When Can I Do Strenuous Physical Activities After Custom Jawline Implant Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley – I have a few questions about custom jawline implants and  custom infraorbital-malar implants:

1. After the implants have been secure, I understand that swelling will occur for a few days and maybe weeks after the procedure. How many weeks after the surgery do you suggest that one must wait before they engage in heavy weightlifting? I don’t want the implants to have any shifting.

2. How many days after the surgery should you wait before you can head back into the office?

3. In the event that something occurs like infection or implant shift, what would be the best course of action?

Thanks in advance,

A: In answer to your custom facial implant surgery questions:

1) One can engage in any strenuous physical activity after surgery when one feels capable. The residual swelling and implant positions can not be harmed by these activities. So it is really up to the patient’s comfort in returning to any non-contact strenuous physical activity.

2) I think your question is when will you be seen in followup after surgery. That will depend on when you plan on returning home but I see patients ever few days while they are still here locally. But if you are referring to returning to work that is going to depend on the amount of facial selling you have and when you would feel comfortable having it be seen.

3) Oral antibiotics is always the first course of action in an infection and that will usually last up to 30 days after they are started. Thereafter one goes off them and we see what happens. Should the infection return the implant will have to be removed. This potential issue is a lot more relevant in custom jawline implants than orbital implants where I have never yet seen an infection in all my years of practice.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana