For our patients who live locally, blood will be drawn for testing during your pre-operative appointment. Patients traveling from out-of-town can visit a LabCorp near them to complete their bloodwork. We will create an order for you in the central LabCorp system, so that your specific testing can be pulled up using your name and date of birth at any LabCorp location. LabCorp accepts walk-ins or you can make an appointment at a time that is convenient for you. To find the nearest location to you, please search here.
COVID-19 Safety
History of COVID
If you’ve had COVID-19 within the last 12 months, you will may need to get a chest x-ray before your procedure depending on your symptoms. Our coordinators can help you to find a location for your chest x-ray. You can not have surgery within 4 weeks of a positive COVID-19 test. If you have recently tested positive, please let a coordinator know so that we can schedule you a more appropriate date.
Preoperative Appointment
Scheduling Your Appointment
Out-of-town patients come in for their pre-op appointment one day before surgery. Local patients are typically scheduled between 30 and 7 days before the procedure.
Questions for the Surgeon
It is not necessary for you to meet your surgeon during the preoperative meeting. If you have specific questions or concerns for the surgeon prior to your surgery, your coordinator can help set up a video call with them at your convenience. Otherwise, you will meet with your surgeon on the day of your surgery.
What to Expect
During your pre-op appointment, the nurse will take your vitals, height, and weight, perform an EKG (if needed), take photos, go over the details of the surgery, answer any questions you may have, and provide you with instructions for the day of the surgery.
For our local patients, we will draw blood for testing during this appointment. You will also be given prescriptions for the medication you will be taking after your procedure. It is a good idea to fill these prescriptions before your surgery so that you have them on hand. Finally, you will receive your Surgery Booklet and sign your consents during this appointment.
The Day Before Surgery
Confirm Surgery Time
A member of our staff will contact you to confirm the day and time of your surgery. If you are not going to be home or will be unable to answer the phone, please call us to confirm at (954) 565-7575.
Cleansing
The night before your surgery, shower and wash the surgical areas with Hibiclens or antibacterial soap, such as Dial. Scrub the areas being operated on for about ten minutes, especially under arms for breast surgery and groin area for body surgery. Do not apply Hibiclens to the face and avoid getting it in your eyes.
Eating and Drinking
Do not eat or drink anything colored after 12:00 midnight except a sip of water to take medication that is normally taken in the morning. This includes chewing gum and breath mints.
The Day of Surgery
Special Information
Do not eat or drink anything colored the morning of your surgery. You may have a little drink of water or other clear liquid. If you are taking any medication, you may take it with a sip of water in the early morning.
Cleansing
On the morning of your surgery, shower and rewash the surgical areas with Hibiclens or antibacterial soap, such as Dial. Scrub the areas being operated on for about ten minutes during each shower, especially under arms for breast surgery and groin area for body surgery.
Do not apply Hibiclens to the face and avoid getting it in your eyes.
Oral Hygiene
You may brush your teeth the morning of your surgery, but do not swallow the water.
Makeup
Please do not wear moisturizers, creams, lotions, or makeup. Your skin should be completely bare the morning of your surgery.
Clothing
Wear comfortable, loose clothing that does not go over your head. Remove all wigs, hairpins, jewelry, and accessories. Limit the number of valuables you bring with you to the day of surgery. Leave watches, jewelry, accessories, etc. at home.
Check-in / Preparation
Arrive at our South Florida Center at the date and time provided to you by our surgery staff. It is important that you arrive on time. A parent or legal guardian must accompany patients less than 18 years old. If you are of child-bearing age, a urine pregnancy test will be conducted.
Upon arrival, you will be placed in the room where you will wait for your procedure. In here you will change out of your clothes into a surgical gown, and one of the nurses will help you get comfortable. An IV will be started. Your personal belongings will be placed into a bag and stored safely for you until after the surgery.
Meeting the Doctors
Your anesthesiologist will come in and go over the details of anesthesia, explaining exactly what will happen in the OR before, during, and after surgery.
After this, your plastic surgeon will step in to ask you about your concerns, goals, and the desired outcome. At this time, the doctor will also double-check your medical history, mark the area(s) of treatment if necessary, and answer any final questions.
Shortly after you will be taken to the operating room where the magic happens. After a couple of hours, you will wake up with a brand-new body.
Important Reminders
You will need a responsible adult to bring you to the office and take you home the day of surgery. A responsible adult should stay with you until you return for your postoperative visit the following day.
You may not drive yourself under any circumstances.
You may not get into an uber or taxi by yourself.
If you have any changes in your health or have any questions before your surgery please contact the office at (954) 565-7575.
Post-Operative Care
You will have a postoperative appointment scheduled the day after your surgery, then one week after your surgery, and finally one month from your surgery. Tummy Tuck patients are required to stay in town for a minimum of one week after their surgery.
Many patients are interested in booking post-op care ahead of their surgery. This could include a hotel to stay in with a care provider, a hired nurse, a few nights in a recovery house, or a package of massages. We have put together a helpful list to serve as a reference.
Questions? Get in touch.
If you have any questions about the preoperative process at our center, please feel free to reach out any time.
Contact Us
915 Middle River Dr. #213
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Phone: (954) 565-7575
NAVIGATION
Privacy Policy | HIPAA privacy | Notice of Accessbility | Terms & conditions | Refund & Cancellation Policy | Copyright © 2024 South Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery. All rights reserved.