One question people often ask before they have liposuction is what can they do to get the best results possible? Plastic surgery of any type is an investment. You’re spending time, money, and energy to help improve the way your body looks and to help you feel better about yourself. It’s only natural that you want to get the most out of it.
What you do before liposuction can have a significant impact on the type of results you get. Here’s how to make the most of your body contouring surgery and help ensure that you are happy with the results.
Hit Your Target Weight
You’ve probably heard it said countless times, but it’s worth saying again: Liposuction isn’t a weight loss surgery. Instead, it’s designed to get rid of those areas of stubborn fat that might be hanging around after you’ve lost a considerable amount of weight. You might have some unwanted fat even if you’ve always been at a weight you’re happy with.
If you have liposuction too soon, before you have lost most or all of the weight you want to, you aren’t likely to see the results you hoped for. You might realize if you continue to lose weight, that you need to have an additional surgery later on.
It’s also important to remember that you won’t lose a lot of weight after liposuction. At most, you might drop a few pounds after the fat is removed, but you won’t see a dramatic change.
Change Up Your Diet
If you’ve been working to lose weight before liposuction, you might have already made some changes to your diet. As you prepare for surgery, the healthier the foods you eat, the better. Eating foods that are full of vitamins and minerals and that are excellent sources of fiber will help you heal more quickly after the surgery. Certain foods are also great at increasing or promoting skin elasticity, which will help your skin bounce back after the fat is removed.
Foods that are full of water, such as cucumbers and melons, and fruits that are bursting with antioxidants, such as strawberries and blueberries, are all worth adding to your diet as you prepare for liposuction. Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids or other types of “healthy” fats are also worth seeking out. Examples include avocados, olive oil, salmon, and nuts.
It’s also a good idea to focus on increasing your hydration. Try to drink a glass of water when you first wake up in the morning and again with each meal. One way to get in the habit of drinking more water is to always have a bottle of water by your side. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to take sips from it.
Quit Smoking
Any plastic surgeon will tell you to quit smoking at least a few weeks before your surgery and to continue to avoid nicotine use for at least several weeks afterward. There are many reasons why quitting smoking is the right choice before liposuction.
Nicotine causes your blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow throughout the body. As you heal from liposuction, it’s very important that blood be able to circulate freely through the body, delivering oxygen to the healing tissue.
If you need help quitting smoking, your plastic surgeon can be a great resource and can provide you with advice and recommendations to smoking cessation programs, if needed.
Strengthen Your Muscles
Liposuction removes fat, making the muscles beneath the fat more visible. If you want a toned, athletic look after your surgery, it’s important to start working out and exercising well in advance. Exercising can also help you reach your weight loss goals before your liposuction, providing an added benefit.
Along with helping your body look toned and shapely after you recover from surgery, strengthening your muscles can aid in the recovery. The stronger your body is, the better able it will be to heal and recuperate after liposuction.
Get Your Home Ready
After you’ve had liposuction, you’ll need to spend a week or two at home, recuperating. To help the recovery period go smoothly, there are some things you can do to get your home ready. If you usually do the cooking at home, you might want to prep and freeze a couple of weeks’ worth of meals. Another option is to arrange for a meal delivery service during that time or to have someone else cook for you.
You might also want to rearrange your furniture so that your bed is easily accessible from the first floor or so that you have a comfortable chair to relax in near your bed. Another thing to reorganize might be your closet. Push any work clothes toward the back of the closet and bring any comfortable, loungewear items to the front so you can reach them easily.
If you are going to have a friend or relative stay with you during the first few days after your surgery, make a list of important numbers for them, such as your surgeon’s number, your family doctor’s number and the numbers of your children’s’ schools and put the list in an easy-to-find location, such as on the refrigerator. Your plastic surgeon can provide you with more tips and information on what you can do to prepare yourself for liposuction. Dr. Paul Vitenas is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Houston, Texas who has years of experience performing liposuction and other body-shaping plastic surgeries. To learn more about liposuction, call 281-484-0088 to schedule your consultation or book a virtual consultation today
