If you are preparing to go in for plastic surgery, you may be wondering how best you can quicken your recovery process so that you can return to your normal activities. Making a full recovery from plastic surgery is easy when the patient follows the aftercare instructions. However, strict adherence to discharge instructions can be difficult thereby leading to complications afterward.
“Plastic surgery patients stand a chance of healing faster if they are willing to diligently care for the body after surgery”, says Dr. J. Byers Bowen. There are several tricks that can help a patient recover faster than the recovery time predicted by the healthcare provider.
Plastic Surgery Tips for Quick Recovery
Patients have a role to play in determining how fast they heal after undergoing a procedure. Here are tips that would quicken the recovery process.
#1. Strictly Adhere to all Aftercare Instructions
Your healthcare provider is more knowledgeable than you are when it comes to what you should or should not do after plastic surgery. Therefore, stick to all instructions to the latter as this would ensure there are no medical complications after surgery.
In some cases, the surgeon may ask patients not to take showers a couple of weeks after the surgery. Some patients may be instructed not to lift heavy weights depending on the nature of the procedure. Strictly following such instructions can help you recover faster.
#2. Be Patient with Yourself
The healing process takes time and the rate at which people heal differs among individuals. Bearing this in mind will help you exercise lots of patience while you heal. While some individuals can recover fully in a matter of weeks, others may take years.
It is possible to still feel pains, experience bruises, discoloration of the surgery area, and even swelling several weeks after the procedure. Be open to your doctor about your concerns and exercise patience as your body gradually returns to normal.
#3. Do Not Miss After-Surgery Appointment
Your doctor needs to follow up with you to know how well the recovery process is going which is the reason for check-up appointments after surgery. Some patients may not take these appointments seriously but they are vital for quick recovery. During such an appointment, the doctor can examine you to ensure everything is going well.
The healthcare provider during this time will lookout for symptoms that you may otherwise neglect such as bruises, swellings, redness around the incision area, and other symptoms where there are no visible incisions.
#4. Cut Back on Physical Activities
You will need to go easy on yourself by cutting back on physical activities in order to give your body enough time to heal. It will not be out of place to take some time off work and get someone to take care of routine chores while you recover.
Getting proper rest at this point will increase your chances of making a quick recovery. See the recovery period as an avenue to relieve stress and engage in activities that would help you relax. Some of the activities include listening to cool and relaxing music, meditation, and reading.
#5. Regularly Inspect the Incision
Regular inspection of the incision point will help to ensure early detection of inflammation, redness, or any other sign of infection. Plastic surgery patients may need to go the extra mile to prevent infection by regularly washing their hands before touching the incision area.
Additionally, look out for wound drainages and also check if the stitches are still in place. A daily check of the incision area will help you to know if the surgical area is healing properly.
#6. Stay Hydrated
After plastic surgery, you may not feel hungry. Also, most surgeries affect bowel movement so constipation may likely occur after having plastic surgery. Staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet will help to prevent common complications and promote fast healing.
#7. Exercise Caution While Coughing and Sneezing
One of the things you would not be able to do as usual is coughing and sneezing especially if the plastic surgery is around the stomach area. Careless coughing and sneezing can complicate your conditions where an abdominal incision is involved.
While coughing, add pressure to the incision. This will help to prevent it from opening up. Coughing is vital as it will help to prevent pneumonia. However, you need to be careful while doing so to avoid complications.
#8. Stick to Your Meds
For most surgeries, the healthcare provider may prescribe drugs that the patient needs to take to heal completely. It is in the best interest of the patient to take these drugs as they are prescribed.
One of the aftereffects of plastic surgery is severe pain which is why healthcare providers prescribe painkillers to help keep the pain at a minimum. Many patients fail to take their medications which can negatively impact their recovery process. Taking the pain medications in their recommended dosages will help to make the pain more bearable.
However, plastic surgery patients should understand that pain some pain relieves can lead to dehydration and in some cases constipation. Patients should not wait to feel pain before taking the prescribed painkillers.
Waiting to feel pain before taking medication means the patient will have to endure the pain before the effect of the medication finally kicks in. it is always better to control the pain than allow it to become unbearable before taking medication.
#9. Take a Walk
While it is advisable for patients recovering after plastic surgery to get enough rest, that does not mean patients will have to stay at a place till they get better. On the contrary, a few minutes’ walks each day can have a therapeutic effect and quicken the healing process. Having a quick walk will go a long way in preventing common complications after surgery.
However, try not to overdo this by walking long distances. Rather, discuss with your surgeon when it is safe to get back to regular activities after surgery.
Final Thoughts
Everyone looks forward to making a quick recovery after plastic surgery. However, for patients to make a quick recovery, they will be required to follow through with aftercare instructions and speak with their healthcare provider about any of their concerns.
Hemant Kumar is a project manager at Tridindia with more than nine years of commendable experience in writing about LMS, translation, and IT. His unmatched talent and passion for digital marketing gave him the opportunity to work as a multi-tasking project manager at TridIndia’s sister company, Link Building Corp. Today, he contributes to the world by imparting knowledge on SEO, link building and internet marketing etc., that helps business owners grow their online business.