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Exparel

Stay comfortable after surgery with less need for narcotic pain medications with Exparel injections.

How Does Exparel Work?

If you have a plastic surgery procedure, you will probably receive a prescription for several days of pain medication. While these opioid medications are safe when taken as directed, they are not ideal for everyone and have well-known risks. Your Longwood Plastic Surgery team is proud to offer Exparel, a non-opioid treatment for post-surgical pain.

Exparel is injected into the treated area, where it slowly releases a numbing medication. Since it only works where injected, it does not have the system-wide side effects that narcotics and other pain medications can have. Exparel promises to make surgical recovery more comfortable and reduce or eliminate your need for other kinds of pain relief.

Am I a Good Candidate for Exparel?

Exparel is FDA-approved for adults and children for local pain control. It can be injected into almost any area where you have a procedure. You should not have treatment with Exparel if you have had a reaction to it or other injectable numbing treatments. It is also not recommended for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. You should not receive this treatment if you have certain heart rhythm disorders or other medical conditions.

Your LPS surgeon will discuss pain management with you during your consultation. Exparel offers a new way to manage post-surgical pain without concerns about narcotic safety. It makes an excellent choice for those who want to avoid or limit oral medication side effects like drowsiness and fuzzy thinking.

Exparel

FAQ’s

Your surgeon will inject Exparel immediately after your procedure. As a result, you will wake up with less discomfort. A single Exparel injection only takes a moment, and the results are long-lasting, so you will not usually need a second injection. You will feel no discomfort from the injection, which takes effect within minutes.

If your procedure is performed under general anesthesia, your Exparel injection will be working by the time you wake up. If you have local anesthesia, the Exparel will be in effect when this anesthesia wears off. A single Exparel injection controls pain for up to three days. The injected area will feel numb. 

You may still receive a prescription for pain pills, but you will not need as much. Less pain medication means lower risks and fewer side effects. You may not need oral pain medication if you receive Exparel. Reducing the need for these medications makes recovery a safer and more comfortable experience. 

There is no downtime with Exparel. The injected area will stay numbed for up to five days. During this time, you will still need to take all the appropriate post-surgical precautions. Do not push yourself to do too much because you do not feel pain. Your body still needs to rest and heal. Exparel will keep you comfortable so you recover more quickly and have a better post-surgical experience. 

Take the Next Step

If you would like to schedule an in-person consultation, please fill out the form on this page or call (617) 383-6250 and one of our knowledgeable medical staff members at Longwood Plastic Surgery will reach out to you promptly.

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235 Cypress St, Suite 210
Brookline, MA 02445

Phone: (617) 383-6250
Fax: (617) 383-6255

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Saturday & Sunday: Closed


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