---

Select a Procedure Facial Procedures Nose Reshaping Eyelid Surgery Face Lift Forehead Lift Neck Surgery Ear Surgery Chin Surgery Cheek Surgery Lip Surgery Breast Procedures Breast Enlargement Breast Lift Breast Reduction Cosmetic Surgery for Men Male Breast Reduction Breast Reconstruction Body Contouring Procedures Labioplasty/Genital Surgery Tummy Tuck Buttock and Thigh Lift Liposuction Labiaplasty Skin Rejuvenation Face Peeling Skin Resurfacing Laser Skin Resurfacing Botox ® Injections Injectable Surgical Fillers Collagen Injections Fat Transfer Other Procedures Endoscopy Laser Surgery Plastic Surgery for Men

What to Expect
After Surgery

Chicago, Illinois

Everyone has a different threshold for post-operative pain. Some patients describe their discomfort as an ache, while others find it harder to tolerate. Dr. Otto J. Placik will prescribe medication to minimize your discomfort.

Different procedures have various post-operative effects. For example, many facial cosmetic operations have minimal discomfort following surgery. Liposuction is more uncomfortable to recover from, and surgeries that involve muscle tightening, like breast augmentation surgery, are accompanied by discomfort similar to that of a Cesarean section.

The period of time it takes to recover from plastic surgery varies depending on the individual and the procedure performed. In general, most patients need assistance for the first two days. After that, you will more or less be able to do things on your own, but your mobility and activities will be limited.

Here are some general expectations for the few days following surgery; for the first week and the first month.

Facial cosmetic surgery

A day after surgery

• Swelling usually reaches its maximum on the morning after surgery. Bruising will increase slightly for several more days.
• Reading or computer work may be difficult due to swelling and some slight blurring of your vision, but such activities are not harmful to your surgery.
• Bending and straining should be avoided for three days. Moderate exercise (normal walking) may be resumed in three days.
• You may shower and wash your hair, but try to avoid getting soap in the incision(s).
• Alternate cold and begin warm compresses (using gauze or a clean washcloth) for several minutes three times a day.
• Most patients look the worst on the second or third day, after which time the improvement is rapid. Most bruising and swelling is gone by twelve days, although a small amount may remain behind for longer periods.
• With rhinoplasty surgery, drainage is common during the first few days following surgery, and you may continue to feel some stuffiness for several weeks. You should not to blow your nose for a week or so, while the tissues heal.
• You may be advised to keep your head elevated for a few days after surgery. This is to help keep the amount of swelling down.

A week after surgery

• Sutures are removed four to six days after surgery. If your sutures untied or broke already, do not panic; this is common.
• After the sutures have been removed, use ointment that evening at bedtime and then discontinue. Warm compresses should be used at least once a day (and more if you wish) for three or four more days.
• A certain amount of numbness is normal as you heal. Feeling generally begins to return within a few weeks and the numbness is usually completely gone after several months.
• Most people are able to resume work a week or two after facial cosmetic surgery.

A month after surgery

• Your incision(s) may turn red, slightly elevated, or bumpy in the weeks following surgery. The scar will then continue to fade and soften for about six months.
• If you bruise easily then you might find that it takes weeks or even a month or two before your bruises go away all together around your eyes.
• Most patients start feeling better when the healing process progresses and surgery results start to get noticeable—this happens by the end of the third or fourth week.
• As you appearance improves, so will your mood.

Breast Augmentation

A day after surgery

• Have a friend or relative drive you home from the hospital and make sure that person is available to help you for the next day or two.
• You should expect to be drowsy and sore for a day or two following surgery.
• You will have bandages, sometimes a drain (to drain excess fluid), and compression garments.
• A few days after breast augmentation surgery, the gauze dressings are removed from the breasts and replaced with a surgical bra.
• Dr. Placik may recommend that you ice your breasts for the first two days to reduce bruising and swelling
.

A week after surgery

• If stitches need to be removed, they will be taken out in seven to 10 days.
• You will need to wear a supportive bra twenty four hours a day for several weeks.
• Most patients are able to return to work a week following surgery.
• Activities such as lifting your arms above your head and heavy lifting should be avoided in the first few weeks.
• Strenuous activities, including sexual activities, should be avoided for several weeks to months, depending on your healing progress.

A month after surgery

• Though you will be able to get up and move around after about 48 hours, there may be some lingering side effects for a couple weeks to a month.
• For the first month after breast augmentation recovery, your breasts will be very sensitive. They may also be swollen for up to four or five weeks.
• Strenuous activities and exercise can be resumed approximately one month after breast augmentation surgery.
• Dr. Placik will give you specific guidelines—following these will help you heal quickly and achieve optimal results.

Liposuction

A day after surgery

• The day after your surgery you can expect to be swollen and bruised.
• After liposuction surgery, a drain may be inserted to allow the fluids to exit from the incision sites.
• You may need to wear a compression garment.
• You will feel tender, stiff and sore for a few says and will probably not feel like moving; however, you should walk as soon as possible to prevent blood clots from developing.

A week after surgery

• If you have stitches they are removed within the first seven to 10 days.
• Take your required medications and follow the precise instructions Dr. Placik provided.
• You may experience sharp pains, burning sensations, heat, tingling or prickling. This is from nerve damage and the sensations of the returning function of the nerves will result in the physical descriptions above.
• You may also hear a gurgling sound the first week after surgery.

A month after surgery

• Your swelling will begin to go down, although you may be swollen for up to six months. If you are still swollen for 10 months, you should see your doctor, as you may be suffering from lymphadema.
• Drinking lots of water can significantly help with edema and help flush your system clean of medications.
• Around four weeks, you can begin easing back into your exercises. But talk to Dr. Placik before you resume a normal routine.
• If you are healing slowly, don’t become depressed. Patience is a virtue with liposuction surgery.

Dr. Otto Placik performs a wide range of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures in his Chicago, Illinois office, so if you are thinking about enhancing your appearance and permanently improving your self-confidence, please contact our office today.

---

Associated Plastic Surgeons, S.C.
Otto J. Placik, M.D., F.A.C.S.
(847) 398-1660 or (312) 787-5313
Arlington Heights and Chicago, Illinois

Comments / Questions

* - Required Fields

Privacy Policy

---

View Our Cosmetic Surgery News Feed

Surgery in 3d