April 19, 2019
For more information on post-op care, check out this fun video made by our very own Nurse Lori.
This week the Plastic Surgery Clinic hosted one of our signature Open House events, which invites new patients, existing patients and anyone interested in surgical aesthetic procedures to take a peek at the inner-workings of our practice.
Our Open House events are an opportunity to go more in-depth than you might even in a private consultation so that you can have as much information as you need to make decisions that are right for you. If you missed it, not to worry—here’s a breakdown of some of the things that were seen and discussed.
Guests met our expert plastic surgeons Dr. Frank Lista, Dr. Jamil Ahmad, and Dr. Ryan Austin, and learned about the revolutionary approaches they take with every surgical procedure. They heard from one of our patients to learn about her first-hand experience, spanning from before her first consultation to after her recovery was complete.
And last but not least, they met our fabulous team of nurses and staff and got a tour of our state-of-the-art facility, getting a chance to see our consultation rooms, our operating rooms, and our post-op facilities to be able to better envision what the day of surgery looks like, as well as the recovery process.
One of the biggest topics at the Open House, and generally what we find we get the most questions about, is what happens after surgery. If you’re wondering what you’re going to feel like and how you should take care of yourself on the other side, we’re here to help. Here are some of our most frequently asked questions:
You’ll be scheduled for a post-op appointment with our post-op nurse one day after surgery, then one week after surgery, two weeks following, and sometimes one month after as well. During these post-op appointments your post-op nurse will check your incisions and make sure everything is healing well, and will make sure that you are feeling good.
She will also go through instructions like how to wash incisions, what garments to wear and for how long, breast massage techniques, liposuction massage, or any other post-surgery protocols that will help your healing. During these sessions you are always welcome to ask to see one of our doctors, but normally you will see your doctor about one month post-op to make sure that everything is looking and healing the way it should be.
That said, our post-op nurse will give you her contact info and you can get in touch with her anytime if you have any questions or concerns about your healing process.
You can and should take a shower 2 days after your surgery. If you are wearing a special garment, take it off and put it through the washer-dryer. Wash your incisions using soap and water even if you have staples. It’s really important to wash dry blood off of your incisions because otherwise they will leave a mark on the scar, so showering following your surgery is definitely important.
Most patients feel good the day after their procedure because they are on pain medications and the freezing hasn’t worn off yet. You can expect to feel achiest 3 or 4 days after your surgery. It’s really important that the first week after surgery you rest and recuperate, as doing too much too soon can lead to unnecessary complications. Most patients feel a lot better and are getting back into their daily routines after about 7-10 days.
Once your incision has healed, meaning dry blood and scabbing have disappeared, and all you really have is a red line (which is usually at about one month post-op) we recommend that you treat your scar with silicone. Evidence shows that silicone will effectively reduce the redness and thickness of scars.
You can leave your house one week after your surgery, and also go back to work if the type of work you do is office-based. You can also run simple errands. Anything more strenuous we recommend that you wait until about a month following your procedure.
You can travel a month following your surgery. If you plan on going somewhere hot you cannot swim in a pool. Generally after one month you should not be using pools, saunas, hot tubs, or baths. The ocean or salt water is fine after one month if your doctor gives you the green light and says that everything is healing as it should.
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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