Once you have met with our liposuction specialist and made a treatment plan, we will schedule you for the procedure. While the procedure does not require much downtime, there are still some things you must do when preparing for a liposuction procedure in Houston at ShineMD Liposuction Center. Preparation is important because it will decrease your stress and make your procedure day go smoothly. A important part of preparation is to be ready for the after-procedure recovery period.
How Should I Prepare for My Liposuction Procedure?
While liposuction at our Houston location is noninvasive, it can still bring about consequences for you if you do not take proper care of yourself prior to receiving the treatment. These consequences could include other medical or health problems, which you want to avoid.
Stop Smoking
You must stop smoking (and vaping nicotine products) one month before your procedure. Tobacco products put compounds into your system that will affect how well your body heals. After your procedure it would be best that you never resume smoking, but if you feel you must, you should wait at least four weeks.
Stop Taking Certain Medications and Supplements
You must stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, and any medications that include these one week before the procedure. Taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain is not a problem. You should also stop using herbal supplements and vitamins unless you have cleared the products with one of our staff members as there are a variety of products that could affect blood clotting. We want to minimize blood loss and bruising.
Preparing for Post-Liposuction Care
Liposuction is routinely done as an outpatient procedure in a properly equipped office setting. Only local anesthetics are used when using the minimally invasive techniques that our liposuction expert prefers. Even though you will not be compromised by general anesthesia you should still have someone driving you home and looking after you once you are done. There are other things you should do to prepare for the post-liposuction care at our Houston location.
Clean Your Home
You will want to clean your home so it is ready for your arrival. You will not want to clean your home for about a week because house cleaning is more strenuous than you think. You may also want to prepare at least a few meals that can be reheated so that you do not initially worry about cooking. Your primary focus should be your healing.
Arrange for Family and Pet Care
Do not forget about family and pet care. Plan for anyone you would routinely care for on the day of and day after your procedure. It is best if you can avoid physically demanding activities for about four to six weeks to allow for the best healing possible without complications. Therefore, you might need some help caring for a pet, older child, or adult during that time. Find a friend to walk your dog or be sure a family member will be responsible for this duty. Your dog walker can help with feeding as well.
Consult With Your Boss
Prepare your job for your absence. You do not want to have to deal with work calls. If you have a quiet job, especially if you can sit, you may be able to return to work after two to three days. The more physical your job is, the longer you will want to stay off work. If your employer can make special arrangements to have the physical part of your job done by someone else, you may return to work sooner.
You will be wearing a compression garment 24 hours a day for 10 to 14 days, then only 12 hours a day for the final 14 days of your recovery. Be sure you have at least two compression garments so that you can switch back and forth between them as you wash the other one.
Contact Our Office in Houston for Questions About Liposuction Procedure Preparation
Do not worry if you have done everything and still do not feel prepared. That is not unusual. Preparing for a liposuction procedure in Houston is not difficult, but you may not believe it until later when you can look back and realize how well you did. Be assured that we are here to answer questions both before and after your procedure. We want you to have the best results so we will be coaching you all the way. Call today to learn more.