In fact, many patients prefer to maintain privacy when it comes to plastic surgery. Swelling, bruising, scarring, and unusual bulging areas all come with recovery territory; however, they can be minimized.



Healing from plastic surgery can take as little as a few days or many weeks. During this time, there are aesthetic options available to make recovery more appealing: camouflage makeup, compression garments, and other accessories.

Compression garments and accessories are not merely temporary cover-ups, they are an essential part of recovery in most plastic surgery procedures.

Compression Garments and Accessories

Your doctor will have recommendations for the type of compression garment or accessories that must be worn for a specified duration after surgery. Breast surgery patients will also receive specific instructions regarding the type of bra and when it is to be worn in the weeks after surgery.

Most garments or bras must be worn continuously (all day and night) for at least a week after surgery. For surgeries such as liposuction, abdominal surgery or breast surgery, the 24-hour use (outside of bathing) of compression garments or bras may be required for months after surgery.

Compression garments serve several medical purposes including reducing swelling, reducing the risk of blood clots (hematomas) and reducing the risk that the treated area will not "mold" into its proper position.

Compression garments serve an aesthetic purpose, too, because swelling is visibly reduced when a compression garment is in place. Another added benefit -- clothes will fit better, look better, and feel better.

Ask Your Doctor

It is important to ask you doctor about both the short-term and long-term compression garment and accessory needs that you will have after surgery. Here are some guidelines to consider when making purchases:

1) Breast Surgery: Bras with soft cups, cushioned wide padded shoulder straps, breathable fabric, front hook, no under-wire, and seamless.

2) Abdominal, Leg, Arm Surgery: No hooks (pull-ons) for long-term recovery (per doctor's recommendation, hooks may be required 24 hours after surgery in abdominal cases), no-show seams and breathable fabric. Varying size and compression weight garments may be required throughout recovery to accommodate your body's gradual reduction in size.

3) Blepharoplasty: Eyeglasses, large, wide, with side wrap-around protection to shield sutures and incision scars from light.

4) Facelift: Cushioned hats with wrap-around ties, facial bands per doctor's recommendation.

Camouflage Makeup

Camouflage makeup can help improve the appearance of post-operative swelling, bruising, scarring and unusual bulging areas. In fact, camouflage makeup can improve natural aging skin qualities such as discolorations, spots, fine lines, blemishes and dark circles under the eye -- all of which can be difficult to hide.

Even the appearance of certain birthmarks and skin imperfections produced by medical conditions may be improved with camouflage makeup. Many dermatology and plastic surgery practices offer a camouflage makeup line and will have specific recommendations for its use. Technique in using camouflage makeup is important.

Your doctor is best qualified to discuss camouflage makeup and direct you to the right place to learn about technique.

Post Surgery Skin Changes and Makeup Solutions

Skin color can change throughout the recovery period. The range of colors includes black, purple, blue, gray, brown, green and yellow. Incision scars are often noticeably red throughout the recovery period as well. Aged permanent scars may be troublesome, too.

Camouflage makeup is specifically designed to address recovery symptoms. It differs from regular makeup, providing paramedical ingredients that address the difficulty associated with masking recovery skin.

Camouflage makeup may be used as part of a continued daily makeup regimen to cover difficult spots throughout your lifetime. The makeup can be used to neutralize discolorations in skin tones, soften and reduce swollen areas and define facial features. There are many choices: foundations, concealers, highlighters, creams, powders and makeup removers.

Aesthetic recovery solutions are an important part of your overall recovery regimen. Talk to your doctor about the type of compression garment, accessories, and camouflage makeup you should use.