Surgery Preparation
Physical
and mental preparation and advice
While you might be
excited for your cosmetic surgery, this is not the time to have a last
hurrah
before a liposuction procedure or to go out and buy clothes that are
five sizes
smaller.
Chances are good that
your procedure is much more subtle and you have other ways you need to
prepare
for this special day. Along
with your
doctor's orders, here are some guides to preparing your body and your
mind for
the cosmetic surgery you have planned.
Your body is what is
undergoing a massive surgery soon, so it's no wonder that you want to
start by
taking the best care of it possible.
These steps will help the healing
process be fast and the recovery time
be short.
- Eat balanced meals
These meals will be providing your body with nutrients that will help
to increase the body's ability to heal itself, plus it will keep your
weight steady so that you're not adding more fat cells to the process
of liposuction, for example.
- Exercise regularly
When
you are more active, you immune system gets a workout too. This will
help to keep your lungs strong for the anesthesia, while also
strengthening your muscles to ensure that you are creating a tight and
toned figure.
- Take a multivitamin
With
your doctor's permission, start taking a multivitamin to make sure you
are getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
Just make sure that the
supplement doesn’t contain any herbs.
- Drink lots of water
The
actual surgery is quite tough on your body and you might lose a small
amount of blood in the process. To
help your body make more efficiently, make sure to keep yourself
hydrated in the days leading up to the surgery.
- Don’t smoke
Smoking
not only ages your skin and body, but it can also increase your odds of
infection, while increasing your odds of a slow recovery time. Try to quit before your
surgery or at least stop in the weeks leading up to the surgery.
- Don't drink
Much
like smoking, drinking can accelerate the aging process, while also
reducing the ability of your body to heal.
Try avoiding it as much as you
can.
- Get enough sleep
This
will also help boost your body's healing powers the day before and in
the weeks leading up to your surgery.
Some physicians might
actually put you on a supplement regimen, so if this is the case, make
sure to
follow the instructions exactly.
While your body is
center stage for the surgery itself, your mind is going to have to deal
with
the cosmetic changes before and after the surgeon begins making
incisions.
What many people don't
realize is that having realistic expectations is one of the most
important
things you can do. You
need to make sure
you are fully aware of three things:
1. Your body will
never be perfect.
2. The results you
have in your mind may not be what actually happens.
3. Your body will
never be the same.
In recognizing the
truth of these statements, you will not wake up and wonder, "What the
heck
did I just do?"
If you're not certain
what to expect, have your surgeon describe the reasonable results to
you as
well as show you pictures of what you might look like at the end of the
recovery.
But in addition to
having realistic expectations, you also need to focus on the fact that
your
face or your body will not be the same.
For some people, this is a
significant adjustment.
For example, if you
have your family's nose and you go in for a nose job to have it fixed,
you will
begin to look different from everyone else in your family. Some people don't like the
idea of this and
they might be upset at the end of the surgery once they realize this.
To help you through
this transition, you might want to talk with a therapist before and
after the
surgery to work on any problems as they come up.
Mentally, you also
need to prepare yourself for the rigors of recovery.
You aren't going to wake up and be
instantly
beautiful and thinner, in many cases.
Recovery can be a slow and arduous
process in which you don't see
results for weeks, even months.
By reminding yourself
again and again of how far you've come and how you will look in the
end, you
can make sure you get through that recovery time with patience.
The most important
person in the preparation process is the medical team that will be
following
you into the operation room. It
might be
helpful for you to meet them ahead of time and to have one final
appointment to
go over any questions you might have or any concerns you may have
thought of
since you scheduled the surgery.
You will also get
preoperative instructions that probably consist of:
- Do not eat after midnight the
day before the surgery.
- Do not drink after midnight the
day before the surgery.
- Ask about any medications that you might be taking
and how to schedule them into your surgery day.
- Remove any nail polish or toe nail polish prior to
the surgery – This allows the team to check your pulse oxidation and
your overall oxygenation.
- Clean the area thoroughly the night before and in
the shower the morning before the surgery with Hibiclens or something
similar.
You will need to make
sure you complete any and all tasks ahead of time or your surgery may
be
postponed until you can follow directions.
If you can, try to get
the first operating time of the day as it's less likely to get pushed
back and
the surgeon is often fresher and more alert first thing. Also, try to have your
surgery during the
week as that's when the experienced physicians are normally working. Weekends tend to be
residents and interns.
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