Prior to your surgical procedure
Please discontinue all aspirin containing medicines 2 weeks prior to your surgery. These medicines include: Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Excedrin, Bufferin (for a complete list please contact our office).
Please see your eye doctor if you have dry eye or any eye disorder, or if you have not had an eye check-up in the past year.
Begin taking the medicine prescribed for your procedure that needs to be taken prior to surgery. An example of this is the Vitamin C and Bactroban ointment (Mupipricin ointment).
Ideal Candidates for Chin and Cheek Surgery
Please call your internist to discuss stopping HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) 2 weeks before and 2weeks after surgery.
- Please avoid drinking alcohol and wine 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after surgery.
- Please avoid drinking herbal teas and herbal supplements 1 week prior to surgery (St John’s Wort, Eccinechea).
- Please avoid caffeine drinks 48 hours prior to surgery (Coffee, Energy Drinks).
- Please have nothing to eat or drink after 12 midnight, the night before your surgery.
- Please wear comfortable clothes the day of your surgery. We recommend wearing a shirt that buttons up or zippers up the front.
- Please wear cotton under-ware the day of your surgery. This may sound like an unusual request, but nylon and synthetic fabrics should be avoided in the Operating Room.
- Please arrive on time, this helps us avoid delays.
- Please arrange for an escort to take you home after your surgery. No one is allowed to travel home by themselves.
- Please arrange for a car ride home, this will aide in your comfort.
- Please avoid wearing a lot of jewelry the day of surgery and leave your valuables at home.
- Please don’t wear contact lenses the day of surgery or for two weeks after surgery.
- My office staff will call you before surgery to inform you about the time to arrive at the office.
- Any other questions should be referred to my nurses. They are happy to discus and explain anything with you.
We want your experience to be a pleasant and healthy one.
After your Eye Lid Surgery
Activity after surgery
- After your surgical procedure, when you arrive home, we encourage you to relax with your head elevated on several pillows, at a 30-40 degree angle. For the next two weeks, you should be sleeping on your back with your head elevated.
- Ice compresses should be applied gently over your eyes. This prevents excessive swelling, and aides in your comfort. You should continue this for at least 48 hours.
- You may have steri-strips on your upper eye lids. Please keep them dry. They may have become blood stained shortly after surgery, this often happens and it is normal.
- You may shower the day after your surgery. This can be accomplished by avoiding the direct spray of water on your face. Baby shampoo is preferred because it is gentle on your eyes.
- You can clean around your eyes and with warm water soaked Q-tips. You may wake up in the morning with crusts on your eye lashes. This is normal, but you need to gently clean your eye lashes with warm water and Q-tips as well.
- Avoid straining or any activity that causes a feeling of pressure in the face and eyes. Avoid bending for two weeks.
- Check with your doctor before resuming strenuous physical activity. You should not be driving if you are still taking pain medicine.
- Eyeglasses can be worn after your surgery if you need them. Sun glasses are always a good idea after your surgery to conceal your wounds. Contact lenses can be inserted after a two week period, only if your eyes don’t feel dry.
- Avoid sun exposure as much as possible.
DIET
- Begin with bland foods (clear liquids, broths, etc.) and advance as tolerated.
- Resume a well-balanced diet including protein and high fiber foods.
- Avoid alcohol and wine for 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after surgery.
- Avoid smoking and nicotine for these will dramatically slow the healing process.
- Increase fluids such as water and fruit juices (Cranberry & Apple Juice are good choices).
MEDICATIONS
- Take medications as directed by your prescription (on medication bottle).
- If pain is mild, you may take extra strength Tylenol instead per manufacturer’s directions. Do not take any products containing ibuprofen (including Advil, Midol, etc.) in place of pain medicine.
- Occasionally, you may encounter a sore throat due to anesthesia. Lozenges, such as Cepacol can help to relieve this temporary discomfort.
PLEASE REFER TO YOUR MEDICATION SCHEDULE SHEET FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHEN TO TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS. THIS WAS PROVIDED IN YOUR PACKET.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SURGERY
Some bruising and swelling is normal but icing well we help to minimize these affects. You will continue to improve up to 6 weeks after your surgery
The lips may become dry from breathing through the mouth; you may use Vaseline or Chap Stick to lubricate them.
Occasionally a patient will run a low fever (about 100 degrees). Please notify us if it goes higher than 101 degrees.
Nausea or vomiting can occur after your surgery for the first 24 hours following surgery. Please notify us if you are experiencing severe nausea and vomiting and are unable to keep liquids down.
Resuming social activities and returning to work depend upon the level of physical activity and public contact you require, as well as the swelling and bruising you may develop. The average patient goes back to work or social activities in a few days. However, this varies and is individual.
We recommend an over the counter eye lubricant after your surgery. Natural Tears or Celuvisc are good examples. You can use these products several times a day, they’re very comforting.
You will be receiving a phone call from my office after your surgery. Please share all concerns and questions with us. Our phone number is 212-452-3362. We want your experience to be a pleasant and healthy one.
F.McGibbon©2008
Dr Rizk In The Media
Connolly Best Doctor
Dr. Rizk featured in Town & Country Magazine as one of the masters of the subtle lift and tweak that will turn back time
Voted by peers to New York Magazine’s 2013 Top Doctors
New Advances in Facelifting Techniques by Dr. Sam Rizk
Preoperative: (before surgery)
- Avoid aspirin products including Aleve, naprosyn, Advil, Motrin, and other arthritis medications, fish oil, green tea, as well as vitamin E & herbal supplements such as ginko biloba, St. John’s Wort for two weeks BEFORE and 2 weeks after surgery.
- Nothing to eat or drink after midnight the night BEFORE surgery except to swallow medication. You may take your blood pressure medication the morning of surgery with a small sip of water.
- Call my office the day before surgery for exact time you should report to the facility or surgi- center.
- Obtain medical clearance and all pre-operative testing (as requested by our doctor) within three weeks BEFORE surgery (not more than 3 weeks) and assure that it was faxed and received by the office. Fax # 212-860-6819
- Avoid alcoholic beverages 3 weeks BEFORE surgery and 3 weeks AFTERWARDS.
- Avoid caffeine-containing beverages 48 hours BEFORE surgery.
- Do not bring valuables with you in the morning of surgery.
- Do not wear contact lenses the morning of surgery.
- Do take vitamin C-2000mgs (over counter). Daily for 2 weeks BEFORE surgery.
- Do arrange for responsible adult to accompany you home after surgery.
- Do give us phone numbers of where you will be staying the evening before and after surgery.
- Make hotel reservations if from out-of-town (we recommend: Affinia Gardens Hotel: 212-355-1230
- Please purchase 1 box of latex – free gloves (large size)
- 1 small box of Q-tips.
- If having a laser procedure or chemical peel. Please purchase aquaphor (small tube).
- Herbal supplement pills- Arnica
- Please remove nail polish and/or acrylic from nails BEFORE surgery.
Post-operative instructions:
- Sleep on your back with your head elevated with pillows for four days after surgery.
- Your eyes will be blurry and sensitive after surgery due to the ointment that gets applied directly on the eye. The ointment protects your eyes. The ointment will dissolve in time.
- No bending or lifting of heavy objects for one week after surgery.
- There may be minimal bruising and swelling. Each patient is different and it can’t be determined before your surgery. Your eyes may tear after surgery as well.
- Wear sunglasses for protection when you are outside while your stitches are still in.
- During recovery please DO NOT allow pets in the bedroom.
- Limit salt and alcohol a week or two after surgery. This may increase swelling.
- Avoid smoking and nicotine for 3 months before your surgery and 1 year after surgery.
- Avoid strenuous activity for the first week after surgery wait for the doctor give you the ok. No sexual activities for 3 weeks after surgery.
- Apply gauze pads soaked in ice water 3-5 days after surgery; change the gauze pads every 15-20 minutes. The gauze pads help reduces swelling, but after the 3-5 days the gauze will no longer help the swelling.
- Only a private duty nurse may use ice packs right after surgery.
- Do not drive while your sutures are in.
- You may shower day after surgery. Treat your eyes gently, do not let the water hit your face directly.
- You may shower day after surgery. Treat your eyes gently, do not let the water hit your face directly.
- Continue your vitamins for two weeks following surgery.
- After surgery you may experience dry or scratchy eyes. If these symptoms occur, you can use Natural Tears Eye Drops to lubricate them.
- Arnica Montana taken after surgery helps to decrease bruising. You can purchase this in a health food store.
- Vitamin C. 2,000u orally is recommended also to decrease post-op bruising.
* Private Duty nursing is highly encouraged after surgery.
Awards & Certifications
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Written Patient Testimonials
Dr. Rizk and his staff were absolutely incredible! They made me feel so comfortable throughout this entire process and I am so grateful for everyone (especially Dr. Rizk) for helping me look the best version of myself. My nose looks natural and perfect and I am in love with the results!!! If you are on the fence, I definitely encourage you to come to this office because Dr. Rizk gave me the confidence and grace to present myself to the world!
-Leah Abramson
Words cannot express how tremendously grateful and impressed I am for his services. The process was painless and he produced beautiful results that I’m so happy with. Dr. Rizk is extremely precise, patient and detail orientated. He narrowed my nose 1mm at a time! I’m already looking forward to my next small tweek with him.
-Allison S
Fixed my nose that was extremely crooked from a car accident. Also did my brother’s nose which case out beautifully
-Katie M
By Dr. Sam S. Rizk, M.D., FACS.
Dr. Rizk is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who specializes in rhinoplasty surgery and a recognized expert on the latest advances in facial plastic surgery techniques. He performs a range of facial plastic surgeries at his New York practice.