Care After Your Surgical Operation
“Help! My belly button has swallowed my dressing!”
(Disclaimer, patient and belly button were fine!)
This is just one of the thousands of messages that are received from patients to our holistic and virtual nursing postoperative support service which is provided for Mr Naveen Cavale’s patients who have undergone cosmetic and plastic surgery at The REAL Clinic
Having cosmetic surgery is a daunting experience that can create additional anxiety for patients before and after the surgical procedure, normally due to the emotional journey associated with choosing to undergo an elective procedure and the guilt which sometimes accompanies this. Patients may also feel that there is stigma associated with cosmetic procedures, and the fear of judgement from family and friends can make this a lonely process. That is why getting the postoperative care, in other words the care following the cosmetic surgery, just right is so important.
Medical advice and emotional support are essential to help patients navigate their way through the preoperative and postoperative period, from preparing the body, mind and home to having someone to message or phone them at any time of day or night if: they are not certain how to correctly wear their compression garment; they are not sure how to attempt to have their first postoperative shower; and they are feeling very low since surgery. The nursing support service at The REAL Clinic is offered to patients to enhance their surgical journey as we know that in-person clinic appointments alone are simply not enough for patients during their period of surgical recovery. In order to provide the best possible care, patients need support when they are at home and on their own, trying to adjust to their new body.
The Reality of Surgery
The reality of undergoing a cosmetic procedure is like that of having your first baby. No one tells you quite how hard it can be until you personally experience it! Issues such as a small hole that appears in your surgical incision or wound leakage can not only be very scary for a patient but also unexpected, often occurring at an inconvenient time. Luckily, these kinds of surgical complications are rare and, contrary to belief, does not mean your surgery has been botched. Normally, these problems may be resolved quickly with minimal intervention, but if this happens at 8 PM on a Friday night, who are you going to call for support? These are the sort of important things that patients should consider before they have planned cosmetic surgery.
Swell Hell
One of the most challenging stages for patients is a week into their postoperative recovery journey. This is the time when tolerance can become low, the nerves and excitement related to the surgery and their new body have passed, and the reality of all the restrictions placed on their life start to become frustrating. Sometimes, they may still be experiencing a continued level of discomfort and they might have not slept properly for days. One week following the surgical procedure, they look and feel worse than when they started!
This is usually part of the most swollen phase of recovery. Some patients understandably require a lot of support and reassurance, and we have found that offering a dedicated and expert postoperative care service for these patients to receive additional support is fundamental to recovery. In fact, the reduction of stress has been clinically proven to support wound healing. Several surgical procedures take months for the final results to be seen, and this can be mentally challenging for patients despite having been made aware of this during the surgical consultation prior to the surgery (click here for more information).
Before and After Results
Unsurprisingly, most patients are very happy by 6 weeks subsequent to surgery. By this point, the surgical incisions have healed, the swelling is settling well, and the patient is happy with the early aesthetic results. They have long forgotten those early days and weeks and usually say they wished that they had had their surgery sooner!
It is such a privilege for me as a nurse to be part of this unique patient journey at The REAL Clinic. The positive uplift in the self esteem of patients from the results of cosmetic surgery is truly rewarding. When you understand their complex emotional journey, you realise how much their body affects their mind on a daily basis. This patient group deserves care, support and compassion from all healthcare professionals. My hope would be that more research is undertaken regarding the valuable effects of cosmetic surgery and, with this in mind, the recognition that this industry is changing lives in its own way continues to increase.
Learn more about Laura, read the incredible feedback she receives from patients and surgeons alike, and learn more about the holistic and supportive postoperative care service she provides by clicking here.
