Cosmetic Surgery Postoperative Care
You receive all important preoperative and postoperative instructions before making your final decision. You will be also instructed about postoperative regime and will receive post-operative instructions printed at the clinic. Not following any of these instructions can lead to postoperative complication or achieving not the best surgery result.
The Operation Was Successful – What’s Next?
Undergoing surgery is always a significant change for your body, and it goes beyond just an aesthetic improvement like a visit to a cosmetician or hairdresser. Surgical procedures involve various biological and other factors that influence the healing and recovery process. While most patients expect a smooth and speedy recovery, there’s always a small risk that things may not heal as quickly or in the way they anticipated.
Dr. Martin Skála, head of our plastic surgerry department, emphasizes that clients play a crucial role in the success of their surgery. By following the prescribed post-operative care guidelines, rest regimen, and the doctor’s advice, they can significantly contribute to achieving optimal results.
Postoperative Care: Key Principles
Postoperative care focuses on alleviating symptoms, caring for the wound, monitoring the patient’s overall well-being, and preventing or addressing any complications. While cosmetic surgery is generally safe, it’s important to remember that any surgical procedure carries potential risks. Dr. Skála outlines the most common complications and offers guidance on how to effectively approach the recovery and healing process.
Common Complications and How to Address Them
1. Infection:
One of the most common postoperative complications is infection, which can cause redness, swelling, pain, and sometimes fever. To minimize the risk of infection, maintaining proper hygiene is crucial, but be cautious to avoid washing with hot water, and refrain from using saunas or swimming pools until cleared by your doctor.
2. Bleeding:
Bleeding can also occur during home care, often caused by not following the prescribed rest regime, lifting heavy objects, or moving too much. If bleeding occurs, stay calm and apply compression and ice. In most cases, the bleeding will subside on its own.
For surgeries like abdominoplasty or breast augmentation, it’s important to avoid lifting heavy objects for up to 8 weeks after the procedure.
3. Seroma (Fluid Accumulation):
Seromas are small pockets of fluid that can develop at the surgical site, leading to swelling and discomfort. These often resolve on their own as healing progresses, but in some cases, larger seromas may require outpatient suction to accelerate healing.
4. Scarring:
While scarring is a natural part of the healing process, OB Care’s doctors use the thinnest possible suture material to minimize the appearance of scars. In most procedures, absorbable sutures are used to reduce tissue reaction. Scars require time to heal properly. It’s essential to keep the scar clean, avoid infection, and, starting 2-3 weeks after surgery, perform gentle pressure massages for about 20 seconds at each point for several months. Silicone patches, worn for about 3 months, and moisturizing creams can help achieve smaller, less noticeable scars.
The Role of Postoperative Compression Garments
High-quality postoperative garments are an essential part of the recovery process, especially for procedures like breast augmentation, liposuction, abdominoplasty, facelift, or arm lift surgery. These garments support the healing process by minimizing swelling, bruising, and the risk of infection, while also helping to improve blood circulation and stabilize implants.
Compression garments, which come in the form of bras, sleeves, or bandages, provide several benefits:
• Minimize swelling and bruising
• Enhance blood circulation and reduce the risk of complications
• Speed up the healing process
• Shape the body’s contours and stabilize implants
• Reduce pain and minimize the formation of keloid scars
By carefully following these post-surgery care steps and utilizing the proper garments, patients can ensure the best possible outcome and support the body’s natural healing process.
These instructions are based on a normal postoperative condition. Healing and recovering are highly individual processes and apart from the patients’ capacity to heal these also depend on their conscientiousness and respecting the postoperative instructions.
We would love to see how the healing process went and if you are satisfied with the results. We keep in touch with our clients after their arrival home. We are happy to answer all your questions and concerns we receive to our emails or cellphones. Please, do not hesitate to contact us anytime.