Should I use ice or cold compresses after plastic surgery?
Written by Mark Domanski, M.D.
I was recently at a rugby match where I watched players receiving ice on the field immediately after an injury. This made me consider the evidence for and against icing after plastic surgery procedures.
What Icing Does
Lowering the temperature of an area may reduce inflammation and swelling. This can be helpful in surgeries such as blepharoplasty (eyelid lifts). The eyelids tend to swell significantly after surgery, so even a small reduction in swelling can provide a meaningful benefit.
Some patients also ice their breasts after breast augmentation, and many report that it reduces discomfort.
Risks of Icing
However, icing also causes vasoconstriction, or a reduction in blood flow. For this reason, I advise patients against icing after any surgery in which blood supply is a concern.
Specifically, I caution against icing after breast reduction or breast lift procedures. While it may be acceptable to ice the middle of the face after a facelift, I generally recommend avoiding icing the sides of the face near the ears, where blood supply to the skin flaps is particularly important.
Avoid Chemical Ice Packs
Some decreased sensation in the skin is normal immediately after surgical procedures. In addition, I use a long-acting numbing medication in many of my procedures. This medication has dramatically reduced discomfort in my abdominoplasty and armlift (brachioplasty) patients.
Because the skin may be numb after surgery, it is theoretically possible to develop frostbite without realizing it. Commercial chemical ice packs can become extremely cold and may increase this risk.
For that reason, I recommend using standard ice in a zip-lock bag, wrapped in a cloth, and checking the area every 20 minutes or so to make sure the skin is not becoming excessively cold.
Conclusion
In summary, ice packs can reduce inflammation and swelling after surgery, but they also decrease blood flow and may theoretically cause frostbite. For this reason, if you choose to ice an area after surgery, make sure it is safe to do so and check the area periodically.
Sincerely,
