when can I get back to exercising after plastic surgery

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Plastic surgery recovery can be tricky, especially when you have to account for life activities such as work, family, hobbies, and your exercise routine. That is why I am here to help you better understand how long plastic surgery recovery typically takes. My name is Dr. John LeRoy and I hope this information will give you an idea of what you can expect when recovering from minor and major plastic surgeries.

For starters, plastic surgery recovery depends on the extent and type of procedure performed. For example, a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is one of the most time-consuming recoveries. This surgery takes about two to four weeks to get back to your everyday activities and exercises. It would take an additional six weeks for you to get back to heavy exercises such as weightlifting. Other, less invasive procedures such as the band aid mini facelift take only about a week to get back to work and about two weeks for your regular pre-operative workout routine—all of that pending your body’s natural response to bruising and swelling.

A good rule of thumb for when you can hit the gym after plastic surgery is one to two weeks after a minor procedure and two to four weeks after larger procedures with an additional six weeks for heavy lifting. It is important to note that recovery times vary upon the patient, procedure, and the patient’s activity level.

My biggest advice for those in recovery is to not perform exercises which require you to bend over. Especially when recovering from facial plastic surgery, you need to keep your head above your heart. Otherwise, you may induce swelling in the area. Swelling could cause pain, additional recovery time, and other complications. Therefore, it is vital that your capillaries and lymphatic drainage return to normal before placing your head below your heart in activities such as yoga, dancing, or other similar physical exercises.

This video will help explain when you will be able to get back to exercising after plastic surgery:

Plastic surgery downtimes often vary depending on the severity of your procedure, your age, and your typical level of activity. If you would like to schedule a personal plastic surgery consultation to learn more about what recovery time you should expect, feel free to reach out to me, Dr. John LeRoy at (404) 843-0840. Although our phones are still open, our office is currently closed until March 30th, 2020. At that time, we will reassess the possibility of reopening, pending the status of the virus. In the meantime, don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for more plastic surgery videos.