BBL in Medellín · Day 5 of 10
Day 5 after a BBL in Medellín
Swelling and tightness are normal. Keep the garment on and keep standing or lying, not sitting.
Short answer
On day 5 after a BBL in Medellín:
- Not today Sitting · Sleeping position · Exercise · Hammam, sauna, baths and swimming · Smoking · Flying home
- With care Walking · Compression garment
Good options today: Parque Explora and aquarium, Museo de Antioquia and Plaza Botero, Exotic fruit tasting at the market.
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
Parque Explora and aquarium
An interactive science museum with a large freshwater aquarium. Indoors.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 2.5 hours
Museo de Antioquia and Plaza Botero
Fernando Botero's paintings indoors, and his bronze sculptures on the busy square outside.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 2 hours
Exotic fruit tasting at the market
A guided walk through a busy market, tasting fruits most visitors have never seen.
Gentle walking, shaded or covered, about 2.5 hours
El Tesoro or Santafé mall
Large air-conditioned malls with cafés and benches, handy for a rainy afternoon.
Gentle walking, indoors, about 2 hours
Also fine today: Museo Casa de la Memoria · Colombian cooking class · Museum of Modern Art of Medellín (MAMM) · Medellín Botanical Garden · Pueblito Paisa on Cerro Nutibara
2 things to skip today
Guatapé and El Peñol day trip
Why not: Too much walking and effort for this stage. About 2 hours each way is too long a ride for this stage.
Not during the 10 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Metrocable ride over the hillsides
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
- Sancocho or mondongo soup. Hearty chicken, beef or tripe soups with vegetables, served at lunch with rice and avocado.
- Buñuelos and natilla. Cheese dough balls and a soft custard-like dessert, in bakeries all year.
- Arepas. Corn cakes with cheese or butter, at every bakery and street stand.
Put every day of this guide in your calendar, with your dates