Post Surgery General Q & A's

If you have a post surgical question that you feel needs to be on our site, please email us at info@ncpsmd.com.  We will gladly answer any and all questions to make your post surgery experience a pleasant and informed experience.  At the Northern Center for Plastic Surgery we feel an educated is a confident and happy patient and we are all about making our patients feel both confident and happy.  

Dr. Capuano recommends wearing garments for different lengths of time depending upon what surgery you have had with him.  A few of the recommendations for specific surgeries are as follows:

Breast Augmentation: 2 weeks 24 hours a day, thereafter wear a supportive bra with no underwire during the day and post op garment at night for up to 6 months.

Laser liposuction: 5 days 24 hours a day, thereafter 2 weeks at night

Traditional liposuction: 2 weeks 24 hours a day, thereafter 6 weeks at night

Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty): 2-4 weeks or as needed thereafter, tummy tuck boards are also a great aid in the recovery process if you have a desk job to return to if recommended by Dr. Capuano, feel free to follow this link for post tummy tuck abdominal boards. 

BBL Brazilian Butt Lift: 3 weeks 24 hours a day and off the butt, thereafter 2-4 weeks at night

Facelift and Necklift: 5-7 days 24 hours per day, thereafter 2-4 weeks at night

Rhinoplasty: 2-5 days, inner splint will be removed within that time frame and then 7-10 days for outter splint to be removed.

Breast Reduction/lift: 6 weeks 24 hours a day, thereafter up to 6 months at night.

Gynecomastia: 24 hours for 2 weeks, 3 months at night

Thigh Lift/Brachioplasty: 2 weeeks 24 hours a day, thereafter 6 weeks - 3 months at night

Thank you for your question.  Post operative fevers are not uncommon the first day or two following a procedure.  A fever of 103 degrees however is considered higher than normal for post-op and should have prompted a visit or a call to your surgeon.  At this point, since your fevers have subsided and your temperature has been normal for several days, and you do not have any pain in your wounds, there is less reason to be concerned.  I would still recommend that you follow up with your surgeon as soon as possible so that you can be evaluated in person.   I would let him/her know how you have been feeling and talk about the discomfort you are experiencing.

Our patients are advised to call our office with any concerns about their post operative recovery.  Dr. Capuano is a very conservative, methodical and safe surgeon and takes post operative care very seriously.  He has an extremely low complication rate due to this coupled with his impeccable surgical skill. We take great pride in knowing that our patients feel comfortable being able to call if a question may arise. 

If you are a patient of Dr. Capuano's and are in the post operative recovery phase of having surgery and experiencing fevers please call our office at 201-820-5280 or reach out to Dr. Capuano directly with the number provided to you during your Pre-Operative appointment located in your gray NCPS folder.

This is one of our most common post surgical questions. Post surgery one, very understandably, gets excited about their new body and at a certain point feels healthy and rested and so too does the libido. Surprisingly this happens very soon post operatively but does not mean that your body is ready for it.  

Always check with Dr. Capuano first, as your surgeon he is aware of the specific intracacies with your procedure and he will clear you for activity when appropriate.  

Sorry to be a buzzkill.

Please follow the advice of Dr. Capuano and his staff directly.  They will advise you of the recommended visits post surgery.  Dr. Capuano typically sees his patients post operatively at the following intervals:  post-op day 1 (depending on procedure), day three (depending on procedure), at one week, at ten days, at three weeks, six weeks, three months, six months and at one year.

There are various things we recommend to our patients to prepare themselves for surgery.  Here is a list of things we recommend for an expeditious recovery. Please also find your surgery on our website or refer to your folder of contents for other post operative instructions so you can prepare for your surgery.

1. Plan a caretaker to pick you up from the surgery center.  You will have to have someone drive you home and take you to your first post operative visit with Dr. Capuano.  We also request that you have someone with you for the first 24 hours after surgery as the effects of anesthesia wear off.

2. Prepare foods in advance, keep the menu light, nothing heavy meaning no cream based sauces or meats for a few days for two reasons.  First, the binding foods will make defecating more difficult due to the anticipated pain killers you will be taking which slow your gut's motility. Second, heavier foods can compromise a weak post surgery stomach. For most, anesthesia can cause nausea and/or vomiting post operatively. 

3. Put everything you are going to eat or need within arms reach in front of you and on tables that you can grab without reaching for or bending down.  

4. Open jars and bottles in advance of surgery or ask your caregiver to do so for you during your recovery.  

5. Have your bed or recovery chair prepared with pillows situated and your bed turned down for your return.  Having blankets within reach of this area is always a great idea. 

6. Make sure to have your prescriptions filled prior to surgery. Some people even use a pill organizer so that they don't confuse how much they are taking of what and don't forget.  Colace 100mg three times daily and Senacot regular strength, two tablets onece a day.

7. Get yourself some straws to drink water and or vessels you will be liekly to drink from.  Most people prefer ice water post op.  Taking small frequent sips will allow one to keep it down. Please drink plenty of water as this is important to your overall recovery and healing. In addition it will aid in helping the motility within your gut to make deficating less of an issue.  

8. We recommend showering the day of surgery and having a comfortable outfit prepared to wear the day of surgery and lay it out in advance so that you just shower and then throw it on.  Wear thin sweatpants with no zipper and a shirt that you can either button or zipper, nothing that you have to put over your head, make sure the outfit is one that, if necessary you would be ok wearing overnight.  

9. Collect all reading materials you have wanted to delve into or order what movies you have been interested in seeing. 

10. Plan for your children and animals to be looked after for a few days.  Tummy tucks up to a week for ideal recovery. 

 11. Make sure you don't have any major events within the first month following surgery, excessive dancing and movement could prove to set you back a bit causing fatigue post surgery.   

As a general rule Dr. Capuano says you can shower 48 hours after surgery.  Please take a a brief shower, no more than 10 minutes in length and do not take a very hot shower.  Please also refrain from removing the steri strips that Dr. Capuano had put in place over your wounds. 

You can submerge your body 14 days after surgery.  Keep in mind swimming is not allowed following Dr. Capuano's protocol of no exercise post surgery.  Walking is allowed but not for long durations or briskly.