Post-operative care

After every operation time is needed to recover. The length of this period varies per procedure and per person. Please be aware though that often normal daily activities will have to be put on hold in the days following a surgical procedure. Your doctor will discuss expectations with you at the time of your first consultation.

Pain medication

The vast majority of our operations do not have a painful aftermath. When the anaesthetic wears off you might feel some slight pain or discomfort, but usually this soon disappears or is reduced to a bearable level. Paracetamol should therefore be able to take care of the majority of discomfort. If your doctor expects a higher level of discomfort, specific pain medication will be prescribed to counteract this discomfort. If this should still be insufficient then please get in touch with your surgeon or our medical staff.

Other medication

Keep taking regular medication, like those against high blood pressure. Even when you need to be sober for the surgery, it is wise to take this with a small amount of water. If you have stopped your blood thinning (anti-coagulatic) medication before the operation, you can start it again on the second day after your operation. In case of doubt make sure to ask your doctor beforehand.

Wound dressing

The aftercare of surgical wounds differs per operation and depends for instance on the location where they are made. When you book your operation you will be given the related factsheet, which contains all relevant information.

Smoking

Please see pre-operative care.

Alcohol

Please see pre-operative care.

Mental Fitness

The results of aesthetic surgery may have a profound impact on the way you perceive yourself. While usually this is a welcome benefit of the treatment, occasionally it can lead to unexpected stress. Wound healing is not always fully predictable. In the immediate postoperative period, swelling may cause irregularities and asymmetry, while at the same time most people are anxious about the result of the surgery. Please remind yourself that healing is a process during which both swelling and irregularities settle down. For scars for instance, it takes one full year before they completely settle down. A healthy mental status helps in staying realistic about what to expect and what not, therefore preventing unneeded negative emotions from occurring.