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What Are 3 Pre-Surgery Tips for Self-Care?

Dr. Sajjadian’s Newport Beach cosmetic surgery center has an outstanding reputation for patient safety and naturally beautiful outcomes. When our patients return home to recover after their facelift, rhinoplasty, or body contouring surgery, we provide them with a 4 page instruction sheet which details food items to avoid or take before and after surgery.

Even though post-operative guidelines aren’t extensive, we recommend all patients take a few extra measures for the most comfortable recovery possible.

Before your procedure, Dr. Sajjadian will meet with you to talk about aesthetic concerns and ensure you have all your questions answered. His personalized, attentive care helps patients feel relaxed and confident before, during, and after surgery.

With the following three pre-surgery self-care tips, you can set yourself up for success and enjoy your new, improved look sooner.

1. Boost Your Diet

The pre-surgery prep period is no time to deprive yourself, but your diet may need a little attention in the nutrient department. Our bodies heal optimally when we have the vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy enzymes we need.

Plenty of people don’t consume enough protein, and while healing, it will be more useful than ever. Not everyone needs to supplement for sufficient daily nutrients. We recommend you start by ensuring plenty of whole, natural foods are in your diet, including organic fruit and veggies, healthy fats, and lean protein sources.

Additionally, you may feel more energized, clear-headed, and positive if you cut out refined foods and sugar while healing. Before and after surgery, we generally suggest avoiding alcohol and smoking cigarettes or consuming nicotine. That’s because these substances constrict blood flow and may impair healing.

Some plastic surgeons recommend a combination of vitamin or probiotic supplements including vitamin C, B complex, vitamin A, magnesium, and zinc. Talk with Dr. Sajjadian about anything you take during your pre-operative planning to ensure there’s nothing you need to temporarily discontinue.

2. Take Your Pain Medication

Depending on how you feel about medications, this tip may seem like a given, but some people try to avoid taking painkillers so they can “tough it out.”

Some prescriptions indeed have unpleasant effects such as constipation, but you may be unaware that unnecessary discomfort can disturb sleep, cause mental distress, and sometimes prolong the healing process. Now is no time to be a hero! Pain medication works best when taken early as directed and for as long as you need it. You’ll be feeling great and back to yourself as soon as the initial inflammation resolves.

3. Be Patient

Most people need reminding of this pre- and post-surgical tip. When you finally have an aesthetic procedure you’ve been planning for months, it’s exciting and sometimes a little nerve-wracking to wait for your results. People who must postpone gym memberships and take it easy are often anxious to get moving and active again.

If you’ve taken time off work, you may feel impatient with yourself while you rest and allow your body to heal. This downtime will be an ideal opportunity to ask for extra help around the house or with work and to allow yourself a break.

For optimal recovery and excellent before-and-after results, patience is critical. You can’t rush through the recovery process. Often, natural swelling resolution or scar maturation takes several months. Share your concerns with Dr. Sajjadian and trust that when the time is right, you’ll be fully active and enjoying your transformation long-term.

Schedule a Consultation With Dr. Sajjadian to Discuss Your Aesthetic Goals

We’d love to help you choose the right treatment or combination of procedures for you. Contact our Newport Beach, CA surgical center at (949)-515-0550 today.