The body lift can be an overwhelming procedure, but recovering from your body lift doesn’t have to be. Dr. MaDan and his expert team are with you every step of the way to ensure you’re comfortable throughout your surgical experience. Because of this, they wanted to share with you some of their top tips to make your body lift recovery a breeze.
Body Lift Recovery in General
Because a typical body lift involves removing excess skin from multiple parts of the body, body lift recovery may take up to a few months. That being said, your immediate recovery period in which swelling and bruising dissipate should only take about four to six weeks. During this initial recovery period, it’s normal to feel some discomfort. We advise you to follow Dr. MaDan’s post-operative instructions very carefully to help reduce any discomfort during this time.
Tips to Make Your Body Lift Recovery Easier
In addition to following post-operative care instructions and following-up with Dr. MaDan for your regular appointments, we recommend keeping the following in mind to help make your recovery a little easier.
Eat a Healthy, Low-Sodium Diet
It’s no secret that sodium causes you to retain water. By indulging in your favorite high-sodium comfort foods following your procedure, you may actually hinder your recovery by inducing water retention and causing swelling to increase. Instead, we advise you to eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean proteins to give your body the boost of nutrients it needs to keep your recovery going strong.
Ice Frequently
Icing your treated areas frequently with cold compresses can help you reduce swelling and discomfort following your surgery. To prepare for all the icing you’ll be doing, we recommend filling your freezer with at least two cold compresses per surgical site. By having two per site, you’ll be able to easily swap them out every 20 minutes and keep your icing consistent.
Embrace the Cold Shower
We understand that the thought of a hot shower may sound comforting, but hot showers during your recovery can actually end up making you feel worse. Hot water and steam can increase your swelling and irritate your incisions. Instead, we suggest you opt for a lukewarm shower that will soothe your surgical sites.
Use Your Compression Garments
The compression garments Dr. MaDan gives you may look a little silly, but he gives them to you for a reason. These compression garments are specifically designed to minimize swelling and promote healing. Keep these compression garments on for as long as Dr. MaDan suggests, as taking them off sooner may hold back your healing.
If you’re interested in learning more about what to expect from your body lift, contact us today to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Dr. MaDan.