Refresher Vacation

Turn "Downtine" into Uptime

The Refresher Vacation was designed to help patients overcome the first week to 10 days of boredom following surgery. During the first week after surgery, most patients feel self-conscious about swelling and bruising, preferring to remain in obscurity and have limited interaction with others. They may choose to wear a shawl or turtleneck, dark glasses, and maybe even a hat in efforts to steer clear of prying eyes, even if it’s family, friends, acquaintances or even their own children. (Who wants a young child mentioning to their teacher that Mommy has black eyes?) After all, one of the points of picking the Refresher Lift is that it looks so natural, so it goes without saying that most patients prefer friends and some family be kept in the dark as to their procedure. -- It’s a personal decision about refreshing one’s youth, and there’s no need for the world to know about it.

Do these points ring home with you as you consider refreshing your own youth? If so, then consider a Refresher Vacation in beautiful, balmy Tampa Bay. Turn your “downtime” into uptime, enjoying a new city incognito while continuing to receive follow-up medical care to your procedure.

No Stress for Quicker Healing

Why Tampa Bay? Admittedly, it’s the Refresher Lift headquarters, so we perform more Refresher Lifts here than anywhere else in the country. Also, the gorgeous weather of the Sunshine state, the clean air, and a NO STRESS environment are all conducive to quicker healing from a procedure. And, don’t forget that Tampa Bay has the same amenities and creature comforts that you would find in any large U.S. metropolitan area. The city also has an esteemed medical infrastructure, so there are no health compromises necessary regarding pre-existing conditions or circumstances where in-patient care is needed.

Downtime Luxury

Our staff will coordinate all your travel arrangements which will include accommodations at the most luxurious resort on the west coast of Florida, the historic Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club. The Renaissance Vinoy is a showplace of the Tampa area’s waterfront, capturing the golden age of Florida since 1926 with first-class amenities amidst a breathtaking tropical setting. And, due to the large number of guests we refer to the resort each year, we are able to book our guests at extremely favorable rates. You’ll never get this pampered at home while you’re recovering! To learn more about the resort, click on the picture above.

Suggested Schedule

What’s the ideal time to take off on your refresher vacation? A week will work but 9-12 days would be ideal. Here’s a typical schedule for a Refresher Vacation:

 

1. Six weeks before surgery, if you have not been following a healthy diet with an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, it’s time to start! Keeping your weight at a healthy level is important at this time. You should also begin gathering all your medical clearances as required, as well as other pertinent medical information like lab tests (Note: lab tests must be within 30 days of surgery). -- Our staff will provide a “to-do” list of required information. Depending on your skin condition, we also highly recommend beginning a skin care regimen as advised by our aesthetician. If you are a smoker, you must cease smoking by this date.

 

2. Two weeks before surgery, our medical staff should have received all your pre-op requirements and lab results. One of our registered nurses will call you to finalize and review your pre-operative testing, as well as all your pre- and post-operative instructions.

 

3. On your first day in Tampa Bay, you will visit our facility, get to know our staff, and we’ll take pre-op pictures and go through your medical chart to make sure everything is set for the following day’s surgery. You’ll also benefit from a lymphology treatment by our expert aesthetician, which will help your lymphatic system and a speedier recovery post-surgery.

 

4. Surgery day! Following surgery either a caretaker of your choice, or one of our medical staff, will accompany you to the Vinoy just 10 minutes from our facilities. The Vinoy offers a private entrance that will allow you access to your room without having to go through the hotel lobby. On the first night, for your personal comfort and safety, you’ll need either a friend staying with you, or we’ll arrange for a registered nurse to tend to your needs until the next day’s follow-up visit.

 

5. The first post-op visit: The day following surgery, the surgeon will check that your healing is progressing normally. Following that, you’ll have a relaxing hair wash followed by another lymphology treatment to continue speeding your healing along.

 

6. On the 3rd day following surgery, you can begin light activities in the afternoon such as a promenade walk around the resort, enjoying a drink poolside, or simply visiting a restaurant or relaxing on the resort’s veranda as the sun sets. Makeup, dark glasses, and letting your hair flow naturally over your ears should suffice to make you feel comfortable.

 

 

7. The 4th day should be a sightseeing day.  Take a walk along downtown Saint Petersburg, visit the Dali or the Fine Arts Museum, or find some recreational activity that suits your tastes by clicking on Tampa Bay Entertainment.

 

8. On the 5th day following surgery you will have your sutures removed at the clinic. A consultation with our aesthetician is also advised to learn about the best medical products to help minimize and fade the tiny suture scars resulting from surgery.

 

9. On the 6th day, hit the town, enjoy the sunshine, and visit the resort spa. You should now feel quite refreshed and well on your way to renewed beauty. Live it up, or prepare to fly home and show all your friends what a “refreshing” vacation you had in Tampa Bay. If you decide to stay a few extra days, there are limitless attractions in Tampa Bay like historic Ybor City, the Botanical Gardens, the Museum of Art, Busch Wildlife, the Florida Aquarium and shopping galore. And, don’t forget you’re only an hour and 15 minutes away from all the Orlando attractions!