After-care is one of the most essential parts of surgery. However, the secret to recovering easily and comfortably from your surgery lies in preparing ahead of time. You should take all the necessary steps to prepare yourself and ask your surgeon all the right questions to make sure you are ready for what is about to come after your forehead reduction surgery. Today’s blog will break down how to prepare yourself for the perfect forehead reduction surgery recovery.
🕑 Medical Prep & Coordination (The Most Important Step)
Deciding to get a forehead reduction surgery is only the first step; the next logical step is the surgical consultation. Your surgeon is the person who has the final word on your suitability for the surgery. The decision is based on factors such as your hairline, scalp laxity, and the results of a detailed history and examination.
On your part, you need to be aware of the potential risks and complications of the procedure and have realistic expectations of the surgical outcome. To ensure this, write down all the questions you have in your mind and go over them with your surgeon till you clearly understand the whole process.
Here is a comprehensive pre-surgical checklist to ensure an uneventful forehead reduction surgery recovery:
- Discuss your medications (if any) with the operating surgeon to know which ones to stop before the surgery (E.g., Blood thinners)
- Stop smoking (if applicable)
- Avoid drinking alcohol
- Ensure a nutritious diet and an active lifestyle
- Fill post-op medications (as instructed by the surgical team) beforehand
- Ensure clean and washed hair before surgery day, and avoid any products in your hair
- Remove braids and hair extensions (if any)
- Ensure you have a comfortable resting area with all the essentials required for the post-op period
- Arrange for a post-op companion/helper and transportation
✨ Your Recovery Space: Creating a Healing Sanctuary Around You
Your recovery space, along with its overall comfort and accessibility, plays a key role in the forehead reduction recovery process.
- The recovery space you choose should be calm, quiet, well-ventilated, and close to the bathroom
- During the hairline-lowering recovery, the head needs to be elevated by 45 degrees; therefore, keep multiple pillows at hand
- Things that you should have within close reach are your postoperative prescription medication, a cold compress, water, cleaning wipes, a towel, tissues, hand sanitizer, and a portable mirror to check the incision
- Arrange entertainment options such as a TV, a laptop, and books/magazines
- Keep wet wipes, cotton pads, etc., at hand to maintain hygiene
- Arrange for soft and nutritious meals
- Keep a written reminder about medication timings, wound care instructions, and the date of your first post-surgical follow-up
- Also, make sure to have emergency contact numbers at hand, just in case
- Make sure you have someone to drive you to the hospital for your first follow-up after surgery
💊 The Pre-Surgery Shopping List: What to Buy in Advance
Nutrition is essential to heal from your forehead reduction surgery. Since you will be eating a lot of soft foods after the surgery, stock up on foods such as soups, protein shakes, etc, so you can have foods that require the least amount of chewing. Furthermore, you can keep some drinks and water to keep yourself hydrated. Use a straw to comfortably drink your beverages without having to tilt your head.
You should also pack some comfortable tops that zip up or button up shirts, so you don’t have to pull them over your head to wear and take off. Not to mention, you should also keep some clean bedding with you for your comfort.
To add to this, having ice packs on hand can help with some of the swelling.
📋 Logistics & Planning Your Life Accordingly
Clear out your work schedule and do what’s needed to prepare for your surgery. When you book with the Estherian Clinic, our team will assist you in transportation, provide you with translators and coordinators, and arrange for your hotel stay so you don’t have to worry about anything. This way, you can only focus on healing from your surgery.
🚨 What to Consider Before Getting Forehead Reduction Surgery
The forehead reduction surgery is generally a safe surgery. However, just like all surgeries, the forehead reduction surgery has some risks you should know about. For starters, scarring is a real possibility. However, our expert surgeons ensure the scar is as subtle and light as possible. To add to this, the patient should expect some swelling and discomfort after the surgery. Also, there might be some hair loss in the incision site, which eventually grows back in a few months.
You can fill out our contact form to get your consultation with our surgeons today!
