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Post Cosmetic Home Recovery

At Bella Vida Medical Massage, we offer post surgical recovery solutions to help you heal faster and more effectively. We are passionate about helping our clients achieve their health and beauty goals, and our goal is to make the recovery process as comfortable and stress-free as possible.  We are here to help you throughout the recovery process, providing tips and home care routines that will help you maximize your results.

Home Recovery & Tips for Post Cosmetic Procedures

What to expect

Home Recovery After Cosmetic Procedures
What to Expect Each Week

Week 1-  You will be swollen and in pain/discomfort during the first two weeks.  You might be wondering why you did this and when you're going to feel better, or when will the swelling go down.  Trust me, I am here to help guide you along the way!   Within the first two weeks, I highly recommend you have four manual lymphatic drainage sessions (two each week with at least 48 hours in between appointments).  In addition, you will need to move around as much as possible, drink lots of water and some dandelion root tea).  The more you move and drink lots of water, the better for your lymphatic system.  Your lymphatic system is in charge of waste removal.  After filtering the lymph, it needs to circulate through your blood, filter through the liver, kidneys and then out of your body via your bladder.  All of that combined with your MLD sessions and self care at home will help decrease your swelling decrease faster.  Make sure your Faja fits correctly!  Sometimes the surgeon will give the wrong size, either too big or two small.  Recently a client of mine had a big scar down the middle of her abdomen from the Faja rubbing her skin raw because it was too tight!  Visit the Faja Lady in Frisco, TX if you need any help with selecting the right Faja for you!



Week 2 - Your swelling should have gone down a little bit, you may be starting to feel "lumps," don't worry they're just pockets of fluid (NOT FIBROSIS).  I have so many ladies that freak out that it's fibrosis.  That can happen later in the healing stage (week 5/6 or after).  This is usually a result of skipping your massage sessions or not doing home care that I have assigned each week.  You may notice that you hold fluid on one side more than the other, this is normal and it will go down!  Watch for signs of infection of incision sites.  If you smell a foul odor and see any oozing, seek medical attention!  If you have an incision reopen that doesn't clot seek urgent care or wound care clinic.
 


Week 3 - You should be feeling much better this week.  Getting your faja on/off should be easier and you should feel ready to return to work.  You should be in stage 2 Faja with ab board and foams on the sides. No gaps between and no overlapping.  Your faja should be tight enough so the foams don't move, but not too tight to make you light headed or rub your skin raw.  If it's uncomfortable with the foams and boards wait a couple days and try again.  You will start to feel lumps or firmness under your skin again, it's just pockets of fluid.  To help keep them soft and give the skin more movement we will use cupping and massing starting this week.  Depending on how your recovery is going we should be able to switch to once a week appointments for the next couple of weeks.  

 

Week 4-  Your swelling should have reduced significantly by now.  You may still feel some lumps but you're feeling much better!  You may need to size down again week 5 or 6 in your Faja.

 

Weeks 5-6 you may start to see your shape coming in or it may take some more time.  Everyone heals differently and that can depend on how aggressive your surgery was, age, and skipping MLD sessions or not doing your home care.

See self care massage below for your weekly home assignments.

 


Self Care
Self Care

Self Care Massage for Post Cosmetic Recovery

Self Care Massage Week 1- 

  • Pumping (every other day) & gentle strokes (every day) - follow flow chart below.  This will help the fluid move at a faster rate..  Pressure should be as light as you would use to massage a baby.

  • Walking as often as possible 5-10 min as often as you can throughout the day. Drink lots of water & some dandelion tee to help you urinate more frequently.

Self Care Massage Week 2-

  • Pumping (every other day), light massaging daily with some lotion or oil

  • Light Cupping daily

  • Walking as often as possible/ getting up from the desk at work- walking 5-10 min as often as you can throughout the day. 

  • Drink lots of water & some dandelion tea.

 

Self Care Massage Week 3-

  • Pumping, massaging with some lotion or oil

  • Cupping- cup & release, circles daily.  Click the link to view the video.<--

  • Walking as often as possible/ getting up from the desk at work- walking 5-10 min as often as you can throughout the day.  

  • Drink lots of water & some dandelion tea.

 

Self Care Massage Week 4-6

  • Pumping, massaging with some lotion or oil

  • Cupping-  Cup & release, circles & glide

  • Walking as often as possible/ getting up from the desk at work- walking 5-10 min as often as you can throughout the day.  

  • Drink lots of water & some dandelion tea.

  • Guasha

Videos

Self Massage & Cupping videos for Post Cosmetic Procedures

WEEK 1 - HOME CARE VIDEO

Follow the written instructions in the section above.

WEEK 2 - HOME CARE VIDEO

Keep your cupping light (the less you squeeze the cup the less suction you will get).  If the cup pops up squeeze a little more and try again.

WEEK 2-6 HOME CARE VIDEO

Week two you can add a little more pressure than last week.  Each week you can add more pressure.   Week three add a little more than skin deep.  Week four add more pressure.

WEEK 4-6 HOME CARE VIDEO

Week Four we can use more pressure with the cup.  Try two-three circles and then move to the next spot.  We can also start lightly dragging the cup week three as shown in the video above.

Shopping List

Gentle Massager

Gentle Massager - use daily several times a day on the areas you had lipo or tummy tuck.

Lipo Foam

Worn under your faja.  Foams must be touching, not overlapping or gaping.  If there is a gap, fluid will fill the gap and leave you with a lump of fluid.

Faja's, Ab Board & Lumbar Board

The Faja Lady in Frisco, TX has he best quality medical grade faja's, ab boards and lumbar boards.  She will help you get fitted for a garment as well as show you how to use the foams and boards!

Dandelion Root Tea

This will help you pee more- you eliminate excess fluid and inflammation through the urinary system.  So the more you go, the better! You can find this at whole foods store or amazon. 

Guasha Tool (Week 4 of recovery)

We don't use this until week four.  This helps with softening lumps and it helps push stubborn fluid around.

Silicone Cup (week 2/3)

Silicone cup used to help stretch the skin and allow for lymph to flow better. - I sell for $12.99

Shoppin List
The Faja Lady

The Faja Lady

Frisco, TX

This is your go to for medical grade compression garments, and ab boards.  Sherica will help you get sized, and show you how to wear your foams and ab boards for the best results!  She is AMAZING and will take her time with you to make sure you have the right fit!

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