Post-Surgery – How to Reduce Recovery Times

by Dr. Steven Wallach

With any surgery, cosmetic or otherwise, there will be bruising. Why? Because the incision causes damage to the underlying tissue and blood leaks into the surrounding tissue. This blood is what causes a bruise. There will also be swelling, which is the body’s reaction to trauma. All of this is part of the normal process of the body recovering after surgery. But there are things you can do to help your body recover, just as there are things you can do to hinder its recovery.
As far as post-surgery bruising goes, one of the worst things you can do is to take painkillers and anti-inflammatories because they have a blood-thinning effect. The prime suspects here are aspirin and ibuprofen, which are effective for pain, but also make bruising more severe and prolonged. In a similar vein, it may be tempting to soothe your aches and pains by taking a hot bath, indulging in a massage of the affected area, or covering the area with an inch of makeup. In all cases, you’re only prolonging the recovery process. Heat especially is a no-no early on. Cold compresses are the way to go, as they shrink the blood vessels, thereby slowing any flow of blood into unwanted areas. Compression garments, if applicable, are also important. They too constrict the area, limiting swelling and bruising as much as possible. Compression garments are especially important for procedures such as liposuction that establish a new body contour. The compression garment helps the body adjust to its new contour. But if there is one secret to a faster recovery it’s this — do exactly as Dr. Wallach and his staff instruct you to do for your recovery. This sounds obvious, but you’d b surprised how tempting shortcuts or your own idea of recovery methods can sound. If you have questions about your recovery from an upcoming procedure, we encourage you to call us at 212-861-6400 and ask them!