Pre-op instructions
How to prepare for plastic surgery with Dr. Cat
Preparation is part of the result. This timeline covers the eight steps from two months before surgery to the morning of: what to stop, what to arrange, what to pick up and what to wear, so your surgery day and your recovery go as planned.
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Surgery is a journey, and preparation is the first leg
Plastic surgery is not a destination. It is a journey with steps that keep it safe, comfortable and enjoyable, and the best possible outcome starts with how well you prepare. Dr. Cat and our team walk you through each step, and the full instructions and consent forms are reviewed with you at your pre-op appointment about three weeks before surgery.
The timeline below is the same list you receive in your surgical packet. If anything changes before your date, a cold, a fever, a skin infection, a new medication, tell us right away rather than waiting for surgery day.
Your pre-op timeline
Eight steps, from two months out to the morning of surgery.
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Two months before
Stop smoking and all nicotine
Stop smoking, including every nicotine product and any other inhalant. Anything that affects your lungs affects how you recover from surgery, and nicotine interferes with blood flow to the skin, which is what wound healing depends on.
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One month before
Book your medical clearance
Schedule your pre-operative clearance appointments with your doctor and any specialists. The list of pre-operative requirements was given to you at the end of your consultation and is also in your OnPatient portal. Clearance and routine blood tests are completed 14 days before surgery so the results can be reviewed in time.
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Several weeks before
Arrange your driver and your first days at home
Arrange for someone to drive you to surgery and back. Please do not count on a taxi or a rideshare: you need a person who gets you home, settles you in and makes sure you take your medications. Out-of-town patients need an adult with them for the whole stay.
Out-of-town patients -
Two weeks before
Stop the medications that raise bleeding risk
Stop aspirin, Motrin, ibuprofen, Aleve (naproxen) and every other NSAID, and discontinue all herbal medications, vitamins and diet pills. Stop drinking alcohol. If you get a headache or cramps, take Tylenol, never Advil. Do not overexpose yourself to the sun or get a sunburn.
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The week before
Tell us about any illness, and pick up your supplies
Let us know if you have a cough, a fever or any other illness, or any skin changes or infections. If you feel sick, do not take over-the-counter medication without asking us first. Pick up your prescriptions, and at the pharmacy also pick up Hibiclens antiseptic soap and above-the-knee, low-compression TED hose.
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Two days before
Light diet and the Hibiclens wash
Stick to a light diet so you are not bloated during or after surgery. Wash your body thoroughly with the Hibiclens soap to lower the chance of infection, and shave or remove hair around the surgical site.
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The night before
Nothing to eat or drink after midnight
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight, including water. The one exception: you may take your high blood pressure medication with a small sip of water on the morning of surgery.
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The day of surgery
Clean skin, loose clothes, nothing valuable
Do not use makeup, creams, lotions, hair gel, sprays, perfume, powder or deodorant on your skin, hair or face. Leave jewelry and valuables at home. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that are easy to put on after surgery.
Medical clearance, tests and prescriptions
Medical clearance
A clearance from your doctor, and from any specialist you see for a pre-existing condition, confirms you are ready for surgery. Book it as soon as your surgery is scheduled. The exact requirements depend on your age, health and procedures; the list is in your OnPatient portal.
Blood tests and mammogram
Routine blood tests are completed 14 days before surgery so there is time to review the results. For breast surgery you also need a mammogram done within the previous 12 months, with the report sent to the office.
Prescriptions and garments
Fill your prescriptions at least a day before surgery; out-of-town patients can fill them in Los Angeles after arriving. Your surgical garment is measured and provided by the office at your pre-op appointment, so there is nothing to buy.
Medical insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery, but it may cover some associated costs such as lab work.
Surgery day checklist
What to have ready the morning of your procedure.
- Your driver and the adult who stays with you afterward.
- Nothing to eat or drink since midnight, apart from blood pressure medication with a sip of water.
- Clean skin with no makeup, creams, lotions, hair products, perfume, powder or deodorant.
- Loose, comfortable clothes that are easy to put on over dressings and a garment.
- No jewelry or valuables left at home, not in a bag.
- Prescriptions filled and waiting for you at home, along with the TED hose from the pharmacy.
Feeling unwell before surgery?
A cough, a fever, a rash, a skin infection or any new illness in the week before surgery is something to tell us about right away, and please do not take over-the-counter medication without asking first. Call (310) 858-8808, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Pre-op questions
Answers reviewed by Dr. Cat Begovic, MD, FACS. Updated September 2026.
No. Dr. Cat asks patients not to overexpose themselves to the sun or get a sunburn in the two weeks before surgery, alongside stopping aspirin, NSAIDs, alcohol, herbal medications, vitamins and diet pills. If you do get burned before your date, tell the office so the team can advise you before surgery day.
Two months before surgery, and that includes every nicotine product and any other inhalant. Anything that affects your lungs affects how you recover from surgery, and nicotine interferes with blood flow to the skin, which wound healing depends on. Depending on your smoking history, the practice may ask for up to a year.
Two weeks before surgery, stop aspirin, Motrin, ibuprofen, Aleve (naproxen) and all other NSAIDs, plus herbal medications, vitamins and diet pills, and stop drinking alcohol. Take Tylenol instead of Advil for a headache or cramps. Your surgical packet includes the complete list of medications to avoid.
Not after midnight the night before, and that includes water. The only exception is your high blood pressure medication, which you may take with a small sip of water on the morning of surgery. Two days before, keep to a light diet so you are not bloated during or after the procedure.
Hibiclens is an antiseptic soap you pick up at the pharmacy along with your prescriptions the week before surgery. Two days before your procedure, wash your body thoroughly with it to lower the chance of infection, and shave or remove hair around the surgical site at the same time.
Yes. Arrange for a person to drive you to surgery and back; a taxi or rideshare is not enough, because you need someone who gets you home, settles you in and makes sure you take your medications. Out-of-town patients need an adult with them throughout their stay, and the office can help arrange a caretaker.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that are easy to put on after surgery. Do not use makeup, creams, lotions, hair gel, sprays, perfume, powder or deodorant on your skin, hair or face, and leave jewelry and valuables at home.
TED hose are above-the-knee, low-compression stockings. You pick them up at the pharmacy the week before surgery, with your prescriptions and the Hibiclens soap, and Dr. Cat goes over when to wear them when she reviews your instructions at the pre-op appointment.
About three weeks before surgery, Dr. Cat reviews your instructions and consent forms with you, answers your remaining questions and has you measured for your surgical garment, which the office provides. Out-of-town patients have this appointment by video through the HIPAA-secure patient portal and see the doctor in person the day before surgery.
Questions about preparing?
Our team walks you through every step before surgery. Call (310) 858-8808, or start with a free 15-minute discovery call if you are still deciding.
Book a free discovery call