Plan Ahead and Ask for Help!

Having a plastic surgery procedure requires physical and emotional support – which means you need to plan ahead! You will more than likely have at least a couple of loved ones or good friends helping with existing commitments in the beginning as you recover. The more prepared you are prior to the surgery, the easier it will be for everyone during this recovery period.

One idea is to make a list of your daily responsibilities and figure out who in the family is going to be taking them over well in advance of your surgery. Driving the kids to soccer games, making breakfast, and household chores are all things that someone else will have to take over for a while.

​It’s often hard to remember what you do from day to day, so my advice is to keep a journal for a week of everything you do around the house and use this as a guideline for discussion at a family meeting. Create a list, and write their names next to their responsibilities. Who knows, you may even be able to get the kids to finally do the dishes!

One suggestion I make to all my patients is that, if possible, they should have a family member, such as a mother, aunt, or sister, come to help for a few weeks. That person should actually move in with the patient for a period of time because around-the- clock help will be required. Three to five days of consistent companionship will be needed after most surgical procedures. For some of the larger procedures, such as a tummy tuck, patients will need someone available for a minimum of two weeks.

To learn more about how to be prepared for cosmetic procedures, I invite you to get your own copy of my book, “Making the Cut” available for purchase on Amazon.

---