How to Prepare for Your Upcoming Plastic Surgery

Like any other form of surgery, plastic surgery is a serious medical procedure that can cause a lot of trauma on your body. It’s important to not only should you prepare your body for surgery, but you should also take time to prepare your mind and home.

Know what foods you should be avoiding, what vitamins and supplements you should be taking, what habits you need to start or stop doing and how to create the most comfortable environment for your recovery as possible. This blog post breaks down what steps you should be taking to prepare for your plastic surgery starting a month out from surgery.

One Month Before Surgery

If you want, you can start preparing for your upcoming surgery a month in advance. Doing so will give you a higher chance of a smooth recovery.

There are some surgeons who will require you to undergo a physical. This step will just verify that there are no issues to be concerned about or a reason to postpone your upcoming procedure. Oftentimes, your own physician will be able to complete the physical and they will send the results to your plastic surgeon in Toronto. They will want to look at the results to confirm you are healthy enough to proceed.

Any form of surgery can be traumatic on the body, so the healthier the skin, the better it will respond to the entire process. At this point, you can start preemptively using lotions or gels designed to minimize scarring post-surgery. Doing so before surgery and not just afterwards is a great way to reduce the stress of surgery on your body’s largest organ.

Three Weeks Before Surgery

At the three week mark prior to your upcoming plastic surgery, there are a lot more things you can start doing to prepare than the previous week.

One of the most important things that you can do is stop smoking and drinking. Tobacco and alcohol will compromise the surgical procedure and healing process. Smoking inhibits and restricts blood flow, meaning your skin tissue may not receive the essential flow of blood it needs to heal accordingly. In some cases, it can actually lead to the destruction of the previously healthy tissue or even necrosis. Alcohol is a blood thinner and can cause complications during surgery such as difficulty stopping unexpected bleeding. It also causes your skin to dry out, which will make it harder for your surgeon to perform effectively. Recovery will also be more difficult as dry skin doesn’t heal as well and will create more visible scars.

It’s crucial you are aware of the dangers associated with smoking and drinking before your upcoming plastic surgery. If it is discovered that you aren’t following these non-negotiable rules, your surgeon will most likely refuse to operate on you. It is also important to understand that you should not smoke or drink alcohol for two weeks or more after your plastic surgery as well. In order to see optimal results, your body needs to be functioning at its best.

You should also make changes in your diet at this point. Certain foods that contain salicylates like blackberries, cranberries, broccoli, sweet potato, dill, pickles, chewing gum and many others should be avoided. Start prepping your home for your recovery time as well. Stock your fridge with healthy foods and meal prep so you don’t have to worry about cooking.

Additionally, consult with your plastic surgeon or physician regarding any medications you are currently taking.

Two Weeks Before Surgery

In order for you to prepare for plastic surgery, there are some steps you should be taking two weeks prior.

Now is the time to begin taking a daily multi-vitamin and other specific vitamins that are recommended to you by your surgeon. Typically, these will be Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Bromelain. You can also ask about proactive steps you can take to prevent side effects like constipation from the pain relievers you’ll be taking post-surgery like probiotics.

There are also a lot of medications that you should stop taking at this point. This includes any medication that contains aspirin or anticoagulants, as they are blood thinners like alcohol. This list also includes any anti-inflammatory drugs for ailments like arthritis should also be stopped, however, make sure you consult with your physician before doing so.

One Week Before Surgery

With only one week to go until you undergo your procedure, continue to avoid the foods and medication you have up until this point. You will also want to reduce your daily sodium intake; 1,200 to 1,500 mg every day is a good target to set. Overall, eat lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts and high protein meals and drink lots of water in order to prepare your body.

Two days prior, you can begin to preemptively take medication that will aid in your recovery as directed by your plastic surgeon.

The night before your plastic surgery, make sure you get lots of rest, make sure you do not eat any food or drink any liquids after midnight and confirm one last time that you have somebody to drive you to and from your procedure. You will be in no condition to transport yourself so it’s vital you have a plan set in place.

Knowing how to prepare for your upcoming plastic surgery can ensure that you have the best chance at recovery possible. Following these few simple steps is a great place to start. That being said, always consult with your plastic surgeon or a physician to make sure you are taking the right measures. What they tell you to do outweighs anything written in this post.

If you have any more questions regarding your upcoming plastic surgery, contact us at McLean Clinic.