Prepare Yourself for a Lipo Treatment

Before your liposuction surgery, your doctor will provide you with a list of things you are expected to do or avoid. However, there are other things you need to consider if you want to properly prepare yourself for Lipo treatment.

Food

You need to beef up your health considerably by eating a good amount of protein, fruit and vegetables and healthy fats and carbohydrates.  Liposuction is regarded as a relatively safe procedure, but it is vital to be in top physical condition for your body to handle the demands of surgery and recovery.

Recovery time preparation

Before the operation, you need to put machinery in place that will allow you enough time to recover. You will need complete freedom from work-related commitments, family commitments and in fact any physically demanding responsibilities.  You also need to have someone lined up to provide you with assistance during the early days of the surgery recovery.

Medication

You need to abstain from all forms of cold and sinus medication, vitamin E tablets, nutritional supplements, non-steroidal inflammatory medication, etc. at least two weeks before the surgery.  These medications interfere with your body’s blood clotting ability. If you are taking birth control pills, you will be required to use other forms of contraceptives until after the surgery. In fact, it is in your best interests to notify the doctor of all medications you are taking.

Smoking

If you are a smoker about to go in for Lipo suction, you need to quit at least two months before the surgery. You will also not be able to continue your abstinence after the surgery. There is a risk of chest infection if anaesthesia is administered on you if you continue smoking until surgery. Secondly, smoking cuts down blood flow to the skin. This can increase the risk of circulation problems after surgery and may affect your surgical outcome.

Supplies

You need to ensure you stock up on post-surgery supplies, including medication, compression garments and bandages. Other recovery items you should stock up on include alcohol gauze pads for cleaning the incision site, pain medication and cold packs. The last two are dependent on doctor advice, but are generally advisable.

Your doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics. It is important for you to fill your prescription ahead of time as it could be difficult after the procedure. Apart from medical supplies, you need a good supply of food, toiletries etc. It is easy to wave this aside if you have made plans for a live-in help during the recovery procedure. However, there is no telling what will happen over that period. You don’t want to run out of supplies when there is no one around to help replenish.

Entertainment

After the procedure, you will have to reduce activity for a few days. You will need a supply of books, movies, games or other forms of amusement to avoid the inevitable boredom. You will be able to be active, and light activity will actually speed the recovery process, but you will need your recovery downtime too.

Finally, you need to arrange a reliable driver that will convey you to and from the clinic. Don’t forget to setup a backup plan to ensure there is a driver on hand in case an emergency interferes with the plans of your first choice.