Having surgery soon? It’s a stressful time, so remember these things after surgery to reduce your anxiety level. Some of these postop issues are very normal and should not be a cause for alarm. Even if you’re not going through surgery yourself, someone may be depending on you as their caregiver. So heed this advice and offer reassurance to whomever you’re taking care of.
Important to remember these things after surgery
Regardless of what type of surgery you’re having, the incision will always have a little redness immediately adjacent to the incision. That doesn’t mean you have an infection. If the redness is spreading a large distance away from the incision, or there’s is thick white or green drainage, that’s a different story!
But if there is redness around the incision with light drainage, that may be a sign of inflammation, not infection. In that case, monitor it closely and contact your doctor if you continue to be concerned.
Also, with the prevalence of smartphones and cameras these days, take a quick photo and email or text your doctor, the area of concern. You don’t have an email address or cell number for your doctor? That’s a different problem and should be addressed before surgery! Good communication is key.
One question we get a lot after liposuction relates to firm noodles you may feel under the skin. During liposuction, most of the fat is sucked out of the body and into a canister. But in some cases, fat is pulled away from it’s blood supply but doesn’t get completely sucked out. Since that fat no longer has a blood supply, the fat will die. Dead fat turns into firm, calcified nodules. But don’t worry! It’s not permanent. The fat will eventually be reabsorbed by the body and the area will soften.
Bruising after surgery
No surprise here but you will have bruising after surgery. It’s completely normal but if it’s the first time you’re having surgery, you may worry that some bruising is too much bruising. It’s hard to know when it’s “too much” but there will be some. And it will turn from a purple to a yellowish color over time and will even track far away from the operative site. Totally normal in most cases.
High riding breast implants
While your doctor probably told you before your breast augmentation, you may forget. But your implants that seem really high after surgery, will drop…I promise! Give it about 3 months for implants to settle in their final position.
If you have other questions, contact your doctor.
