You’ve decided to have cosmetic surgery! Hooray! You’ve likely already done a little research and chosen a surgeon. Now it’s all up to them to work their magic, right? Well, not exactly. The most important player on the surgical team is you! Don’t worry; you don’t need medical expertise to play your role. But you do have an essential role in your recovery because no one knows you better than yourself.
The leading surgeons in the industry will take every measure to minimize their risks during surgery. The problem is they can’t be there with you to minimize risks during your recovery. Meaning you could take steps to protect yourself and give yourself a comfortable recovery for optimal results, or you could rush your recovery, bend the rules, and risk complications that could ultimately impact your surgical results forever.
Knowing Your Role
The best thing you can do to ensure a positive surgery outcome is to know your recovery process role. First and foremost, that means following your surgeon’s instructions. If you are consistently finding yourself asking for an exception to the rule (common examples are patients wanting to exercise earlier than recommended or desiring to take medications that are not recommended), remind yourself that serious surgery requires serious recovery. If you wouldn’t want your surgeon to cut corners, you shouldn’t either. We all have to play our parts well for optimal results.
Knowing Your Doctor’s Role
Remember our care goes beyond the surgical suite. Your medical team will give you specific instructions on dealing with surgical dressing, swelling, and pain management. We are in your corner and never more than a phone call away. If something doesn’t feel right or feel anxious or concerned, pick up the phone and tell us. Our team wants you to feel confident in your recovery.
How We Care for Patients at Buckhead
All the surgical procedures for our patients at Buckhead Plastic Surgery are performed at the Chastain Surgery Center, Atlanta’s premier AAAASF accredited ambulatory surgery center. This is a brand-new facility which was designed with our clients in mind. We want to provide you with the best surgical experience with the utmost comfort and luxury.
The Chastain Surgery Center also features a state-of-the-art surgery and recovery facility. The staff is committed to rigorous patient care. We put the utmost priority on safety and comfort while maintaining sterile operating standards. The building is conveniently located behind our facility at Buckhead Plastic Surgery and offers pleasant ground floor parking for our patients. You’re going to love the welcoming atmosphere from the waiting room to the operating room and the comfortable recovery suites.
How You Can Prepare Your Home
While we can provide a comfortable place for your surgery and immediate recovery, you need to create a comfortable place for healing at home. Many patients arrange for their homes to be cleaned before surgery, so they can come home to a clean and tidy place to recover.
It’s a good idea to arrange a specific place to recover. Make sure you provide yourself with easy to reach healthy snacks and bottles of water. Move a phone charger to the area as well as things to do to pass the time. Recovery can be monotonous, but if you plan, it’ll be more like a staycation.
The night before your surgery, do a final walk-through of your house, move through everyday activities, including showering and making coffee, move commonly used items to easy to reach places; you’re likely going to want to avoid reaching and bending as much as possible. Lastly, pack your bag if needed and make sure you have plenty of clean and comfy clothes to wear when returning home.
What Arrangements Should You Make Prior?
The most apparent arrangement is your transportation to and from the surgical center. You’ve likely already made arrangements for your children and pets to get the care they need while you recover. Next, making arrangements to miss work as required is important.
Some other helpful things you can do is arrange for chores you typically handle to be done for you. Consider hiring a lawn service or even a maid for the weeks you are recovering. Make arrangements to have meals delivered and choose a grocery service to deliver the things you might be needing.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Surgery
Anxiety can negatively affect patients. If you find yourself feeling nervous, call us, and schedule a visit. Our professional team will be happy to answer all your questions and alleviate your stress before or after your procedure.
Managing Your Expectations
This is best done before scheduling a surgery. One of the best ways to do this is to look at before and after other patients’ photos. Find patients who have a similar body type to you before the surgery, and see what the realistic after photo looks like.
It’s essential to use critical thinking and not wishful thinking during this process. Pay attention to the details; if your skin is looser, or if you are older than the patient pictured, it is unlikely you will have the same results. Having a reasonable expectation of what is possible with cosmetic surgery can prepare you for your optimal results.
Emotionally Dealing With Physical Healing
Our medical team will do everything we can to help prepare you physically for a smooth recovery, but surgical recovery is often a painful experience. You can prepare yourself better by providing yourself with a comfortable place to heal.
Make sure you’ve educated yourself on the length of the recovery and plan accordingly. This is more than just clearing your work schedule. There is an immense difference between minor procedures that require you to take a day or two off or work and major surgeries that require weeks of healing.
Once you know how long the recovery process will be, plan accordingly, making sure you have plenty of activities to keep you physically as comfortable as possible. Practically this is pillows, ice packs, comfy clothing, over the counter pain medication. Next, plan things that will fill your time; distraction is an excellent anecdote to discomfort. Movies & shows to binge, books to read, activities you can do from your laptop or phone.
Don’t forget to invite loved ones over. Of course, no one wants to be seen while recovering, but isolation during recovery can lead to depression. Be sure to arrange a few visits from trusted friends during recovery; you’ll be amazed by how much it will elevate your mood.
Most of all, remind yourself to be patient. Swelling is a part of healing. Scars will be pink while they heal. Remember that healing takes time and cannot be rushed. Your final results may take weeks or even months to become visible. It’s all part of the process.
Emotional ups and downs are part of the healing process too, but if you’re feeling gloomy, please call our office. We want to support you in every aspect of the healing process.
Why Choose Buckhead Plastic Surgery
Dr. Larsen is a double board-certified plastic surgeon with years of experience and many excellent reviews. He has carefully chosen a staff that shares his people-first attitude to ensure your comfort through the entire procedure.
Dr. Larsen prides himself on communicating clearly and providing you with realistic options for your optimal results. He takes great pride in his surgical skill and is known for his kind and direct approach to his patients.
If you’ve been considering a cosmetic procedure, give us a call today and schedule your consultation. This is your chance to visit our facility, meet our medical team, and voice all your questions and concerns. You’ll be glad you did. Most of our patients report their only regret about this procedure is not calling sooner. Call us today.
