Plastic Surgery Recovery Tips

At the South Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery, some of the most frequently asked questions that we receive involve recovery. We believe in educating our patients about what to expect and how to plan for the recovery period. Here, we have compiled a list of our top tips for recovery, in the hope that your experience will be as smooth and stress free as possible.

Don’t Push Your Healing Body

The best piece of advice we can share about plastic surgery recovery is to be patient and give yourself enough time for the recovery process. We know you are eager to return to work and busy children, family and friends, and your time is at a premium. However, we encourage you to honor your body by taking time off and slowing down for a few weeks following your surgerical procedure.

Depending on the procedure, recovery time and healing process vary from patient to patient. You may need to take between one and four weeks off from work to heal. Don’t rush it! In the long run, pushing your healing body before it is ready can actually do more harm than good and prolong your recovery. Proper wound care is one of the crucial steps to quicker recovery and better post surgical scarring. 

Recruit a Support Team

Recovering from plastic surgery procedure is not the time to be Superwoman. You cannot do everything alone; you will need help from family members or friends for at least the first week after surgery, when you have limited energy and range of motion. This is especially true if you have kids or pets that need your attention. We recommend recruiting someone that is nurturing and positive, so that they can keep your spirits up if you start having doubts or concerns.

Prepare Your Nest Ahead of Time

When you arrive home after surgery, you want to have everything you need in place so you can get right into bed and sleep for the rest of the day. Over the next few days, you will not want to get out of bed or off the couch any more than you absolutely have to. This is why it’s a good idea to prep your recovery space ahead of time with all of your essential items.

We recommend stocking up on the following:

• Ice packs
• Extra gauze for dressing the incisions
• Prescription medications
• Water and Gatorade and bendy straws
• Plain snacks (e.g., crackers, Jell-O)
• Clean clothing that is baggy and easy to put on
• Cell phone with our office number saved; cell phone charger
• Entertainment (e.g., Kindle, Netflix)
• Milk of Magnesia in case of constipation from pain medication and anesthesia
• Big pillows to prop yourself up on, and blankets to stay warm

Maintain a Medication Log

Our team will provide instructions for medications after surgery; we will tell you when and how much to take of each. Your memory may not be as sharp as normal right after surgery, so it can be helpful to keep a written medication log or set an alarm on your cell phone so you don’t skip a dose.

Keep Your Surgical Garments On

Depending on the procedure you had, you may go home from the surgery center wearing a surgical bra for breast augmentation and other breast surgeries or a compression garment for tummy tucks, mommy makeover, and BBLs. These garments are good for your body’s healing tissues and body contouring. Do not remove these garments until our doctors have cleared you to do so. Don’t remove your bandages or dressings unless we tell you to.

Ease Back Into Eating

During your initial recovery, ease back to your normal diet. Start with light comfort foods like soup, plain crackers and Jell-O and slowly work your way up to substantial meals when you have the appetite. Don’t forget to hydrate as much as possible; your body needs at least eight ounces of water or Gatorade every two hours.

Contact Our Team

For more tips on maximizing your surgical recovery, please contact the team at the South Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery and make sure to submit the virtual consultation to schedule a consult with one of our board certified plastic surgeons. Call our office at (954) 565-7575 today.