Are you considering or having plastic surgery in the near future? Are you curious about having cosmetic surgery and looking for guidance? At Este Medical we know that much thought and preparation goes into having a cosmetic procedure, and that preparing for cosmetic surgery can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming.
Before having plastic or cosmetic surgery it’s normal to feel some apprehension, feel a bit nervous and excited, and perhaps concerned about being fully prepared mentally and physically for surgery.
How To Prepare For Plastic Surgery Guide
To help you better understand what to plan for and expect before and after a surgical cosmetic procedure, we have created a helpful guide that will cover the essential elements for physical and mental readiness for elective surgery.
Deciding To Have Cosmetic Surgery & Surgical Consultation
First of all, you should book your treatment with a cosmetic surgery clinic that has an exemplary reputation (i.e., 5-star ranking) for surgical treatments. When researching a medical or cosmetic clinic, previous client testimonials should be easy to find on credible customer review platforms like Trustpilot for example.
Most reputable cosmetic clinics offer pre-surgery consultations to discuss your goals and expectations, what to expect during surgery, how to prepare for surgery and more. A professional consultation is a good way to ‘test the waters’ and see if you and the clinic are a good match.
During a consultation you should feel respected, listened to, made to feel comfortable, not being pressured…consultations are an excellent chance to learn more about the level of client care you can expect once the surgery is booked.
Este Medical Group offers consultations for all our hair, body, face and skincare treatments and procedures; we strongly advise if you are considering a surgical procedure you take the opportunity to meet with the service provider before you book any surgery.
Coping with pre-surgery anxiety tip:
Being able to read positive customer reviews about surgical treatments and successful outcomes, as well as have an in clinic surgical consultation to ask your questions and address your concerns will go a long way in easing any anxiety or doubt.
Moving Forward With A Surgical Procedure
You don’t need to have a science or medical background to understand your cosmetic surgery procedure. In better understanding the procedure it is helpful to ask yourself and your surgical consultant questions like:
- Is this the right surgical treatment for me?
- What other procedures should I consider?
- What are the risks and complications?
- How long till I can go back to my normal routine?
- How long will the results last?
These are just a few examples of questions to get you on the right track to better understanding the surgical procedure you are planning for yourself. The more questions the better to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the surgery; bring these and other similar questions to your plastic surgery consultation and to your primary care doctor before booking a surgery.
At this stage you have had a couple of cosmetic surgery consultations, and have decided on a medical clinic that makes you feel cared for and comfortable. You have had a chance to review the surgical procedure with the clinic and now have a solid understanding of what to expect from their surgical procedure and aftercare.
Also at this stage it is recommended that you have obtained medical clearance or approval from your primary care doctor. A statement from your medical doctor or specialist stating that you are healthy enough to be cleared for elective surgery. This step will help lower the risk of any possible complications leading up to and during your surgery.
Cosmetic Surgery Preparation Tips
Being prepared physically and mentally will ensure readiness for your cosmetic surgery. Depending on your type of cosmetic surgery, your surgical team will have very specific instructions to follow before you come to surgery. Here are several universal cosmetic surgery tips to help you prepare for your procedure.
Physical Readiness For Cosmetic Surgery
These are commonly given tips for physically preparing for surgery. You should always follow the instructions given by your service provider.
- Eat a healthy food diet in the weeks before surgery. Stay well hydrated by drinking water regularly.
- Before surgery, engage in daily regular exercise like walking, biking or swimming to keep your body in good health.
- Consult your doctor about suspending any treatment with supplements, naturopathic or homeopathic medications before surgery.
- If you are a smoker, you will be advised to stop smoking for a certain period of time before surgery. Make sure to share if you are a smoker with your surgery team before treatment.
- Abstain from drinking alcohol and/or taking recreational drugs before surgery. Make sure to detail your drinking and drug taking history with your surgery team before treatment.
- Prepare your whole body the night before or on the morning of surgery, wash your body thoroughly with regular soap, unless directed differently by your surgery team. Discuss skin preparation for surgery with your service provider.
Mental Readiness For Cosmetic Surgery
Being mentally and emotionally ready for cosmetic surgery is just as important as being physically ready. Possessing a calm state of mind, without anxiety is what you should be aiming for. Here are some tips to prepare you mentally for cosmetic surgery.
- Educate yourself on all aspects of the surgery, having knowledge of what to expect and the outcome will put your mind at ease.
- Mentally, set realistic expectations for the results of your surgery.
- Share any anxiety with family or a friend. Vent your feelings. Designate someone as your emotional support person before and after the surgery.
- Practice breathing exercises and engage in meditation to calm your mind.
- Stay in a positive state of mind; reframe your thoughts when doubt creeps in.
- Be mindful when you start to feel anxious and practice self-care and self-love.
- Visualize the results of your surgery and the healing process with good intention.
- In the weeks before your surgery, write out a surgery preparation checklist, so in the days before your surgery you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Planning A Support System and Post-Op Care After Cosmetic Surgery
Having a post-surgery aftercare plan in place before you have cosmetic surgery is important. Individuals who have a support system in place after surgery tend to have better outcomes, heal faster, and have a more comfortable recovery.
Building a support system for surgery may look a bit different for everyone, as not everyone has a family or partner to help out at home. Here are some ways support can look like:
- Let your employer know about your surgery, arrange to work from home and have a colleague check in on you throughout the work day.
- Ask your partner to work from home to help you with tasks throughout the day.
- Ask a family member to camp out with you for a few days to provide physical and emotional support.
- Arrange for mom or dad to look after the kids for a few days, allowing for more recovery time and less stress.
- If you live alone, ask a friendly neighbor to check in with you from time to time.
Whether you have a family member, partner, friend or neighbor support you after surgery, the reason why post-op support is so important is a support person or network of support people can help with following your clinic discharge instructions, help take you home, help you during any disorientation from anesthesia, check you are taking any prescribed medication or if you run out of medication or aftercare materials like gauze and surgical tape. Most importantly, people supporting you in recovery can help make sure you are eating nutritious foods, drinking a good amount of water, and resting properly.
Post-op preparation tip:
Prepare your home ahead of time. For example, have pre-cooked meals in the freezer, have clean bedding and comfortable pillows on hand, have a list of emergency and support contacts all in one place in case you need sudden attention, have a spare key handy to give a friend or neighbor, arrange for a lifting chair or any medical aids like a walker to be at home in advance of your surgery.
The Benefit Of Realistic Goals and Expectations
One of the best ways on how to prepare for surgery and heal faster is to accept realistic outcomes from the surgery, as well as have realistic expectations during recovery. A good piece of advice is to think hard and honestly about why you want a surgical procedure.
Being realistic means understanding the potential risks and complications of cosmetic surgery, and being emotionally and mentally prepared for the recovery process. The more realistic your expectations of cosmetic surgery, the more likely you will be happy and satisfied with the final results.
At Este Medical we do offer cosmetic surgery consultations, a safe space to share your goals and expectations about a specific surgical procedure.
During an Este Turkey surgical consultation we can show you before and after photos, share Este client testimonials about your surgery, and realistically talk about what can be achieved and what limits might present a challenge.
Our surgical team at Este in Turkey will respect your decision to have surgery, but will make sure you are feeling positive and confident about the procedure before you commit.
