Recovery Period after Body Lift Surgery

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You will probably need to take painkillers to help you recover from the effects of the surgery. You may have been prescribed some from your surgeon, or you could simply purchase some over the counter.

You will be able to take a shower a couple of days after your body lift surgery (or once your original wound dressings are removed) and your surgeon will advice you about this during your hospital stay. Your wound dressings will act to protect your wounds and will reduce your risk of infection. You may have to continue to dress your wounds for a while which may mean that you need to change your wound dressings for a few weeks to allow your wounds to continue to heal.

You will find that the areas that were operated on will feel quite tight at first. Try not to over stretch them too early on in the recovery process as you may risk tearing your wounds. Your skin will naturally loosen back to a comfortable elasticity. You may find that wearing support clothing will reduce any discomfort caused by this feeling of tightness and your surgeon may even suggest that you wear some.

Body lift surgery and exercise

Refrain from excessive exercise until a reasonable amount of wound healing has occurred to reduce the risk of delayed healing or wound tearing. Some surgeons will suggest that you limit yourself to lifting less than 5 pounds for a week or so after your body lift surgery. You should avoid bending or stretching the areas around your wounds before they have healed as this could risk tearing the stitches and causing bleeding.

You will be able to resume taking gentle exercise (such as walking) as soon as you feel up to it. In fact walking is encouraged as it reduces the risk of blood clots forming in your lower limbs. However, you will find that it could take up to eight weeks before you are able to carry out any more strenuous exercise or even resume your normal activities. This is because you need to ensure that you do not put unnecessary strain on your wounds as they heal. In general, the fitter you are when you have the procedure, the quicker you will be able to return to your old lifestyle. This is one of the reasons why you may have to take an extended period off work.

Problems with having a body lift

You may find that you have a few problems due to your body lift surgery. These could include a large number of things such as discomfort as your wounds heal to negative opinions of friends or family. Patients often report a broad range of views given to them by their friends including: “wow you look amazing” and “well you took the easy way out didn’t you so you deserve the pain and scars”. This is why it is a good idea to prepare your friends and family before your operation by explaining the procedure and why you want to do it.

For the first week or so you may find it difficult to carry out all your normal activities such as taking out the bin or filling the dishwasher. If you have a physically demanding job you will have to take time off work to allow your wounds to heal. This could cause further financial strain so you need to factor this into your initial budget. (Include an extra week to heal just in case you experience any complications).

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