{"id":3314,"date":"2016-09-09T12:42:49","date_gmt":"2016-09-09T10:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interactiveaestheticfellowship.com\/en\/?page_id=3314"},"modified":"2026-10-16T00:23:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T22:23:53","slug":"postoperative-follow-up","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/postoperative-follow-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Recovery and Post-Operative Follow-Up"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\" id=\"wpb-content-root\"><p>[vc_row rt_row_background_width=&#8221;fullwidth&#8221; rt_row_content_width=&#8221;default&#8221; rt_row_style=&#8221;default-style&#8221; rt_row_borders=&#8221;&#8221; rt_row_shadows=&#8221;&#8221; rt_row_paddings=&#8221;true&#8221; rt_bg_effect=&#8221;classic&#8221; rt_bg_image_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; rt_bg_size=&#8221;cover&#8221; rt_bg_position=&#8221;right top&#8221; rt_bg_attachment=&#8221;scroll&#8221; rt_bg_video_format=&#8221;self-hosted&#8221;][vc_column rt_column_shadow=&#8221;&#8221; rt_bg_image_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; rt_bg_size=&#8221;auto auto&#8221; rt_bg_attachment=&#8221;scroll&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;3158&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; add_caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; style=&#8221;vc_box_shadow_border_circle&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;bottom-to-top&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>The operation is half the work. The other half is the follow-up, which is why <strong>all follow-up appointments are included in the price<\/strong>: I see you at every stage of your recovery, and you have a direct phone number for anything that comes up in between.<\/p>\n<p>The follow-up appointments take place at my practice in Madrid, at Calle Conde de Aranda 15, and I carry them out myself. The surgeon who operated on you is the one who best knows what to look for.<\/p>\n<table class=\"romeo-ficha\">\n<tr>\n<th>Follow-up appointments<\/th>\n<td>All included in the price of the surgery.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Who and where<\/th>\n<td>I carry them out myself, at Calle Conde de Aranda 15, Madrid.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Between appointments<\/th>\n<td>Phone and WhatsApp, <a href=\"tel:+34722771078\">+34 722 77 10 78<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p><a class=\"btn-romeo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/contact\/\">Book an appointment <span>\u203a<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;What a post-operative check-up is and how many you will have&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>A post-operative check-up is the review your surgeon carries out after the operation, to check how you are healing and how the result is developing. You know the plan before surgery: we go over together which appointments you will have, and on <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/anesthesia\/\">the day you are discharged<\/a> you leave with the date of the first one already set.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Short-term appointments.<\/strong> These are in the first few weeks: I remove the stitches, change the dressings and check that the wound is closing well. The first is usually within the first week.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Long-term appointments.<\/strong> Periodic check-ups to follow how the result is developing. Typically at one month, three months, six months and one year. If you or I see something that could be improved, that is when we discuss it, once the result has settled.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you live outside Madrid, some of the long-term appointments can be done by video consultation. The specific dates for each operation are on its own page; those for rhinoplasty, for example, are in <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/rhinoplasty-recovery\/\">Rhinoplasty Recovery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Follow-up appointments are included in the price&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Post-operative check-ups are included in the price of the surgery during the first year. There are no extra costs after your operation and no surprises. If you need me to see you once more during that time, I will. Post-operative garments are also included when the operation requires them. What else the quote includes is explained in <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/financing\/\">Financing and Your Quote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;How to reach me between appointments&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Between one appointment and the next you are not on your own: my team and I are available at any time after surgery. Call or send a WhatsApp message to <a href=\"tel:+34722771078\">+34 722 77 10 78<\/a>. A photo is very helpful for assessing a wound or swelling from a distance.<\/p>\n<p>I would rather have one call too many than one too few. If something worries you, do not wait until your next appointment.<\/p>\n<p>Out of hours, if you think it is urgent, you can contact the emergency number we will give you at your pre-operative assessment.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Stopping for just long enough: how I approach recovery&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>I do not want you to put your life on hold for your recovery. I want to fit the recovery into a life that carries on. I do have to stop you for a while, but that break has to be just long enough: not a day less, for safety, and not a day more, out of fear. It is what I call Fast Recovery, and it is not a fad; it is evidence and clinical experience.<\/p>\n<p>In consultation I explain it with two characters. Dr Fear says \u201cdon\u2019t do anything, just in case\u201d, and that \u201cjust in case\u201d holds you back without any real medical reason. Dr Brave says \u201cdo everything now\u201d, and going back to your usual pace after ten days is asking for trouble. The balance lies in between.<\/p>\n<p>I can fine-tune that timeframe because I see you closely. Recommending a six-month break makes sense when the patient has surgery far from their surgeon and will not have close follow-up. With frequent check-ups, the timeframe is adjusted to how you heal, not to a generic calendar. What has caused me the most problems over the years has not been the patients who get moving again early, but those who stop completely for six months.<\/p>\n<p>Surgery is a controlled trauma: you stop for a while and then you recover. For how long depends on the operation. After a breast augmentation, for example, the first month is for walking and gentle mobility, and from then on you return to exercise gradually; I explain it step by step in <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/plastic-surgery-and-fitness\/\">Plastic Surgery and Fitness<\/a>. The timeframes for each operation are on its own page.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;What is normal and when to call&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Swelling, bruising, tightness and tiredness are normal, and improve a little every day. Call me the same day if the pain is increasing rather than easing, if an area swells suddenly or on one side only, if a wound bleeds and does not stop, if it is becoming redder and hotter or is discharging, or if you have a fever.<\/p>\n<p>If you notice pain and swelling in one leg, or shortness of breath or chest pain, contact the emergency number we will give you at your pre-operative assessment. These situations are uncommon; I mention them because, when they do occur, what matters is acting quickly.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;What depends on you&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>I do my part in theatre and at the follow-up appointments. The other part is yours. Nutrition is, together with rest and follow-up, one of the pillars of recovery, especially after body surgery:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Enough protein,<\/strong> to heal and to avoid losing muscle while you are less active.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Constant hydration.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Fewer ultra-processed foods, less sugar and less alcohol<\/strong> in the first few weeks, because they promote inflammation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No aggressive dieting.<\/strong> In the first few days, eat well; there will be time to adjust later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When this is done well, the result at six and twelve months is visibly better.<\/p>\n<p>In addition: do not smoke, protect the operated area from the sun with factor 50 to avoid changes in pigmentation, shower with lukewarm water for the first few days, keep the wound clean and dry, take your medication as prescribed and come to every follow-up appointment, even when you already feel well.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Physiotherapy and lymphatic drainage after surgery&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Post-operative physiotherapy helps you recover sooner and better from cosmetic surgery: it reduces inflammation and fluid build-up, eases discomfort, prevents the tissues from adhering, makes scars more supple and speeds up your return to normal life.<\/p>\n<p>The technique of choice is <strong>manual lymphatic drainage<\/strong>. It is a massage using very gentle, slow, repetitive movements that stimulates lymphatic circulation and drains retained fluid. It does not hurt. I recommend it both in body surgery (<a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/liposuction\/\">liposuction<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/abdominoplasty\/\">abdominoplasty<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/breast-augmentation\/\">breast augmentation<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/breast-reduction\/\">reduction<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/mastopexy\/\">mastopexy<\/a>) and in facial surgery (<a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/blepharoplasty\/\">blepharoplasty<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/facelift-lifting-cara-2\/\">facelift<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/rhinoplasty\/\">rhinoplasty<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Each session lasts about 60 minutes and is carried out by a specialist physiotherapist. It starts when I give the go-ahead at your check-up, and the usual pattern is two or three sessions a week for three weeks; after that, depending on your progress.<\/p>\n<p>And when you start moving again, the same applies: the first training sessions after surgery are, in essence, a physiotherapy session.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Scars: what I do and what you can do&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>All surgery leaves a scar, and it is permanent. Over time it becomes finer and paler. My part is to place it where it is least visible; where it goes in each operation is explained on its own page. Yours is the aftercare:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Before surgery,<\/strong> moisturise the skin in the area two or three times a day in the weeks beforehand.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Afterwards,<\/strong> moisturising creams with rosehip oil and regenerating creams, which keep the scar hydrated.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep the scar out of the sun.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For the first two or three months the scar is pink, then it darkens, and between eight and twelve months it turns white. I explain this in detail in <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/scar-care-after-plastic-surgery\/\">Discreet, Healthy Scars After Plastic Surgery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;The result takes time to show&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>In the first week you will see swelling and bruising, not the result. It is normal to look in the mirror in those days and have doubts. The best medicine is vitamin P: patience.<\/p>\n<p>The final shape takes months, and in some operations, such as rhinoplasty, the result is not assessed until a year has passed. That is why the follow-up appointments do not end when the stitches come out.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Frequently asked questions about recovery and follow-up&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=&#8221;What is a post-operative check-up?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; open=&#8221;true&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]It is the review your surgeon carries out after the operation to check how you are healing and how the result is developing. At my practice I carry them out myself and they are included in the price of the surgery.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;How many follow-up appointments are there after plastic surgery?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]There are short-term appointments, to remove stitches and change dressings, and long-term ones, to follow the result. Typically I see you in the first week, at one month, three months, six months and one year. The number and frequency of appointments may vary from case to case.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;Are follow-up appointments charged separately?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]No. Post-operative check-ups are included in the price of the surgery during the first year, and I carry them out myself.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;Who do I contact if I have a question after my operation?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]My team and I are available at any time after surgery. You can call or send a WhatsApp message to +34 722 77 10 78.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;When can I exercise again after surgery?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]It depends on the operation. After a breast augmentation, from the end of the first month and gradually, starting at half your usual load. After a rhinoplasty, light exercise from the third week, building up until the fifth. The exact guidance is adjusted at your follow-up appointments.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;Do I need physiotherapy after cosmetic surgery?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]For many operations I recommend manual lymphatic drainage, which reduces swelling and speeds up recovery. The usual pattern is two or three sessions a week for three weeks, once I give the go-ahead at your check-up.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;How long does it take to see the final result?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]Months. Swelling goes down slowly and what you see at one month is not the final result. In a rhinoplasty, for example, it is assessed at one year.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=&#8221;How do I look after my scar after surgery?&#8221; style=&#8221;rounded_outline&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]Moisturising, rosehip creams once the wound has closed, and no sun. The scar is pink for two or three months and turns white between eight and twelve.[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;If you want to know what your recovery would be like&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"romeo-cta-box\">\n<p>Every operation and every patient has its own timeframe. At the first consultation I tell you what yours would be like: how long you would need to stop, when you would be back at work and which follow-up appointments you would have. Book by phone or WhatsApp on <a href=\"tel:+34722771078\">+34 722 77 10 78<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn-romeo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/contact\/\">Book an appointment <span>\u203a<\/span><\/a> &nbsp; <a class=\"btn-romeo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/34722771078\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WhatsApp <span>\u203a<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>What that visit is like is explained in <a href=\"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/the-first-consultation\/\">The First Consultation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row rt_row_background_width=&#8221;fullwidth&#8221; rt_row_content_width=&#8221;default&#8221; rt_row_style=&#8221;default-style&#8221; rt_row_borders=&#8221;&#8221; rt_row_shadows=&#8221;&#8221; rt_row_paddings=&#8221;true&#8221; rt_bg_effect=&#8221;classic&#8221; rt_bg_image_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; rt_bg_size=&#8221;cover&#8221; rt_bg_position=&#8221;right top&#8221; rt_bg_attachment=&#8221;scroll&#8221; rt_bg_video_format=&#8221;self-hosted&#8221;][vc_column rt_column_shadow=&#8221;&#8221; rt_bg_image_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; rt_bg_size=&#8221;auto auto&#8221; rt_bg_attachment=&#8221;scroll&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;3158&#8243;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3158,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3314","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3314"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13616,"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3314\/revisions\/13616"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drmarcoromeo.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}