In short. What happens between deciding on surgery and the operation itself: medical assessment, laboratory and imaging workup, anesthesia planning, and the rules that genuinely protect you.
Key points
- Smoking constricts the blood vessels that healing depends on; it must stop before and after surgery, and for facelift and abdominoplasty this rule is absolute because skin survival is at stake.
- Blood-thinning medicines and certain supplements increase bleeding and are paused on medical advice — never stopped on your own initiative without guidance.
- Fasting before anesthesia protects against aspiration; the instructions you are given are precise, and following them is part of your own safety.
The safest part of an operation is the preparation. Between the decision to proceed and the day of surgery lies a structured assessment that exists to catch problems while they are still easy to fix. This article explains what that assessment includes at Chongqing West District Hospital and why each part matters.
Medical assessment: the filter that protects you
Preoperative assessment reviews your full health picture: heart and lung history, blood pressure, diabetes control, bleeding tendency, previous anesthesia experiences (including any family history of anesthesia problems), medicines and supplements, smoking, and allergies. Blood tests, an electrocardiogram, and imaging are ordered as the operation and your health require — facial bone surgery adds CT imaging of the skeleton; breast surgery adds age-appropriate breast screening. Abnormal findings change the plan: control first, surgery second.
The rules that are not negotiable
Smoking, medicines, and fasting — the big three
Smoking constricts the blood vessels that healing depends on; it must stop before and after surgery, and for facelift and abdominoplasty this rule is absolute because skin survival is at stake. Blood-thinning medicines and certain supplements increase bleeding and are paused on medical advice — never stopped on your own initiative without guidance. Fasting before anesthesia protects against aspiration; the instructions you are given are precise, and following them is part of your own safety. These rules exist because complications trace back to them with monotonous regularity.
Anesthesia: who, what, and how it is watched
Most operations in Dr. Mao’s practice use general anesthesia or deep sedation delivered by anesthesiology teams, with smaller procedures under local anesthesia with sedation. Before surgery you meet the anesthesia plan: the method, its risks stated honestly — sore throat and nausea commonly, serious events rarely — and the monitoring that accompanies it: continuous heart, blood pressure, oxygen, and breathing surveillance from induction to recovery. Inside a tertiary hospital, anesthesia is backed by intensive care and emergency response in the same building.
The day of surgery
You arrive fasting, are checked in and re-identified, and the surgical plan is confirmed with you again — the written plan, the site marking where relevant, and the consent you understood rather than skimmed. In theatre, checklist discipline verifies patient, procedure, and equipment before any incision. Afterward you wake in recovery under monitoring until stable, with pain managed actively rather than endured.
Your part of the safety system
Honesty is a safety device. Tell the team about every medicine and supplement, every previous operation and complication, and the true smoking and drinking picture — the assessment only works on true inputs. Arrange your support for the first days at home, and keep the follow-up appointments: the assessment does not end at discharge, and the early reviews are where small problems are caught while they are still small.
Tell the team before surgery if
- You develop a cold, fever, skin infection, or any new illness in the days before the operation — surgery may need to move.
- You have taken any blood-thinning medicine or supplement, even occasionally, without mentioning it.
- You or a blood relative has ever had a serious reaction to anesthesia.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead of surgery does smoking need to stop?
Smoking constricts the blood vessels that healing depends on, so it must stop before and after surgery. For facelift and abdominoplasty the rule is absolute, because skin survival is at stake. These rules exist because complications trace back to them with monotonous regularity.
Should I stop my blood-thinning medicines myself?
Never on your own initiative. Blood-thinning medicines and certain supplements increase bleeding and are paused on medical advice. The fasting instructions before anesthesia are equally precise, because fasting protects against aspiration, and following them is part of your own safety.
Who delivers the anesthesia, and how is it monitored?
Most operations use general anesthesia or deep sedation delivered by anesthesiology teams, with smaller procedures under local anesthesia with sedation. You meet the plan beforehand, with its risks stated honestly, and monitoring is continuous — heart, blood pressure, oxygen and breathing surveillance from induction to recovery.
Risks & Limitations
- Bruising and swelling lasting weeks; after bone surgery, months pass before the final result is visible.
- Scars are permanent. They mature and fade over 6–12 months but never disappear.
- Numbness or altered sensation, which may be temporary or, after bone or nerve work, lasting.
- Asymmetry, under-correction or over-correction; final assessment is made at 6–12 months.
- Infection, bleeding or haematoma, which may need drainage or antibiotics.
- Breathing changes after nasal surgery, which may be temporary or require further treatment.
- Revision surgery carries higher risk and is less predictable than a first operation.
When to Seek Care
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath — seek emergency care immediately.
- Rapidly expanding swelling, or a tense, painful, tight area.
- Fever above 38 °C, spreading redness, warmth or pus.
- Bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure.
- Any sudden change in vision after facial surgery or a facial injection.
References & Further Reading
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) — procedure and safety guidance
- International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS)
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) — relevant guidance
- Cochrane Library — systematic reviews in facial plastic surgery
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and it does not cite individual studies. Discuss your own case with a qualified clinician. To arrange an assessment at Chongqing West District Hospital, see Contact & Consultation.