Dr Scott J Turner | Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) | Sydney
Key Takeaways Preparing for plastic surgery means sorting out both your body and your logistics ahead of time. Stop all nicotine for at least six to eight weeks, follow your surgeon’s advice on pausing certain medications and supplements, keep your weight stable, and cut back on alcohol. In the days before, follow your fasting instructions exactly. Arrange time off, organise help at home, and set up your recovery space. Preparation is one of the few parts of surgery within your control.
Surgery is something that happens to you in theatre, but its result is shaped well before then, by how you prepare. This is the part you control. A patient who arrives fit, organised and realistic tends to have a smoother time of it than one who leaves everything to the last week. The difference is rarely luck. It is preparation.
This guide walks through how to get your body ready, how to handle the days right before surgery, and how to set yourself up for recovery. As a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) consulting in Sydney at Bondi Junction and Manly, I give every patient detailed, personalised instructions. Treat what follows as the general picture, and always defer to the specific advice your surgeon gives you.
Getting your body ready
The weeks before surgery are when the groundwork is laid. None of it is dramatic. It is just a series of sensible steps that add up to a body in better shape to heal.
Stop all nicotine. This is the single most important one. Nicotine narrows your blood vessels and undermines healing, so I ask patients to be completely nicotine-free, including vaping and patches, for at least six to eight weeks before and after surgery. I explain why in detail in my guide to smoking and plastic surgery. If you take one thing seriously, make it this.
Keep your weight stable. You do not need to chase a number, but a stable, healthy weight supports safer surgery and a more predictable result, as I cover in my guide to weight and plastic surgery. Crash efforts in the final weeks do more harm than good.
Review your medications and supplements. Some medications and several common supplements thin the blood and raise the risk of bleeding, including fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo and high-dose garlic, among others. Others may interact with anaesthetic. Do not stop anything on your own. Instead, bring a full list of everything you take, prescription and over-the-counter, to your pre-operative appointment, and follow the specific instructions you are given about what to pause and when.
Ease off alcohol. Alcohol affects healing, hydration and bleeding, so it is sensible to cut right back in the weeks before surgery and to stop entirely in the days immediately beforehand.
Look after your general health. Eat well, stay hydrated, and keep moving within your normal limits, since good nutrition and steady fitness genuinely help your body cope with the demands of surgery and recovery. Protect any skin near the surgical site from heavy sun exposure, because sunburnt or irritated skin heals less well. None of this is about a special regimen. It is about arriving in good condition. Nothing more elaborate than that.
The week and the day before
As surgery approaches, the focus shifts from your body to the practical details. Get these right and the day itself runs calmly.
Many patients have a pre-operative appointment in the lead-up, where your final instructions are confirmed, any last questions answered, and the specifics of fasting, medications and arrival time are made clear. Use it. Write things down. In the final week, confirm your arrangements, fill any prescriptions you have been given, and prepare your home so you are not scrambling afterwards. Stop anything your surgeon has asked you to stop. Arrange your transport, because you cannot drive yourself home after a general anaesthetic, and you will need someone reliable to take you and settle you in.
The day before, follow your fasting instructions to the letter. For a general anaesthetic, you are typically asked not to eat for several hours beforehand, with clear fluids allowed until a couple of hours before, but the exact timing comes from your hospital and must be followed precisely. Getting fasting wrong can mean your surgery is postponed on the day, so when in doubt, ask rather than guess. Confirm what time you need to arrive and where. Lay out loose, comfortable clothing to wear in and home. Get a good night’s sleep if you can. Then rest.
Getting ready for your recovery
This is the part patients most often underestimate. The work of recovery is much easier when the scaffolding is already in place before you go in.
Arrange help and time off. You will need a responsible adult to take you home and, for the first day or two, to stay with you. Be honest with yourself about time away from work, and plan for a little more than you expect rather than less. Recovery is not a race, and pushing back too soon tends to set you back.
Set up your recovery space. Before surgery, prepare a comfortable spot where you can rest with everything within reach. Pillows to prop yourself up, easy meals, water, your medications, phone charger, and entertainment for the slower days. Small preparations make a real difference when you are tired and sore. You will be glad you bothered.
Stock the basics. Fill your prescriptions in advance, and have on hand the items your surgeon recommends, which may include dressings, loose comfortable clothing, and any garments specific to your procedure. A little stocking up beforehand saves an awkward trip later.
Be realistic about recovery. Healing takes the time it takes. It varies by procedure and by person, and comparing your recovery to someone else’s rarely helps. Expect to feel below par for a while, follow your post-operative instructions closely, and attend your follow-up appointments. The patients who recover most comfortably are usually the ones who gave themselves permission to rest.
A note on procedure-specific preparation
Beyond these general steps, each procedure has its own particular requirements. Facial and eyelid surgery, nose surgery, breast surgery and body contouring each come with specific instructions around medications, garments, sleeping position and activity. I go through all of this with you in detail before your surgery, tailored to your operation, so you are never left guessing. The general guidance here is the foundation. Your personalised instructions are what you follow on the day.
Preparing your mind
Preparation is not only physical. Feeling calm and well informed going into surgery matters too.
Make sure your questions have been answered, that you understand the recovery ahead, and that your expectations match what was discussed. If you feel uncertain in the lead-up, raise it before the day rather than carrying it into theatre. And if something genuinely does not feel right, it is always acceptable to ask to pause. A surgery delayed by a week is a small price for peace of mind. Confidence in your decision comes from understanding it, which is exactly what your consultations are for.
Booking and contact
If you have questions about preparing for a procedure, or you would like to arrange a consultation, our team is happy to help. We consult in Sydney at Bondi Junction and Manly. You can reach us on 1300 437 758, or contact us through the website.
Frequently asked questions
How should I prepare for plastic surgery?
Preparation falls into two parts: your body and your logistics. For your body, stop all nicotine for at least six to eight weeks, keep your weight stable, cut back on alcohol, and follow your surgeon’s instructions on pausing any medications or blood-thinning supplements. For logistics, arrange time off work, organise someone to drive you home and help for the first day or two, and set up a comfortable recovery space before your surgery. Your surgeon will give you detailed instructions specific to your procedure.
What should I stop before surgery?
Stop all nicotine, including cigarettes, vaping and patches, well before surgery. You should also stop alcohol in the days beforehand. Some medications and common supplements, such as fish oil, vitamin E and ginkgo, can increase bleeding and may need to be paused, but you should never stop prescribed medication on your own. Instead, bring a full list of everything you take to your pre-operative appointment and follow the specific advice you are given.
How long before surgery do I need to stop eating?
For a general anaesthetic, you are usually asked not to eat for several hours before surgery, with clear fluids allowed until a couple of hours beforehand. The exact timing is set by your hospital and must be followed precisely, because eating or drinking outside the allowed window can lead to your surgery being postponed on the day. If you are unsure, always check with the hospital or the practice rather than guessing.
How much time off work should I take?
This depends entirely on your procedure, your job, and how you heal, so your surgeon will give you a realistic estimate for your situation. As a general principle, it is wiser to plan for a little more time than you think you will need rather than less. Returning to work too soon is a common reason patients feel they have set their recovery back, so build in some margin.
What should I have ready at home for my recovery?
Before surgery, set up a comfortable place to rest with everything within reach, including pillows to prop yourself up, water, easy meals, your medications and a phone charger. Fill your prescriptions in advance and have any dressings, loose clothing or procedure-specific garments your surgeon recommends. Most importantly, arrange for a responsible adult to take you home and stay with you for the first day or two.
About Your Surgeon
Dr Scott J Turner is an AHPRA-registered Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) consulting in Sydney (Manly and Bondi Junction), Brisbane and Canberra. His practice focuses on facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty and cosmetic breast surgery, performed at accredited private hospitals in Sydney. Dr Turner emphasises individual patient assessment, surgical planning and clear information on risks, recovery and costs, holds Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
