If you are having plastic surgery, planning can help make your recovery process much smoother. A good recovery increases your chances of a positive outcome, speeds up recovery, and even reduces pain. While recovery varies massively from person to person and from procedure to procedure, there are things that you can do to make your post-op recovery more comfortable.
Plastic Surgery Recovery: 5 Must-Have Items for Your Toolkit
Whether you’re getting breast augmentation surgery, rhinoplasty, or liposuction, you need to follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions. They have the experience and knowledge to give the best advice so that you can achieve optimum results. Your recovery timeline is crucial to a good outcome. Here are five must-have items to add to your recovery toolkit during your plastic surgery recovery.
Multivitamins and Nutritional Support
Balanced meals and proper hydration make the body heal better. It’s a good idea to optimise your nutrition before and after your surgery to be as healthy as possible. If you’re undergoing surgery that requires a lengthy recovery like a mummy makeover, then you need to pre-prepare easy healthy meals. Multivitamins can help to boost your vitamin intake and nourish your body.
Compression Garment
Post-operative compression garments help to keep muscles in place following a procedure and reduce swelling. After plastic surgery, swelling is often caused by a buildup of fluid accumulation, and the compression garment helps to hold stability. When you don’t wear a compression garment, the post-op fluid accumulation can linger for longer than it needs to.
Scar Management
Depending on your surgery, you may or may not have any scars. Things like not smoking, avoiding alcohol, and proper nutrition and hydration help prevent poor scars from forming and give you the best chance of developing a good scar. Your surgeon will recommend how to perform proper wound care depending on your procedure.
Ice Packs
Ice packs and heating pads can be helpful in alleviating pain. Applying ice can help to reduce swelling and bruising during recovery.
Pain Medication
The degree of pain you feel after surgery depends on the type of procedure, your age and gender, and the type of anaesthetic used. There are different types of pain, from a mild ache or throbbing to cramping and sharp pain. You can also feel sore in other parts of the body if you have been lying down in one position for a prolonged period. Pain management is another crucial aspect of surgery recovery. It’s important that you stock up on the pain medication your surgeon advises based on your specific case.
Entertainment
Make sure you have plenty of entertainment to keep you busy during your recovery. Stock up on books and magazines that you don’t usually get the time to read. Line up your favourite movies and TV shows or puzzle books to keep your mind off your recovery time.
For any cosmetic procedure, your surgeon will provide the optimum post-op aftercare instructions. The key to amazing outcomes is nailing your recovery timeline and following the correct advice. By building your recovery toolkit before your procedure, you can be in a stronger position after your procedure.
