Ice or heat? 6 days post mommy makeover. (photos)

Thanks for your question. You should really check in with your own PS before you do anything you were not instructed to do.In my own practice I do not recommend either. In a surgery such as yours it is likely that you have many areas on the skin that are numb. You would not feel it if the Ice were too cold or the heat were too hot. I have had at least one patient gave herself a third degree burn with a heating pad. Ice , cold,  causes blood vessel constriction. You need your vessels to provide good blood flow particularly in areas where tissue blood supply has been changed. Please check with your PS.Best wishes.

Hi & thank you for your question.I suggest not using either. Follow your surgeons instructions and call him or her with any questions. Best wishes.

I actually don't recommend either to my patients. I know the post operative period can be challenging but rest assured your surgeon will instruct to you do what he/she recommends for the particular procedures you had. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor in your follow up appointment if there is anything else they want you to do, but most likely just keep wearing your compression garments and wait for the bruising to decrease. Best of Luck 

Thank you for sharing your question and photographs and congratulations on your procedure.  I do not commonly advise patients to use heat or cold for their results as the temporary numbness of the skin may cause unintended consequences.  The bruising will take approximately 2 weeks to fully resolve and any anti-swelling benefits can be exchanged for a well-fitting surgical garment.  Hope this helps.

At 6 days postop ice is probably of little benefit.  A heating pad could also be dangerous due to numbness and risk of a burn.  The best advice is to wear a compression girdle and be ambulatory.  

Thanks for your question. I do not recommend ice or heat to the abdomen, as the dissection often causes a decrease in sensibility and the skin can be damaged.  Ice to the breast can help with swelling the first couple of days after surgery but at this point is unnecessary.   

I would recommend not using heat, but cool compress to some areas might help. Avoid ice to any areas of the breast. 

Congratulations on your surgery.  Yours is a question that is best answered by your surgeon, as opinions will vary.  Your surgeon is most familiar with the details of your surgery and how you've been progressing through recovery.

You should first discuss heat and cold treatment with your plastic surgeon. After surgery, you do not have normal skin sensation at the treated sites. If you do use either heat or cold, you should know that you can be at risk for burns or frostbite because you do not have normal sensation.

 Congratulations on having undergone the mommy makeover procedure.
 Your plastic surgeon will always be your best resource when it comes to specific postoperative care instruction/advice. Generally speaking, patients need to be very careful about the direct application of ice (or heat) over surgical sites.  These areas may be insensate (numb);  cold or heat injuries may result without the patient even being aware… 
Best wishes for an outcome that you will be very pleased with.