Heating Pads After Cosmetic Surgery? No!
Heating Pads After Cosmetic Surgery? No and here’s why.
Contrary to the soothing warmth a heating pad delivers for common musculo-skeletal ailments and sports injuries, heating pads are NOT ever advised during convalescence from cosmetic surgery. A normal part of any surgical procedure is swelling, bruising and pain. Swelling in the skin and subcutaneous tissues not only reduces sensation, but also makes the delicate skin more susceptible to injury following surgery.
It’s very important to exercise caution during cosmetic surgery recovery. Small nerves are disrupted during surgery, which leaves you with temporary numbness around the surgical site. Normally when the pad gets too hot for comfort, you just remove it. This is natural defense mechanism, which is temporarily lost following surgery. The skin is numb, the surgical site is swollen and is very susceptible to being burnt quite easily. Pain medication may also interfere in monitoring, so I recommend using ice with some water in a zipper bag applied gently in most cases and refreshed as needed. The water helps keep the ice at a safe temperature to safely ease pain and swelling.
Never use heating pads during recovery from cosmetic surgery due to the risk of skin burns and scarring. Note that this risk can remain present and last for up to six months following surgery during the recovery process. When in doubt, always consult your doctor.
