Cosmetic Surgery in Southern Alberta

You’ve chosen to have cosmetic surgery and in doing so, selected a great Lethbridge plastic surgeon. Dr. Secretan will help you achieve the desired results but YOU are just as essential to the process and outcome as your surgeon is! Our Lethbridge Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics surgeon, Dr. Secretan will take every measure to minimize your risks, but he can’t be there as you recover. So, what can you do to enhance your chances of a smooth recovery? Check out the following 5 cosmetic surgery care tips to allow your experience and recovery to be as smooth as possible:

✔️ Prepare your home ahead of time — arrange childcare, pet care, meal prep, etc. This will ensure that you can rest as much as required post-surgery.

✔️ If you’re an abdominoplasty patient, you will want to maintain your current level of fitness. Focus on strengthening your core muscles — specifically your back and abs. There is no need to push your limits by upping your fitness routines, especially since you want to avoid injury. However, maintaining your fitness routines and having a strong core will prevent back pain during your recovery. Since your mobility will be limited post-surgery (no standing up straight), you’ll thank yourself for the strong core muscles.

✔️ Cut out smoking (or at minimum, cut it down). We know that smoking is harmful to your health but did you know that smoking is a big issue when it comes to plastic surgery recovery? The reason for this is because plastic surgery operations “live on the edge of your blood supply.” This means that when performing surgery, the surgeon is operating at the limit of what the circulation to the skin and other tissues will allow. In order to have adequate circulation, the surgeon needs to ensure that they not only leave enough blood vessels intact, but that the blood is flowing through the vessels sufficiently.

✔️ Post-surgery, follow your surgeon’s instructions. If you find yourself asking for an exception to the rule, such as exercising earlier than recommended or taking medication on a “don’t take” list, think about what you are asking. Do you want your surgeon to cut corners? If the answer is no, expect the same from yourself. If you bend the rules or don’t follow your after-surgery care instructions, you could end up with an emergency bleed or other complications that may either require another surgery or will forever impact your results.

✔️ Be patient — healing takes time. Your swelling will not go down right away, scars will remain pink while they heal and your final results may not be evident for weeks, even months.

For any cosmetic surgery procedure, Dr. Secretan will provide in-depth, specific-to-you instructions to ensure you know what to expect not only before your surgery, but afterwards too.

If you have any questions, we’d love to answer them! Give us a call directly via phone at 403-381-0083 for an immediate response. We are looking forward to hearing from you!