The Three Post-Op Stages

I always believed that the Post-Op Culture would be the same all around the world, and that all patients are being prepared equally, and given the same proper information regarding what to expect after surgery. After many years of being in the business, I came to the following conclusion. Not only is Brazil one of the leading innovators for plastic surgery procedures, but their Post-Op Culture is the best I have encountered so far. Brazilian Plastic Surgeons consider every surgery a piece of art, therefore, they understand that the Post-Op Convalescence period is just as important as the surgery itself.

The plastic surgery culture in Brazil is rooted in proper compression throughout all Three Post-Op Stages. Most Surgeons remain involved every step of the way, selecting the appropriate Post-Op Compression Garments and sizes for their patients to help comfort and heal them on their journey of convalescence to ensure the best possible outcome and results for their shapes and silhouettes.

There are three stages to wearing compression garments in our experience. Let’s say your clothing size before surgery was a Medium or 6-8. Let's follow with an example:

Stage One: 0-2 Weeks Post-Op. You will be swollen, sensitive, in pain from your surgery, and most likely bloated from the pain killers. During this period, you will need mild compression, and be using a Compression Garment which is one size bigger than what you were wearing before surgery, which would be  the model of your choice in a Large. 

Stage 2: 2-6 Weeks Post-Op: During this time, your body has already changed, and you will be needing moderate compression. Your surgeon will do his magic with his surgery and technique, but the rest depends on you treating yourself very gently, letting yourself get pampered, and your use of proper compression to avoid fatty ripples and/or fat balls and bumps (unevenness). During this stage, you will be using the same compression garment model as for Stage One in size Medium for moderate compression. 

Stage 3: 6-12 Weeks Po-Op: By this time, you should have healed a whole lot more. You should be 90% free of swelling and pain free, which will allow you to go for tighter and stronger compression to continue to shape and define your silhouette. This is the time where you may be ready for a different garment style in a Small for strong compression.

Further, it is recommended that you have constant compression 24 hours a day for the first six weeks, to help you obtain the most even shape and silhouette possible, which means that you need two  garments per Stage One and Two: one to wear while you wash the other, as it takes 5 hours for a garment to air dry. For your Stage Three (weeks 6-12) wearing your Post-Op Compression Garment for 12 hours per day will suffice. 

Good luck :)!

Deirdre Sours
Owner