Shopping List and Ideas for Pre-Plastic Surgery

No matter what procedure the patient is having, plastic surgery can be a busy, stressful time. Many people are unsure how to properly prepare for their surgery, what they need to purchase, and what can be done to assuage the nervousness that can accompany a plastic surgery procedure. What exactly a patient will need to buy before treatment will depend largely on the nature of the surgery and the instructions of the doctor. For some small procedures, the patient may not need anything special, but for more involved procedures, the doctor will generally recommend some garments or bandages that can help to relieve pain and aid in the healing process.

Shopping List

Each patient will want to be sure her home is stocked with plenty of healthy, easy to prepare food for the recovery process. In general, the last thing most patients want to do when they arrive home from surgery is either go out and get something to eat or have to prepare a meal. Having the kitchen stocked full of quick, easy, healthy meals is vitally important. Make sure to purchase low-sodium, non-processed foods.

Fruits and vegetables will provide the body with all of the nutrients it needs in order to heal properly, and can help repair the trauma that even the smallest surgeries cause to the body. Getting plenty of protein, vitamins, and minerals will be essential after surgery, so the patient should purchase these types of food and have them on hand for after surgery.

Patients should make a list of items to buy from the grocery store and drugstore before surgery.

• Grocery store: Immediately after surgery, it is common for patients to feel nauseous. During this time, patients may want ginger ale and crackers. Once this feeling passes, patients will want healthier snacks such as yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. They may also want to buy ingredients to pre-make meals such as soups or casseroles.
• Drugstore: Patients should make a list of healing aids to buy at the drugstore. This may include pain medication, compression garments, bandages, scar reduction cream, and arnica montana.

Getting Ready for the Surgery

There are two basic steps to getting ready for plastic surgery. The first is to handle whatever mental anxiety the patient may be having, and the second is to handle the physical situations that will inevitably arise both before and after surgery. 

Surgery can be nerve-wracking, especially if the patient has never had a surgery before. In some ways, it is a big unknown in this case, as the patient will not know how the body will respond to the surgery and the anesthesia. It is important to remember that the plastic surgeon has performed hundreds of different procedures, and is surgically skilled. If a patient does not fully understand the procedure, this can increase feelings of anxiety. Asking the doctor to clearly explain the procedure can help to alleviate some of this stress. Though, for other patients, they may prefer not to have all of the nitty-gritty details of the surgery.

Physically, each patient will want to ensure that they have a friend or family member who can both take them to the procedure and take them home afterwards. If it is possible for that person to stay and look after the patient, that will also be a great help, even to the independent patient. At this point, the patient should make sure that he or she has all of the equipment needed for care after the operation, including any drains, medications, bandages, or creams that the doctor has recommended.

Contact Jefferson Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation.