Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jeff Angobaldo with Renaissance Plastic Surgery in Plano, Texas, provide full-service cosmetic and reconstructive surgery for men and women. They’re your professional partner in your face and body transformation. They do the surgery; your job is following post-surgery instructions and getting lots of rest.
Having cosmetic surgery involves planning. Preparing your home for your recovery is an essential step. Following are nine tips to help ensure you’re comfortable after surgery.
Get your prescriptions filled before your surgery
Your surgeon provides you with your prescriptions at your pre-surgery appointment. Have them at your bedside when you return from surgery.
Make arrangements for children, pets, and others who rely on you
If you have children or pets, either can be an accident waiting to happen — for example, if your cat suddenly jumps on the bed and paws your face after facial surgery. Have a friend keep your pet or board it during the first critical days of recovery.
If you’ve had a mommy makeover or tummy tuck, you must avoid straining your incisions. Don’t lift or carry babies, children, or objects. Make arrangements for overnights for your children or have your significant other run interference to prevent accidents.
Remove small area rugs and clutter
Make sure the path from your bed or recliner to your bathroom is clear of clutter so you don’t fall. Protect yourself so your results are what you envisioned.
Prepare for your meal needs
The last thing you’re supposed to do after surgery is cook. If you have a significant other, let him or her take over meal preparation and cleanup. If you’re alone, you’ll need someone to help you for the first several days. Stock up on healthy, frozen meals and/or use a meal service temporarily. Cleanup is easy using frozen meals and disposable plates and utensils.
Keep medications and other key items at your bedside
Keep your pain and other medication on a table beside your bed or recliner, along with hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, scar gel, a sealed container of water, and a glass or water bottle. And don’t forget to keep your phone and the TV remote beside you.
Have a ready supply of loose, comfortable clothing
If you’ve had facial surgery, avoid pullovers or turtlenecks. Your physician may give you guidance on clothing to wear post-surgery. After a mommy makeover or tummy tuck, you’ll want to wear shifts instead of pants with constricting elastic waistbands.
Have enough pillows, and the right type
Special types of pillows are made for recovery from various cosmetic surgical procedures. For example, if you’ve had facial cosmetic surgery, you’ll be advised to stay upright as much as you can; it lessens swelling. When sleeping, if you don’t have one, you’ll want to get a bed wedge or elevation pillow so your head remains elevated. Make sure you have extra pillows to use under your arms and beside your legs to help keep you on your back.
If you’ve had a Brazilian butt lift, you’re advised not to sit down for about two weeks after the surgery. That’s a difficult instruction to follow. There are times you’ll have to sit down. Before your surgery, you’ll need to look for special pillows that raise your buttocks and place the pressure on your thighs instead of your butt. You may need to look for a flat pillow for your head rather than your regular fluffy pillow when you’re sleeping on your stomach.
Practice your sleep position before surgery
If you’ve had facial plastic surgery, your physician may ask you to train yourself to sleep on your back before the surgery to avoid rolling over on your side while you’re sleeping, which could affect your results. Developing the new sleep habit before your surgery makes your recovery much easier than trying to sleep in a new position when you may have some discomfort from the procedure.
On the other hand, if you’ve had a Brazilian butt lift, you’ll need to sleep on your stomach and practice preventing yourself from rolling over in your sleep. Practicing the sleep position beforehand allows you to get enough sleep and rest after surgery; sleep helps you heal.
Prepare your home entertainment center
Make a list of movies you’d like to watch during your recovery and tee them up in the queue. Select e-books or make a trip to the library to stock up on reading material. Have thank you notes, envelopes, and stamps nearby so when you feel up to it, you can handwrite notes for the casseroles your neighbors have delivered.
Call Renaissance Plastic Surgery today to see what cosmetic surgery can do for you.
