January 28, 2022
There are generally two reasons why you might be thinking about travel following your surgery. Plastic surgery, no matter your particular surgical procedure, is a truly transformative journey, not only in terms of the change your body will undergo, but also in the improvement in your confidence and in the way that you feel about yourself and how you present to the world.
There’s no surprise then that if you’ve got a Brazilian butt lift, breast procedure, mommy makeover, or liposuction scheduled, you’re probably super eager to show off your new bod. You might have plans to travel soon after your surgery for a big event, or maybe somewhere hot where you can lounge on the beach all day and show off the new you.
OR, you might actually be a patient who’s come in from out of town for your surgery, because you’ve heard how awesome we are (😉), and you’re wondering when it’s safe to fly back home following your procedure.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about traveling after plastic surgery.
Before we get into post-surgical travel recommendations, as a general rule of thumb, we typically advise not to do too much too soon following surgery. Surgery is a big deal, and you need to give your body time to properly heal before returning to your usual routine or taking on anything extra.
In other words, avoiding travel for as long as possible or until you’ve fully healed is the preference for our patients, but we understand that everyone’s situation is different.
So how soon can you travel after surgery? Well, this might really partly depend on the type of surgery you’ve undergone and the mode of transportation you’ll be using to travel.
If you’re traveling by air, then you can’t go on an airplane until at least one month following surgery, provided that your surgery went smoothly and you have no complications with the healing process one month post-op.
If you plan to travel by train or car, this might be possible to do a little sooner following your surgery if you’ve had a breast augmentation or other type of breast procedure. If you’ve had a Brazilian butt lift, on the other hand, sitting for long periods of time following surgery is to be avoided, so you may be looking at a minimum of that one month mark again.
That being said, although standard recommendations exist, you should always follow your surgeon’s guidelines that pertain directly to your particular case. So even if we say traveling a month after surgery is probably ok, your surgeon may give you a longer time frame depending on your particular surgery and situation. And out of everyone, they know best.
If you’re dreaming about a beach vacation following your surgery, there are some things to think about. Swimming in the ocean is always better than a pool following surgery and usually okay at one month post-op.
Also, if you’re going somewhere sunny, take care to cover the operative site really really well. No tanning the operative site as the skin still needs time to heal and soften. You also don’t want to risk those scars not healing properly, so any scars must always be covered.
If you’re planning on going to a spa for a little R&R, do not book your stay sooner than at least two months following your surgery. Saunas, hot tubs, pools, baths, and tanning are basically off limits for at least two months after surgery, primarily due to the risk of infection.
We completely understand that patients want to find the best surgeon possible to perform their procedure, and sometimes this means traveling far from home for your surgery. That being said, we generally advise those who are thinking about undergoing any kind of surgical procedure to do it close to home if at all possible.
This is generally in order to ensure that you get the best possible care throughout the entire process, from your first consultation, to surgery day, to one year following your surgery. It’s always best to have the same surgeon follow you from start to finish as they have the most knowledge about your entire case and can offer you not only the best care but a better chance at a full and speedy recovery and the best possible results.
Did we answer all your questions? Our goal is to ensure you have the best information possible to make your decision. If you still have questions, we’re here to help.
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