Plastic Surgery Blog:Scheduled for surgery; avoid the flu

Just when it looked like we had avoided the flu epidemic the numbers of patients complaining of flu-like symptoms seems to be on the rise. According to a recent article in the Orange County Register Dr. David Nuñez, family health medical director, said there’s still time to get vaccinated. “We certainly would remind folks the flu season does carry on through the winter and it’s never too late to think about the flu vaccine,” he said. Flu symptoms can be not just uncomfortable but also life-threatening. Dr. Kim reminds patients who are scheduled for cosmetic plastic surgery that it is imperative that they are in excellent health prior to surgery. Procedures including facelift, abdominoplasty, or breast augmentation can have extremely difficult recovery periods if patients contract the flu following their procedure. As you may imagine coughing and sneezing combined with fatigue can cause the patient to have a miserable experience while trying to heal from surgery. Patients should avoid public places where the chance of contracting the flu is increased. These include social settings that may include handshakes and other contact that makes patients sick. Patients should be conscious of flu season two weeks prior to surgery and four weeks after surgery. It is possible to stay healthy by being proactive about health decisions.