Post-Op Care: What to do after your surgery?

 Hi everyone!

NANA is back again and today let's look at post-operative care! Of course, your post-op care defers according to your surgery, but there are some hard and fast rules you will need to follow after every surgery. Shall we go through what they are together?

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1. No drinking of alcohol or smoking

The temptation is there, we all understand. However, drinking alcohol and smoking is strictly prohibited for the first month after the surgery. This is to decrease the rate of inflammation in your wounds. You wouldn't want to get your wounds infected, do you? This includes anything with alcohol content and any sort of cigarette, including vapes and e-cigarettes!

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2. No food or drinks 1~5 hour after the surgery

Depending on what anesthesia you used during the surgery, there is a period of 1~5 hours that you are not allowed to eat or drink. As the anesthesia is still in your system, eating and drinking might cause complications as anesthesia inhibits some bodily functions, causing you to throw up. For sleep anesthesia, please do not eat for 1 hour. For general anesthesia, please do not eat for 5 hours.

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3. Take your medication as given

Your medication is very important!! They help with the healing process as well as to prevent any complications like infection or inflammation. Like any kind of illness, you will feel so much better after taking your medication, so remember to take them as prescribed!

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4. Wear your compression garment at all times

If given a compression garment or a brace (for example after rhinoplasty or breast augmentation), please do follow the instructions given by the doctor. Usually that means having it on 24/7 until a month or so. This is to keep the results in place, ensuring that you get the best out of your surgery!

That's all for today! Like I mentioned before, there are definitely more that the doctor will need you to tae note of, but these are some of the more basic ones that every procedure will need! Until next time!

Regards,

NANA