As your doctor will most likely explain, there are a number of things you should do the day before your liposuction procedure to assure that you’re sufficiently prepared and will have the best possible results. Here are some of the more important issues to consider:
- Most health experts agree that the best thing to do the day before liposuction is to simply stay home and rest. That doesn’t, however, mean you should spend all your time in bed. Even if you’ve planned to spend the day lounging in front of the TV, remind yourself to get up and walk around for at least a few minutes every hour. This will keep circulation flowing throughout your body and prepare it for the period of inactivity it will be facing. If, however, you have a full day of obligations to complete, do be thoughtful about over-doing it.
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight (the morning of your surgery). This will prevent you from developing an upset stomach while under anesthesia.
- While you may bathe, shower, and/or shampoo your hair that night or the morning of your surgery, do not apply makeup, moisturizer, or body lotions. (The skin — especially the target areas — needs to be chemical-free). You may also brush and rinse your teeth.
- Be sure to set out loose-fitting, comfortable clothes for both before and after your surgery. Bandages, compression garments, medication, and post-surgery discomfort will be enough to contend with–you don’t want to add tight-fitting clothing to the list. Sweat pants and tops are typical surgery-day attire.
- Try to get adequate sleep the night before surgery, sticking to your usual sleep routine if possible. The liposuction procedure is going to be hard on your body so you’ll want to be as rested as possible to withstand the physical and emotional stress.
- If you haven’t already arranged for transportation to and from the clinic or hospital, do so now. You definitely do not want to be in a position where you have to rely on public transportation or have to contact friends or family at the last minute.
- Consider any last minute personal responsibilities that may have slipped your mind. While many people choose to keep their liposuction procedure a private matter, it’s sometimes better to let those individuals you normally come in contact with know you’ll be unavailable rather than let them panic when you drop out of contact. That’s often preferable to unexpected visits to your home or incessant telephone calls when you’re trying to recover.
- If you haven’t already taken care of necessities like packing in an ample supply of food, purchasing sufficient medical needs and personal toiletries, picking up medications and prescriptions, and gathering enough entertainment to keep you from getting bored, now is the time. While most experts suggest you get these needs out of the way several days in advance, in the event that you haven’t had the time, you’ll want to take care of that today rather than the day of your surgery — or worse — the day after.
- Remember that your doctor is very interested in your over-all health and in making your surgery go off without a hitch. Should you have any last minute questions or concerns, give him or her a call. It’s better to assuage any doubts or fears rather than let them add to your stress.