The Ultimate Guide in Prepping for Plastic Surgery
Picture it. Your body finally has the shapes, lines, and sleek contours that you’ve always desired. And all you had to do was “add water and stir.”
Okay. Obviously the second part is merely a dream.
Because getting the body you want may very well mean you’ll have to go under the knife. And prepping for plastic surgery requires more than just adding water and stirring.
Aesthetic and Hygienic Guidlines
First, take a shower both the night before and the morning of your surgery. Wash with an antibacterial cleanser and wash your hair. You’ll want to go in as clean as possible.
And as much as you might feel inclined to wax or shave during those showers, don’t. Though shaving seems logical enough, the recommendation is to wax or shave about four to seven days before surgery.
Sure, you won’t have that baby smooth skin. But shaving right before surgery can lead to microscopic cuts and abrasions which can disrupt the skin’s barrier defense against microbes colonizing the skin and hair follicles.
Also, your surgeon doesn’t care if you have a fierce tan while on the table. He or she is more concerned with reducing your risk for added inflammation and scarring. And tanning before your procedure increases that risk.
What to Wear…
Again, it’s surgery and not a fashion show. Throw on your most comfortable and loosest fitting clothing. If you’re having a procedure such as a tummy tuck or a Brazilian butt lift, you may be fitted with a compression garment afterwards. When you have big comfy clothes, they’ll slide easily over that garment.
Of course, as you go into surgery, you’ll be donning a hospital gown. Those comfy clothes and other personal items will be waiting for you when you come out.
As far as wearing a menstrual pad or tampon, these are totally fine.
The Do NOTs in Prepping for Plastic Surgery
Generally speaking, less is more on surgery day. So it really comes down more to what you shouldn’t have coming into surgery versus what you should.
- No Need to Be Bedazzled
You will need to take off all of your jewelry before your procedure. That means not just necklaces, rings, bracelets, and earrings, but every body piercing as well. Your surgeon will use an electrosurgical device to cut tissue and control bleeding. A piercing – even a small one – can divert the electrical current and damage the tissue.
In addition, pressure on those piercings could result in the loss of tissue around them since you’ll be anesthetized and unable to recognize the pressure.
- Go Au Naturel
If you normally use hair products after you shower, leave them out this time. The key is to avoid contamination with open wounds – which we all have to agree takes precedence over whether your hair is frizzy or falling flat.
Makeup is also prohibited so that makeup particles don’t end up in your eyes. When you’re anesthetized, you won’t have the ability to blink to clear out those particles. In some cases, you may even have your eyes taped shut. So leave the make-up in its bag or curio drawer.
Another reason for ditching the makeup and hair products is that some of them have flammable ingredients. So it’s best to just avoid them.
- Skip the Manicure
Let your nails go naked.
It might sound weird, but nail polish is prohibited during your surgical procedure. Doctors and nurses will keep an eye on your circulation and need to be able to see your natural fingernail to do this. They’ll also need to regularly monitor your pulse and how well you’re breathing using a pulse oximeter clipped onto your finger. Nail polish can interfere with these readings.
For some time, there was the belief that acrylic nails affected the pulse oximeter as well. Recent studies show that unpolished acrylics do not impact this. But you may need to remove them anyhow.
- Leave Your Orthodontics At Home
Finally, if you really dislike wearable orthodontics like a retainer or elastic bands for your teeth, good news! You finally have a valid excuse to not wear them (for a little while, at least).Your surgeon will need you to remove them before your procedure.
Get the Body You’ve Dreamed Of
The extra measures you have to take in prepping for plastic surgery are well worth the outcome.
Isn’t it time you felt better about your body and appearance? If you’re ready to step into the plastic surgery arena, contact us today.
We’ll set you up for your free consultation where you’ll be able to ask your plastic surgeon the hard-hitting questions that’ll give you peace of mind before your procedure.
