Summer is almost here, and for many people, and that means time off from work and school. While some patients choose to plan their cosmetic procedures to avoid recovering in the summer, many embrace the option to rest and heal on lazy summer days.
While summer recovery may mean waiting to show off your tummy tuck results, you’ll look great come next year.
Of course, as with any other season, there are certain speed bumps to choosing to recover from surgery over the summer. Here are the secrets to a summer tummy tuck recovery that will make surgery work for you.
1. Think about Temperature Control
Hot, sunny weather is one of the biggest upsides of the summertime — if you aren’t recovering from cosmetic surgery. When you are, it’s a problem you need to mitigate, especially since anesthesia can impact your body’s ability to regulate its temperature.
When you are healing from a tummy tuck, you have to wear bandages and compression garments that make the summer heat feel worse than it otherwise would. Set up a recovery space that is specifically designed to help you stay cool and comfortable. How can you do this?
- Purchase fans or special portable air conditioning units you can keep in your room. This will allow you to cool your individual space without turning the whole house into an icebox.
- Buy a cool gel mattress topper and sheets that are specifically designed to stay cool to the touch.
- Switch out your pillows, or at least the one you will keep closest to you, with a cool gel one.
- Change the curtains in your recovery space to thermal ones, preventing heat transfer.
- Set a schedule for opening your curtains and shades so they are always closed when the sunlight is most direct.
- Buy loose cotton clothing to wear as you recover.
2. Focus on Hydration
Hydration is essential after any surgical procedure. However, it is extra important during tummy tuck summer recovery. Staying hydrated helps the body heal and fights swelling, which can make you feel hotter than you otherwise would. Additionally, cold drinks can help you stay cool overall, making you more comfortable as you recover.
3. Don’t Push Yourself
This is your recovery period. That means resting, relaxing and letting others take on the heavy loads of chores and childcare for you.
This is essential even in other seasons. After a tummy tuck, if you don’t get the proper rest, you will heal poorly and likely injure yourself. Depending on what you do, it may significantly harm the results of the procedure.
However, it is extra important in the summer. During the warmer months, the more you move, the hotter you get and the more you sweat. Be sure to rest, take it easy and not work up a sweat until you are well into your recovery.
4. Skip the Swimming
Yeah, this one hurts, but it is essential. After a tummy tuck, you need to avoid soaking the surgical site in any type of water for at least two weeks, sometimes longer — ask your surgeon to be sure. For water with chemicals, such as pools and spas, as well as those likely to have lots of bacteria, such as lakes and the ocean, you’ll need to wait until the incision is fully closed.
Dr. Joseph J. Castellano is a native Floridian who grew up in the Tampa Bay area. During medical school and his 5 years of training in General Surgery, Dr. Castellano developed a strong interest in Cosmetic Surgery. He followed his residency training with an elective year of specialized training with the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. From 2010-2011, he completed a fellowship in Indiana focused entirely of cosmetic surgery of the face and body. During his fellowship, he received specialized training in facial rejuvenation, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, and body contouring. Dr. Castellano received his board certification from the American College of Surgeons in 2010.
Dr. Castellano focuses on breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, liposuction, facelift, and eyelid rejuvenation. Additionally, he operates on numerous skin cancers, scar revisions, spider veins, and specializes in the management of aging skin with chemical peels and laser resurfacing.
Request a consultation to meet with Dr. Castellano and learn more about all his practice has to offer.
