Chin Surgery (Genioplasty/Mentoplasty) Post-Op Instructions

Instructions

• Have someone drive you home after surgery and help you at home for 1-2 days.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Follow balanced diet.
• Decreased activity may promote constipation, so you may want to add more raw fruit to your diet, and be sure to increase fluid intake.
• Take pain medication as prescribed. Do not take aspirin or any products containing aspirin unless approved by your surgeon.
• Do not drink alcohol when taking pain medications.
• Even when not taking pain medications, no alcohol for 3 weeks as it causes fluid retention.
• If you are taking vitamins with iron, resume these as tolerated.
• Do not smoke, as smoking delays healing and increases the risk of complications.

Activities

• Start walking as soon as possible, this helps to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots.
• Do not drive until you are no longer taking any pain medications (narcotics).
• You should be able to resume full social and employment activities in 2-3 weeks.
• Strenuous exercise and activities should be avoided for 10 days.
• Body contact sports should be avoided for 6-8 weeks.

Incision Care

• Avoid exposing scars to sun for at least 12 months.
• Always use a strong sunblock, if sun exposure is unavoidable (SPF 30 or greater).
• Keep incisions clean and inspect daily for signs of infection.

What To Expect

• Postoperative pain is usually minimal.
• You will have some discoloration and swelling for approximately 2-3 weeks.
• You may experience numbness around the operative areas.

Appearance

• Scars should gradually fade and become barely noticeable.

Follow-Up Care

• Dressings are removed 5-7 days after surgery.
• Intra-oral sutures are absorbable; they do not require removal.

When To Call

• If you have increased swelling or bruising.
• If swelling and redness persist after a few days.
• If you have increased redness along the incision.
• If you have severe or increased pain not relieved by medication.
• If you have any side effects to medications; such as, rash, nausea, headache, vomiting.
• If you have an oral temperature over 100.4 degrees.
• If you have any yellowish or greenish drainage from the incisions or notice a foul odor.
• If you have bleeding from the incisions that is difficult to control with light pressure.
• If you have loss of feeling or motion.

For Medical Questions, Please Call:

• (734) 998-6022, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• After hours and on weekends, call Hospital Paging at (734) 936-6267 and ask for the Plastic Surgeon on call.