Staying healthy after cosmetic surgery starts well before your procedure
July 22, 2014, 1:45 am
You have been thinking about cosmetic surgery for some time and have finally taken the plunge and scheduled a consultation. The excitement is building, as well as maybe a bit of anxiety as well. You may be wondering about the surgery itself and about the recovery period, but did you know that your recovery period and staying healthy after cosmetic surgery actually begins when you schedule your consultation? Read on to learn about how your consultation, choice of surgeon, and other factors before surgery day can help you stay healthy after your procedure.
Staying healthy after surgery actually begins during your consultation. We can’t stress enough the importance of scheduling your consultation and subsequent cosmetic procedure with a board-certified surgeon who has experience with the type of surgery you are seeking. Dr. Hlavacek at Kansas City Surgical Arts is board-certified in both cosmetic surgery and oral and maxillofacial surgery, and the extensive training he’s received in both fields allow him to provide patients with a well-rounded, holistic approach to meeting their needs.
After you have confirmed your surgeon’s qualifications, you should have a sense of comfort and ease in your interaction with your surgeon. It is perfectly normal to feel nervous, and your surgeon should show compassion and understanding with an open willingness to answer any and all of your questions and concerns. Your surgeon should be willing to partner with you to ensure open and clear communication at every step of your cosmetic surgery journey, and you should leave your consultation feeling like an integral partner, like part of the team. You should also feel a sense of comfort with your surgeon — you should never feel pressured, belittled, or as if your opinions and needs are unimportant.
During your consultation, your surgeon should not only address all of your concerns, questions, and goals, but should also offer you an explanation of your procedure and how it may fit in with your needs. Your surgeon should explain both the benefits and risks of your procedure, and offer instructions on preparing for your surgery while minimizing risks.
After your consultation, you may be sent for pre-procedure lab tests, an EKG, or radiology studies. These shouldn’t be cause for concern, but will ensure that you are healthy enough to withstand the surgery and also to provide your surgeon with a baseline guide for important vital signs and other key values when planning your surgery and for monitoring your health during the procedure. These are important steps to protecting your health and safety.
In addition to having a partnership of open communication and mutual respect with your cosmetic surgeon, be sure to continue caring for your overall health and well-being. While it may be tempting to undertake a strict diet or a vigorous new exercise routine to lose a few final pounds before surgery, now is not the time make drastic changes. In fact, doing so may be counterproductive, as crash diets and sudden significant changes to exercise routines may put you at risk for injuries that could jeopardize your ability to have surgery on your scheduled date. Also, if you do lose weight as the result of such changes, you may inadvertently set yourself up to not only gain it back, but also to gain back a bit extra. Instead, focus on consuming an overall healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, and consider engaging in low-intensity cardio and moderate strength training.
While the period just before your cosmetic surgery date isn’t the ideal time to drastically change your diet or exercise routines, there is one habit that you are best to break completely — smoking or tobacco products. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, make plans to quit as soon as possible. Quitting may be hard, but there are plenty of community resources available to help — many for free. We value your health and well-being, and want to ensure that your heart, arteries, and blood vessels are well equipped to do their job and can keep you healthy during and after surgery. Unfortunately, smoking has known adverse effects for patients undergoing surgery. If you smoke or use tobacco products, it is crucial that you inform your surgeon during your consultation.
By following the tips above, you should have a much greater likelihood of going into surgery healthy and with a good understanding of your procedure and the recovery process. You should be well positioned to start recovery in good health, providing you a good starting point for acing your recovery!
To learn more about cosmetic surgery, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Matt Hlavacek at Kansas City Surgical Arts, call us today at (816) 286-4126. We look forward to partnering with you on this journey.
