BBL in Istanbul · Day 3 of 10
Day 3 after a BBL in Istanbul
Short walks around the hotel or the nearest streets. Pick places where you can stand or stroll, never ones where you would sit for long.
Short answer
On day 3 after a BBL in Istanbul:
- Not today Sitting · Sleeping position · Exercise · Hammam, sauna, baths and swimming · Smoking · Flying home
- With care Walking · Compression garment
Good options today: Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul Modern and the Karaköy waterfront.
Today's rules
Sitting
Avoid sitting on your buttocks. Many surgeons allow no sitting for the first 10 to 14 days except on the toilet and to eat; after that, sit only on a BBL pillow placed behind your thighs. The ASPS article cited here suggests keeping any sitting to about 10 minutes at a time for six weeks.
Source: The Aesthetic Society · American Society of Plastic Surgeons · American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Sleeping position
Sleep on your stomach, or as your surgeon instructs, not on your back.
Walking
Walk a little several times a day, around your hotel or the nearby streets. Lie face down to rest.
Source: The Aesthetic Society · American Society of Plastic Surgeons
Compression garment
Wear the support garment around the clock, as your surgeon instructs.
Exercise
No exercise until your surgeon clears you, usually six to eight weeks after surgery.
Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons · The Aesthetic Society
Hammam, sauna, baths and swimming
The sources cited here do not give a date. Keep heat and water away from the liposuction incisions until your surgeon confirms they have healed.
Smoking
Do not smoke. Surgeons typically ask patients to stop for several weeks before and after surgery.
Source: Acibadem International · The Aesthetic Society
Flying home
Not yet. Surgeons usually want at least one to two weeks before you fly, longer for long-haul flights.
Source: Acibadem International · NHS
Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.
4 things you can do today
Basilica Cistern
The cool, dim underground cistern with the Medusa heads. Walkways get packed at midday; go at opening time.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 1 hour
Hagia Sophia
The great dome is worth it, but queues stand in the sun and the inside is crowded. Women cover their hair and everyone removes shoes.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 1.5 hours
Istanbul Modern and the Karaköy waterfront
Turkish modern art in a cool, airy building on the water, with a café looking at the old city.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 2 hours
Eminönü street-snack walk
Simit, midye dolma (stuffed mussels), roasted chestnuts and balık ekmek along the Golden Horn waterfront.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 2 hours
Also fine today: Grand Bazaar · Spice Bazaar · Galata Tower · Turkish cooking class · Istanbul Archaeology Museums · Pera Museum
2 things to skip today
Turkish hammam
Why not: It means steam, hot water or sauna heat.
Not during the 10 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Bosphorus dinner cruise with show
Why not: It means sitting for a long time, which puts pressure on the grafted fat.
Not during the 10 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Where to eat today
- Meze and fish at a meyhane. Beyoğlu taverns serve dozens of small plates. Rakı is traditional; you can skip it.
- Kebab and lahmacun. Adana kebab, lahmacun and pide in Fatih or Kadıköy. Spicy and chewy.
- Balık ekmek at Eminönü. Grilled fish in crusty bread from the boats by the Galata Bridge.
Put every day of this guide in your calendar, with your dates