Contrary to popular belief, your recovery after having plastic surgery doesn’t have to be long and drawn out. In addition to following all of the post-op instructions you receive from your Dr. Cohn, here are some tips to help you to recover faster after your procedure.
1. Take All Medication
No matter how good you may feel or how well you can tolerate pain, take your medicine as directed. Do not miss any doses of your pain medication. Pain increases your blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause more bruising and create complications with your recovery.
2. Don’t Lounge Around
Many of the medicines and narcotics that you have received during your surgery and are taking during your recovery can cause constipation. To prevent constipation, you need to get up and get moving. Take short walks around the house and increase your fluid intake to prevent constipation and complications.
3. Maintain a Healthy Diet
It is not uncommon to experience changes with your appetite after surgery. However, you need to continue to eat and maintain a healthy diet. Eat lots of protein and carbohydrates. You need to feed your body properly so that it can heal and repair itself to speed up your recovery. If you decide to take any vitamins, let your doctor know prior to taking them.
4. Don’t Smoke
Even though your surgery is over, your body still needs to heal itself. Do not smoke until you have your surgeon’s approval to do so. Smoking severely impairs the body’s ability to heal, promotes bruising and can cause other problems with your recovery.
5. Don’t Over Do It
Even if you feel pretty good, do not start exercising, lifting or engaging in strenuous activities until you have been cleared to do so by your doctor. It is a good idea for you to ask for clarification on what you can and can’t do prior to going home during your recovery.
6. Follow Up Appointments
Go to all follow-up appointments regardless of how you feel. Dr. Cohn needs to monitor your progress to ensure that your body is healing properly. They may also need to make adjustments to your post-op care periodically.