Best Bidet Seats for Surgery Recovery

Preparing for Surgery Recovery with a Bidet

If you’re ready to add a bidet to your recovery toolkit, here are some pro tips:

• Buy and install your bidet as far in advance as possible. Bidets can come with a bit of a learning curve, so give yourself time to get familiar with all the functions and figure out your ideal settings. We even have some tips and tricks for how to use a bidet like a pro to get you started!
• Lock in your preferences. If your bidet has user presets, get them set up ahead of time. Once you have them saved, you’ll be able to get the perfect wash with just a couple of button presses.
• Get your bathroom recovery-ready. You might feel a bit wobbly for a few days, so remove any obstacles or trip hazards (including slippery rugs). If you need a riser or grab bars, get those in place ahead of time so you’re comfortable using them.

A note on toilet and seat risers: Depending on your height, you might not need a riser if you have a universal or comfort height toilet. If you do need one, we recommend a Toilevator or Toilevator GRANDE, which sit between the toilet and the floor. Some risers that go between the seat and toilet and work with bidet seats, but they may compromise stability. If you need some extra height but still want the benefits of a bidet, reach out to us to find the right solution.

Best Post-Surgery Bidet Features

Most electric bidet seats we recommend come with unlimited warm water and heated seats to help you relax and provide much-needed comfort. Keep an eye out for additional features that can make your recovery more pleasant:

• Wireless remote control: Remote control operation is essential to avoid having to bend or twist to operate your bidet. The remote can be handheld or mounted to a wall or vanity at the right height for your comfort.
• Warm air dryer: Getting clean is only half the battle! With an adjustable-temperature air dryer on board, you’ll get clean and dry with no wiping required.
• Massage or enema wash: Bidets with specialized massage (also called pulse) washes or enema functions combat constipation and ease discomfort. Some massage washes alternate the water pressure to relax tense muscles and stimulate the bowels. Others alternate the water temperature to soothe tender areas. If you need a more direct approach, enema washes spray a concentrated stream of water into the rectum to break up stool and trigger a bowel movement. (Always check with your doctor to make sure enemas are safe after your particular procedure!)
• Sittable lid: You might tire easily during recovery or feel a bit unsteady on your feet. Bidet seats with sittable lids provide a stable spot to sit to get dressed or just take a rest.
• Auto open/close lid: If you’re trying to avoid bending or have limited use of your hands, a lid that automatically opens and closes when you approach and leave the toilet adds extra convenience and ease to each bathroom visit.

Bidets for Shoulder, Arm or Hand Surgeries

Using the bathroom after carpal tunnel surgery, rotator cuff repair and other procedures affecting the hand, arm, elbow or shoulder can be a pain – literally! Between lowered dexterity and range of motion and the need to keep bandages and sutures clean, you might be wondering how to use the bathroom after shoulder surgery or how to wipe after a procedure on your hand. With a bidet, you’ll get clean with just a few button presses – no wiping, reaching or mess involved. In fact, many doctors and patients recommend adding a bidet to your surgery recovery toolkit.

How Bidets Help with Back and Hip Surgery Recovery

After surgery on your spine or hip, your surgeon might tell you to avoid bending or twisting. This is a tall order when it comes to traditional toilet routines! Going to the bathroom after hip replacement surgery is especially challenging since you’ll need to keep your affected leg extended. A bidet doesn’t just eliminate any reaching to wipe – since you can adjust the nozzle position to put the wash water in the perfect spot, you won’t even need to lean forward or shift around to get clean.

Bidets After Abdominal Surgery

When you have a hernia repair, gallbladder or appendix removal, bariatric surgery, hysterectomy or any other procedure in your abdominal area, your surgeon might inflate your abdomen with gas. Combine this with sore incisions and bending or twisting sounds pretty unappealing! Plus, if you’re unable to go to the bathroom after hernia surgery or other abdominal procedures, straining to have a bowel movement is risky (and painful!) since it puts pressure on your sutures. Bidets can make it easier to go and more comfortable to clean up after you do. 

Using a Bidet After an Anal or Rectal Procedure

If you’re recovering from anal or rectal surgeries, keeping the surgical site clean is critical for proper healing – but it can also be extremely painful. Whether you’re having a hemorrhoidectomy or treating anal fissures, fistulas or rectal prolapse, bidets are a safe, gentle way to promote healing with a thorough cleanse. Many surgeons recommend bidets after anorectal procedures to maintain top-notch hygiene without irritating sore, sensitive areas.

Bidets for Leg, Knee, Ankle or Foot Surgery Recovery

This one might not seem as obvious, but whether you stand or lean forward to wipe, your legs do a lot of the work! And if you’ve had a surgery that prevents you from bending at the knee, getting clean can be even more challenging. With a bidet, all you have to do is sit back and relax while the seat washes and dries you – no shifting around required!