If you have been asked to look after someone after cosmetic surgery, this guide is for you. It covers what to expect at discharge, what the first 24 hours actually involve, what you do and don’t need to do, and when to contact the clinic.
Caregivers are not optional. A dedicated adult to collect the patient and stay with them for the first 24 hours after a general anaesthetic is a clinical requirement, not a suggestion. Patients cannot be discharged without you, and that requirement is in place because the first 24 hours are when residual anaesthetic effects, post-operative monitoring needs, and the risk of unexpected events all overlap. Your role matters.
Before the day of surgery
Three things to sort out in advance:
- Confirm you are available for the full 24 hours. That means no work, no caring for young children, no other commitments. If you have your own caring responsibilities, arrange backup before the surgery date. The minimum is 24 hours of continuous availability; many patients benefit from a second day of lighter support.
- Confirm transport. A taxi, private hire, or your own car — not public transport. The patient cannot use the Tube or a bus after a general anaesthetic. The journey home should be as direct as possible. If you do not drive and cannot accompany the patient in a taxi, the patient cannot be safely discharged.
- Familiarise yourself with the discharge instructions. The patient will be given written aftercare instructions at the consultation and again at discharge. Read them before the day of surgery. The patient may not be in a state to read them in detail in the first hours after discharge — you will be the first reference point.
On the day: timings and expectations
The timing of discharge depends on the procedure, how the patient responds to the anaesthetic, and the surgeon’s list for the day. You will be given an estimated discharge time at the morning admission, but this is an estimate — sometimes the patient is ready earlier, sometimes later.
Keep your phone on and reachable throughout the day. When the patient moves to the recovery room post-surgery, the recovery nurse will call you with a clearer discharge time. That is your cue to head to the clinic. Aim to arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the estimated discharge time.
You are not permitted in the operating theatre or recovery room — this is for safety and patient privacy reasons. You can call the clinic for updates during the day if you wish, although we can only share information about the patient’s status if they have given prior permission for us to do so. Make sure this is sorted at the morning admission.
Parking: pay-and-display spaces are available in the streets around Baker Street, with multiple NCP car parks within a few minutes’ walk. We do not have on-site patient parking, so allow a few minutes for this.
What the patient will look like at discharge
The patient is brought down from the recovery floor by a recovery nurse, usually in their own pyjamas, dressing gown, and slippers. Underneath their clothing they will be wearing a surgical garment (compression vest, abdominal binder, surgical bra, depending on procedure). They may have visible dressings, drains, or — for facial procedures — bandages.
Their mental state varies. Some patients are alert and conversational within 30 to 60 minutes of waking from anaesthesia. Others are drowsy, slightly confused, or emotional. Mild nausea is common. Patients sometimes cry, laugh inappropriately, or repeat themselves — this is the residual effect of the anaesthetic, not a permanent state. By the next morning they will not remember much of the first few hours.
You do not need to be alarmed by any of this. The recovery nurse will only discharge the patient when they meet defined criteria — stable observations, adequate pain control, ability to eat and drink, ability to mobilise to the bathroom with help. If those criteria are not met, discharge is delayed until they are.
Keep the conversation simple in the first hours. Yes/no questions, short instructions, no demands for decisions. The patient is not in a position to choose between three takeaway options or decide which film to watch.
The journey home
Help the patient into the car. The front passenger seat with the seat reclined slightly is usually most comfortable; for abdominoplasty patients, keep the seat upright but not fully vertical to take tension off the abdominal closure. Bring a pillow to support across the chest (useful for breast surgery patients) or across the abdomen (for abdominal surgery patients) — it makes the journey significantly more comfortable.
Drive carefully and avoid sharp braking. Most patients dose off during the journey home. Have a sick bag within reach in case of post-anaesthetic nausea, and a bottle of water for them to sip.
The first 24 hours at home
Your job for the first 24 hours is, broadly:
- Help the patient to and from the bathroom. They will be unsteady. Stay with them — do not leave them alone in the bathroom in the first 12 hours, particularly if they have had a general anaesthetic.
- Help them get in and out of bed. Specific positions are recommended by procedure (head propped at 30 degrees for facial and breast work; on the front for BBL; on the back with knees elevated for abdominoplasty). You should know which applies before the day.
- Administer medications on time. The patient will be discharged with antibiotics (often) and pain relief (always). The discharge nurse will walk you through the schedule before you leave the clinic. Keep a written log of what was given and when — it is easy to lose track, and double-dosing is the most common medication error.
- Encourage gentle mobilisation around the home. Short walks to the bathroom and back, with help, from the first evening. Movement reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Bed rest beyond the first few hours is actively bad for recovery.
- Offer fluids and light food. Water, herbal tea, soup, toast, plain rice, plain yoghurt. Nothing rich, spicy, or fatty in the first 24 hours — anaesthetic nausea is real. Larger meals can wait until day two.
- Empty surgical drains and record the output, if drains are in place. The discharge nurse will show you how — it is straightforward. Written instructions are in the discharge pack. The output is brought to the day-one follow-up appointment for the surgeon to review.
- Apply ice packs as instructed. Particularly useful for facial and eyelid surgery in the first 48 hours.
- Keep an eye on the patient. Do not leave them alone for more than 30 minutes at a time in the first 12 hours, and not overnight at all. If you need to step out for any reason, arrange backup cover.
The next-day appointment
For most procedures, the patient is seen at the clinic the day after surgery for a brief check-in with our clinical team. You will need to drive them there — they cannot drive themselves for at least 24 hours after a general anaesthetic, and longer if they are still taking strong analgesics.
This appointment usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. The surgeon or specialist nurse checks dressings, reviews drain output where relevant, confirms pain control is adequate, and answers questions. Bring the medication log and any questions you have noted overnight.
After the first 24 hours
Once the initial 24-hour window has passed and the patient is comfortable and stable, you can start to leave them alone for short periods — running to the shops, getting some fresh air. The duration depends on the procedure and how they are doing. For day 2 onwards, most patients can be left for 1 to 2 hours at a time during the day if they have phone access and feel comfortable.
Continuous overnight support is usually needed for at least the first 2 to 3 nights for breast and body procedures, and the first 5 to 7 days for major procedures (abdominoplasty, mummy makeover, BBL). After that the patient can usually manage independently overnight, although having someone available is reassuring.
What to watch for
Most of what you see in the first 24 hours is normal. Discomfort, swelling, bruising, mild nausea, drowsiness, and tearfulness all fall within expected post-operative experience. A small amount of pinkish drainage on dressings is normal. Mild fever in the first 48 hours can occur and is not always concerning.
However, contact the clinic immediately for any of the following:
- Sudden increase in pain not controlled by the prescribed analgesics.
- Significant swelling that is markedly asymmetrical — one side much more than the other.
- Bleeding through dressings (more than spotting).
- Fever above 38°C, or fever with shivering.
- The patient becoming unusually drowsy, confused, or difficult to rouse — beyond the expected residual anaesthetic.
- Shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing up blood — call 999 immediately, then the clinic.
- Calf pain, swelling, or warmth — possible DVT, call the clinic.
- Vomiting that doesn’t settle, or inability to keep fluids down.
- Any other change that doesn’t make sense or worries you. Trust your instinct — it is always better to call than to wait.
How to reach us
During clinic hours (9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday), call 0207 993 4849. Out of hours, call the same number — calls are routed to our 24/7 nurse-led aftercare line for the first six weeks post-operatively. This is a real clinical service staffed by experienced surgical nurses, not a generic call-handling service.
For non-urgent questions and reassurance, email is also fine and is monitored regularly during the first week after surgery.
Looking after yourself
Caregivers are often the unsung part of the recovery. You will be on duty for 24 hours of continuous availability — that is genuinely tiring, particularly if you are also worried about the patient. Make sure you eat, drink, sleep when you can, and have someone you can call if you need backup. The patient’s recovery goes better when their caregiver is functioning well, and there is no virtue in driving yourself into exhaustion.
If something happens during your watch that you weren’t expecting, call us. That is what the line is for.
Booking and consultation information
If you are reading this in advance of someone’s surgery and have questions about your role specifically, call 0207 993 4849 and ask for the patient coordinator handling the booking. We are based at 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone.
Related reading
- Essential preparations before your plastic surgery
- How long is recovery after cosmetic surgery?
- How to sleep after cosmetic surgery
Centre for Surgery · CQC-regulated · GMC specialist-registered surgeons · 95–97 Baker Street, Marylebone, London W1U 6RN · 0207 993 4849 · Book a consultation · Finance from 0% APR
