Sister Kay McNaught

Why You Need Destination Facilitators

One of the greatest factors in the popularity of medical tourism is cost. You are able to access the highest calibre of surgeons and facilities at a cost that would not be available in your country.

The cost differential is not due to lack of quality because every country has different levels of pricing structures no matter what you are purchasing.

Travel is much cheaper these days also, so because of the reduced costs overall you are able to bring along a friend or family member.

Can you do it yourself?

Deciding which cosmetic surgery procedure you would love to have is the easy part. What comes next are generally the biggest stumbling blocks and considerations for potential patients, as it will primarily involve hours of time spent researching the destination, hospitals, surgeons, bookings and appointments with hospitals and surgeons, paperwork, sending medical records (if applicable) and photographs, payments, how much time to allow away, flights and accommodation (pre and post /recovery accommodation), handling any travel mishaps, post surgery activities, transfers etc.

Medical Travel can be complicated and time consuming if you make your plans yourself. Many potential patients turn to Facilitators for help. As Malaysia destination facilitators we are able to help you with your journey whilst always keeping your best interests and safety in mind.

Why is smoking bad for cosmetic surgery?

Cigarettes contains nicotine and according to research nicotine tend to shrink down the size of small blood vessels and therefore reduced the oxygen supply to the operated area.

Cosmetic surgery technique is very different from General surgery.

In general surgery eg. in appendectomy the surgeon normally cuts straight down deep to the site to remove the appendix and closes the site with sutures.

However when a cosmetic surgeon does a facelift, a tummy tuck and many other procedures the surgeon uses his artistic skill to cuts through the top layer, then turning the knife sidewise so that he can lift the top layer. Once the skin has been lifted he can manipulate the tissue by pulling, stretching, move it around and remove the excess skin in order to enhance the patient’s feature. In doing so the surgeon is able to leave some blood vessels untouched, and those vessels could serve the entire top layer of the tissue.

The vessels that are intact will supply oxygen to the skin that has been elevated after a facelift, tummy tuck etc. Unrestricted blood supply will in turn nourish the tissue and remove the byproduct of cell healing. This will inturn speed up the healing process and minimise scarring.

Why is nicotine bad for cosmetic surgery?

According to research nicotine tend to shrink down to the size of blood vessels. Small blood vessels mean less blood flow, and less blood flow means less oxygen, and less oxygen can mean tissues die. Mixing nicotine with cosmetic surgery can result in other problems such as:-

Loss of cheek skin after a facelift, nipples after breast lift/breast reduction, tummy skin after tummy tuck surgery.
Infections, increased pain and delayed wound healing
Thick, wide scars
Permanent small vessel damage adding risk even if you quit
Death of fat cells (fat necrosis), causing hard lumps
Loss of breast implants
Blood clots, which can be fatal
Life threatening complications like stroke, heart attack, blood clots, and pneumonia.

How can you prepare yourself?

If you smoke and you’re planning to have plastic surgery, quit. Follow your cosmetic surgeon’s recommendation, which may be to quit three to six weeks before surgery through three to six weeks after.

Even if you don’t smoke cigarettes, you’re not off the hook if you smoke e-cigarettes or chew nicotine gum! Stop any form of nicotine, including secondary smoke. If you’ve scheduled surgery in the near future be honest and inform your surgeon. It’s better to delay surgery than to risk having your tissue die.

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Tips For Speedy Recovery

Surgeons always provide patients with instructions for what to do after their surgical procedure, but so many patients tend to ignore those instructions because they are feeling well, don’t think the instructions apply to them, or they just forget.

1. Please Don’t Do Too Much

It is really easy to over exert yourself on the days when you are feeling great. You might think that lifting that laundry basket just one time couldn’t possibly be harmful, or that a quick jog won’t hurt a thing. If you are lucky, you are correct and one time won’t lead to injury, but many people find out the hard way that once is enough to lead to some serious complications. If your surgeon says you can’t lift more than 10 pounds for 4 weeks, they mean ten pounds and they mean four weeks, and that doesn’t change because you are feeling energetic enough to go to the grocery store and have lots of groceries to carry into the house.

2. Do Get Enough Sleep

Sleeping enough is one of the best ways to make sure you heal quickly. An exhausted body is not a body that is inclined to heal quickly. Recovering from surgery is hard work for your body, and it earns every minute of sleep it gets. A solid night of rest is going to help speed your recovery along, and an occasional nap won’t hurt either.

3. Do Eat Well

Eating well will help fuel your body, and promote healing. Lean protein is essential when your body is trying to repair an incision. Your skin and other tissues will heal faster and be stronger if they have adequate nutrients to work with.

4. Post Operative Coughing Exercise

There is a right way to cough after surgery. It may sound odd, but for those who have an abdominal surgery, coughing in a way that protects an abdominal incision may prevent a very serious illness called dehiscence and evisceration.

5. Follow Up Appointments Are Important

You might be shocked at how many people skip their surgery follow up appointments because they feel well and don’t see the need. Follow up appointments are an opportunity for your surgeon to check for any complications you may be having, draw lab tests to make sure your surgery was a success, and hopefully, release you to go back to your normal activities. These appointments are important and should be considered a priority.

6. Take Your Full Dose Of Medicine

Imagine that your surgeon recommends that you take an aspirin every day after surgery. You do that for a week or so, but then your pain is improved so you stop. A week later you develop a serious blood clot and end up back in the hospital. When you ask your surgeon why he didn’t do anything to prevent blood clots, he tells you that he prescribed aspirin, but you chose not to take it.

Medications are important after surgery. Pain medication is often used to decrease inflammation, not just pain, just like aspirin can be used for pain and the prevention of blood clots. If your surgeon recommends a medication, there is likely an excellent reason for doing so, and you should continue to take it until your follow up appointment. If the medication seems unnecessary, check your discharge instructions to see if the medication is necessary, or call the surgeon’s office and inquire about stopping the prescription.

7. Continue Physical Therapy Post Surgery

If your surgeon orders physical therapy after surgery, go to your physical therapy appointments. Many patients have considered physical therapy to be a waste of time, too painful or too much trouble to bother with. Those patients typically have far worse long term outcomes than the patients who were compliant with their physical therapy. In addition, if the physical therapist gives you “homework” to complete on your days off from physical therapy, do it.

8. Take Care Of Your Cleanliness

It is nearly impossible to wash your hands too much after surgery. Washing your hands will help prevent infection, especially if you wash your hands before you touch your incision, clean your incision or change your bandage. Essentially, if you are going to have your hands anywhere near your incision, wash them first.

9. Be Gentle To Your Incisions

Incision care should be done gently and without harsh soaps or scrubs. Clean an incision the way you would a newborn’s bottom: frequently and as gently as you can. Incisions do not need to be scrubbed clean, in fact, some scabbing on an incision is completely normal. Scrubbing the incision clean often damages the brand new tissue that is filling in, and can be very irritating to what is already a very tender area of skin.

Some surgery advice is so basic, so simple that people just dismiss it. It is these very simple, but essential tasks that will speed your recovery and make it possible to get back to your normal life as quickly as possible.

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Why Do I Need A Patient Care Manager?

A patient care manager is professionally trained person whose job is to support and help patient manage medical and surgical care away from home.

The patient care manager act as the patient’s advocate as well as agent and partner and takes responsibility for the patient care at the medical destination.

A good patient care manager has the skill and capability to plan patient’s procedures and to identify and co-ordinate with medical team/surgical team. She has to ensure that the chosen hospital and surgical requirements are satisfied ( i.e International accreditation etc).

Patient care manager work includes and not limited to facilitating all consultations, communications and providing support and reassurance and manages all post-surgery recovery needs and services.

By having patient care manager can help patients stay focus and direct the energies and thoughts toward preparing for the procedures and having stress-free recovery.

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