How To Reduce Plastic Surgery Swelling Remedies Reduce Plastic Surgery Swelling Remedies
Swelling is a healing process after cosmetic plastic surgery.
Causes Behind Swelling
After any “injury,” cells release chemicals which affect the permeability of blood vessels in the area of shock or trauma(surgery is trauma as far as the body is concerned). Increase of permeability (porousness) allows fluid-containing proteins, white blood cells and other chemicals to reach injured areas to begin curing that causes swelling in those areas. This process is also known as inflammation or redness.
How To Decrease Swelling
Sometimes an area can become swollen without any apparent mark; no blood vessels are injured. For example, when you have a cold or an allergic reaction, areas around the eyes can swell without any damage to the blood vessels.
Methods to stop swelling are designed to decrease the permeability of blood vessels so that fluid (lymph) may not pass through them to the tissues. These include:
• Elevation Of The Injured Area
One way to deplete lymph from injured areas is to raise injured body parts so the lymph can drain back toward non-injured areas of the body. This is why you feel good after elevating your injured foot. It decreases swelling as well as pain.
• Ice
The use of ice contracts blood vessels and decrease the quantity of blood and lymph through them. To prevent frostbite(injury due to severe cold) on already injured skin, ice should be applied to injured areas as soon as possible in a 15 minutes on/15 minutes off cycle. It can be continued for 72 hours, though after the first 24 hours its usefulness decreases. Due to this, permeability of the injured blood vessels returns to normal functioning around the same time period. Thereafter, applying ice can be felt good but it does not work for decrease in swelling.
• Anti-Histamines
Prescription such as antihistamines (Benadryl) can also decrease swelling by decreasing the effects of histamine. Histamine is released from cells when they are injured or irritated (e.g., with pollen).
• NSAIDs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Aspirin, Motrin, Naprosyn, Aleve, etc.—but not Tylenol/acetaminophen—will decrease swelling in injured areas. They will decrease inflammation or redness. They will increase bruising, so be careful. They will also help reduce pain, which often go along with injury and swelling. For example, pressing of the skin, hurts due to expansion of the skin; in stretching skin swelling does the same function.
• Steroids
Steroid creams, pills and injections help decrease or rather prevent swelling by stabilizing the cells of blood vessels and decreasing their porousness. They should be used with a limit as their effects on healing are less favorable, so they must be used with due caution.
• Anti-inflammatory Foods/Herbs
A number of anti-inflammatory/anti-swelling foods and homeopathic drugs have been advertized as helpful for decrease in inflammation. There is no proof other except the fact that some swear by them. They include:
1. Arnica Montana (Gao Chasham) 2. Bromelain—a compound found in pineapples 3. Ginger (Adrak) 4. Chili Peppers (Lal Mirch)
