Here in the Orange County, Santa Ana area we Emphasis to all of our tummy tuck clients that one the keys to a successful tummy tuck is what they do before your surgery.  Preparing for your tummy tuck surgery can make the day of the procedure and your recovery, greatly more comfortable than failing to get things together ahead of time.

Here are a few pieces of advice we give our Santa Ana clients who are scheduled for a tummy tuck.  First off, if you smoke, we recommend you quit smoking for at least two weeks before the surgery until two weeks after the surgery. Unfortunately, it is not enough to just cut down on smoking.  Smoking can significantly increase your risk for complications and impedes your healing.

Your weight needs to be stable before your tummy tuck.  It’s not designed to remove a significant amount of weight but you don’t want to try a drastic diet before the surgery, either. Before scheduling your tummy tuck, talk to your plastic surgeon about your weight if you’re not happy where you are. You may need to postpone your tummy tuck or there may be another procedure better suited for you.  You need to be well nourished and in good health in order to go through the procedure smoothly and recover well. So be sure to eat well-balanced, complete meals. A healthy diet will help you heal better.

Tell your plastic surgeon about every medication/vitamin or herbal supplement you take even if it’s not daily. This includes prescription drugs, herbal medicines, and other supplements. Certain medications or supplements need to be stopped for a time before and after the surgery because they interfere with bleeding.

Before getting the surgery, prepare your home for your recovery. Stock up on ice packs, loose, comfortable clothing that can be put on and off very easily, hand-held shower head and bathroom chair if you don’t have someone to help you shower or bathe, a helper to drive you home after the tummy tuck and stay with you for at least a few days.  You’ll soon realize how much you rely on your abdominal muscle when you can’t use them…so have someone to help you move around and pick stuff up is paramount.

If you live in the Santa Ana area and are considering a tummy tuck or other service we provide, contact Dr. Sajjadian’s office today and we’ll be more than happy to you get you set up for a consultation.