Body management expert discusses ways to overcome three post-surgical issues

As the year wraps up, more people are making appointments with their doctors to get the maximum out of their healthcare plans before the new year and new deductibles kick in. The time is perfect, according to one body management expert, to learn how to best recover from any surgical procedures – from the cosmetic to the profound – with your health intact.

“It’s an old joke that says, ‘The operation was a success but the patient still died,’ but the simple truth is that a lack of post-operative care can be dangerous if not deadly,” said Tanya Seals, owner of SHRINK Studios® based in The Woodlands and Cypress. In fact, she points out, a study by the Journal of the American College of Surgeons reports that one in ten patients are readmitted to hospital care for post-surgical complications.

“You can increase your chances of proper recovery without having to rely on an overburdened healthcare system,” said Seals. “At facilities like SHRINK Studios, there are services that are specifically designed to help with life after surgery.”

Among these services, Seals points out three that are particularly beneficial in mitigating problems after you’re discharged from the doctor’s care:

• Ultrasonic cavitation lymphatic drainage treatment – Ultrasonic cavitation lymphatic drainage is a type of gentle massage that is intended to encourage the natural drainage of the lymph, which carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart. “This is particularly beneficial after surgical procedures such as liposuction or a tummy tuck,” said Seals. Lymphatic massage can reduce complications by not only properly channeling the toxins and waste to where the body can evacuate them, but also by reducing the post-surgery swelling and the amount of scar tissue from formulating thus evening out the results of the liposuction itself.
• An infrared light at the end of the tunnel – Infrared saunas are a safe and effective process that non-invasively envelopes the patient’s body with infrared heat. “This is a powerfully detoxifying treatment,” said Seals. Infrared therapy utilizes two wavelengths of infrared light and heat to raise the heart rate, induce sweating and purge toxins. Infrared light encourages fat cell breakdown (thermo-lipolysis), allowing fat to be released into the bloodstream and then flushed out of the body.
• Cut to the chase before going under the knife – Seals points out that a little pre-surgery preparation can save immense amounts of grief after you’re discharged. “I suggest an assessment to determine the benefits of post-operation skin-tightening might have on you,” she said. “Radio Frequency (RF) skin-tightening technology is FDA-approved to tighten loose or sagging skin without an incision or recovery time.” Tripolar RF has the effects of tissue-tightening and increased blood circulation, with the result that fatty deposits are drained through the lymphatic system.

Seals points out that treatments such as these are essential in ridding the body of the toxins that can build during and after a surgery, which in turn dramatically cuts down the chances of post-surgical complications without having to extend your time in the hospital or the doctor’s waiting room. “We encourage anyone undergoing a surgical procedure to visit us for an assessment so that they can avoid the sometimes-horrifying issues of not having post-op care.”

Shrink Studios has two locations – one at the office complex at The Woodlands Mall above the courtyard overlooking the Waterway, and one in the Chase Bank Building at 15840 FM 529 in Houston. For more information, call 832-353-5045 or visit www.shrinkstudios.com.