As the age-old maxim says, “Prior planning prevents a poor performance.” Nothing could be truer for patients preparing their bodies, minds, and schedules for their plastic surgeries.

Whether you’re choosing medical rhinoplasty or a facelift, pre-surgery self-care strategies can lay the groundwork for maximum comfort, ease, and a successful procedure.

Here, Dr. Barrera offers his three top pre-surgery self-care tips to patients about to undergo plastic surgery.

1. Refrain From Smoking and Alcohol Consumption for Four Weeks Leading up to the Surgery

Along with other well-documented effects smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have on a patients’ long-term health, tobacco use and drinking leading up to a surgery can have adversely affect healing, recovery, and results.

In particular, smoking suppresses the immune system’s capacity for mobilizing blood clotting agents and wound-healing elements such as elastin and collagen.

After surgery, if these healing mechanisms aren’t working at their optimum levels, bleeding can take longer to stop, wounds take longer to close, and scars will be far more prominent.

Quitting smoking and excessive drinking a minimum of four weeks before your surgery is essential to maximizing the results from your procedure.

2. Eat a Balanced, Nutritional Diet Rich in Vitamins

Ensuring you equip your body with as many nutrients and vitamins as possible leading up to your plastic surgery will maximize healing and your body’s response to the procedure.

Eating a healthy diet boosts your immune system, helps with your mental state, and maximizes your body’s capacity for a speedy recovery post-surgery.

Aim to consume a rainbow of colors every day, which means getting as many fruits and vegetables on your plate as possible. In produce, various colors represent different vitamins and nutrients. As such, eating yellow, red, green, pink, orange, and purple fruits and veggies will maximize your diet’s nutritional value, which sets your body up for a rapid and seamless recovery from plastic surgery.

3. Clear Your Schedule and Prepare Your Home for Recovery

Rest, relaxation, and a stress-free environment are crucial to an enjoyable, non-eventful healing time from plastic surgery.

Prepare your social and professional calendars by requesting time off work and ensuring you have no pressing commitments for the two to three weeks immediately following their plastic surgeries. Doing so will allow you to heal with as much comfort and ease as possible.

Have all medication and prescriptions filled before your surgery. Prepare some pre-cooked meals, stock your cupboards, and get plenty of movie and book recommendations to optimize your recovery time. Healing from your plastic surgery can be simultaneously stress-free and productive.

Planning is the secret to experiencing the best and most enjoyable plastic surgery operation. Reach out to Dr. Jose Barrera at 210-468-5426 or fill out our online form to request your personal consultation to ask any questions you may have.