Post-Op Must-Haves: What You Actually Need After Surgery
The most important thing when you have surgery is to stock up on everything you need before surgery.
Post-Op Must-Haves: What You Actually Need After Surgery
The question: what are your post-op must-haves? Surgical bras, recovery pillows, hyperbaric oxygen, lymphatic massage? What do I tell my patients to do, and what really helps in my experience?
My list is a lot shorter than the shopping lists you'll find online.
1. Stock Up Before Surgery
The most important thing when you have surgery is to stock up on everything you need before surgery.
That means having, already in the house:
- Good options for hydration
- Good options for meals
- Snacks
- Protein
To me, that is the most important thing. You don't want to be sorting out food and drinks in the first few days. (Sort out who is taking care of you ahead of time, too.)
2. A Good Wedge Pillow
The next thing you need is a good wedge pillow: something that is going to help prop you up and make the first week or two after surgery more comfortable.
Surgical Bras: You Probably Don't Need to Buy One
Surgical bras? Eh. I don't know.
We give you one in the operating room. I'm not sure you need to purchase anything from any other source. If you'd like a spare, you can just get a second one from your surgeon.
And you're not going to be wearing them for that long anyway. (That's a separate question from everyday bra wear later on, which I do think matters after a lift.)
The Nice Things: Lymphatic Massage, Hyperbaric, Red Light
Then there are all of the nice things: lymphatic massage, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, red light therapy.
All of these are wonderful adjuncts. But:
For the average patient, you probably don't need them.
They have their place. I do send patients for hyperbaric oxygen when something specific is struggling, like the blood supply to a nipple after a breast reduction or skin after a tummy tuck. That's treating a problem, though, not a routine part of recovering.
The Bottom Line
What you actually need:
- Stock up before surgery: hydration, meals, snacks, and protein
- A good wedge pillow for the first week or two
What you can probably skip:
- Buying surgical bras. You get one in the operating room, and a second from your surgeon if you want it
- Lymphatic massage, hyperbaric oxygen, and red light therapy, unless your surgeon recommends one for a specific reason
Be prepared, stay comfortable, and focus on healing. For the bigger picture, here's what recovery from surgery generally looks like.
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Every person deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their own body. Our procedures aren't just about physical change. They're about reclaiming your life, your comfort, and your self-assurance.
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Take the first step toward the life you deserve.
Schedule Your ConsultationTransform Your Life
Every person deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their own body. Our procedures aren't just about physical change. They're about reclaiming your life, your comfort, and your self-assurance.
Dr. Killeen and her team support you every step of the way, from your first consultation through recovery.
Take the first step toward the life you deserve.
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