Natural Images in Plastic Surgery

What to expect after all Surgery
When you go home after your procedure, you'll need to rest and drink plenty of fluids. Aim for eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily for the first 48-72 hours. You should eat bland light foods rather than spicy heavy meals. It is not unusual to experience nausea after surgery. It's normal to feel sleepy for the first few days; you may have difficulty concentrating. Although it's important to rest, you'll need to take short walks around the house periodically. Avoid strenuous activity for those first 2-3 days.

Take your prescribed pain medication every four hours as needed. On the next day, try alternating regular strength acetominophen (Tylenol) with the pain medication. Remember to take the prescribed pain medication at bedtime. By the third day you should be comfortable with just plain tylenol. Pain medications, especially those containing codeine, are constipating. Take Colace 200 mg. or Metamucil or a generic substitute at bedtime if this becomes a problem for you. If no relief, use twice daily. Bromelain, Arnica and antibiotics are to be taken after surgery as described on your vitamin regime and prescriptions provided to you pre-operatively. DO NOT take aspirin, ibuprofen, naprosyn or any NSAID pain reliever, vitamin E, ginko, garlic supplements or multi-vitamins for two weeks after your surgery. These can encourage bleeding. Do not smoke, as smoking encourages bleeding and poor healing.

What to expect after Liposuction
After your procedure, you will have pink to clear drainage for 24 to 48 hours. This is expected and normal. Remember to protect any surface you'll be sitting or lying on with plastic. Plastic bags cut up the seam work well. You can shower after 24 hours. Please have someone with you when you shower for the first time. If you're wearing a zippered garment, lie down to remove it. If your incision is still draining, you'll need to replace the dressings over the insertion wounds or suture line after your shower. Gauze 4"x4"'s are good, or you can cut sanitary napkins to size and use them. Continue to wear your garment all the time for the first 3 weeks or until otherwise instructed. Bruising is normal and lasts about 2 weeks.

What to expect after Eyelid Surgery
You probably will be most comfortable sitting upright; a recliner is great to recuperate in. Bags of frozen peas or corn make great cold compresses to reduce swelling and relieve pain, as do frozen gel masks or frozen gauze pads moistened with water & sealed in plastic bags. Bruising lasts about 4 days, sutures come out in 5-7 days. If your eyelids feel glued shut, rinse them with lukewarm water to loosen the bloody drainage. Wear dark glasses for 2 weeks.

What to expect after Breast Augmentation
Continue to wear a sports type bra 24 hours a day for three weeks. DO NOT wear an underwire bra if you've had an incision under your breast. It is common to feel a sensation of fullness, aching and tightness as your skin stretches to accommodate the implants. Burning pain in the nipples is often reported. Avoid strenuous upper body activity & heavy lifting for several weeks.

What to expect after TUBA
(trans-umbilical breast augmentation)
You will be more comfortable wearing a sports bra continuously until the soreness subsides, usually 2-3 days. You may remove the bandage around your mid-section after 24 hours. As with the traditional breast implants, it is common to feel a sensation of aching and tightness as your skin stretches to accommodate the implants. Avoid strenuous upper body activity & heavy lifting for several weeks.

What to expect after a Facelift
You will be more comfortable in a semi-upright position, a recliner is great, or prop yourself up with pillows. Avoid hot and cold compresses to the face. You will have drains on both sides of the face and neck which will drain out any fluid. Often the bandage has bloody drainage around the back. The drainage usually stops after 36 hrs. You can wrap additional gauze around the original dressing. Facial swelling and bruising are normal, and last about 2 weeks. Wash your face with lukewarm water only. Once the dressing is changed by the doctor, you may shampoo with baby shampoo.

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