So you’ve weighed the pros and cons of a facelift and decided that this is something you really want to do. Great! You go ahead with the procedure and voila! You look and feel a lot younger than you did before. Now it’s time to make your facelift last as long as possible.
Now, assuming you’ve got the traditional facelift, your results will last a lot longer than other procedures like Botox or fillers. However, you’ll still have to put in some effort to make your facelift last longer, looking fresh and youthful.
Not sure what to expect after a facelift? Not to worry; here are a few tips to help you stay happy with your choice.
Watch Your Diet to Make Your Facelift Last
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and just like any other part of the body, you need to provide it with the right nutrition.
Consume a diet rich in fruits and leafy green vegetables as they are packed with a variety of antioxidants that help to fight free radicals in the body. Free radicals are unstable compounds that damage cells, causing them to die which in turn causes your skin to age faster.
You can also include tomatoes in your everyday diet as they contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which keeps your skin smooth.
Additionally, avoid rich foods that are fried in oil or contain unsaturated fats. These foods cause the cell walls to harden and lose elasticity, which in turn will affect your facelift.
No Smoking After a Facelift
Smoking hastens the aging process and can drastically undo the results of your facelift. The nicotine in tobacco disrupts blood flow in the body, preventing different parts of your body from receiving adequate nutrition.
Smoking also destroys the collagen in your skin, causing the skin to droop and sag as there is nothing to hold it up. Over time, this phenomenon will undo the effects of your surgery.
Plastic Surgeons usually advise their patients to quit smoking at least two weeks before the surgery and to stay off tobacco for another two weeks after.
Quitting can be tough for some of us, but it’s a necessary step to take if you want to preserve the results of this procedure and make your facelift last longer.
Stay Out of the Sun
Exposing your post-facelift skin to the harsh rays of the sun can have a detrimental effect on your cells. UV rays will contribute to the aging process and can lead to hyperpigmentation and wrinkles, which may not disappear with a simple wrinkle remover.
It’s particularly important to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun in the few days before and after the surgery. During this time, your healing skin is most sensitive to sunlight, and exposure can cause discoloration, making the incisions more visible.
Get into the habit of applying sunscreen to your skin every day. Even a light SPF 30 should work, but make sure you apply the cream every day, even during those times when the sunlight is not too intense. This will keep your skin safe.
You might also want to start wearing a hat when you step outdoors to shield your face and protect your facelift from the most intense rays of the sun.
Skin Care Regime After a Facelift
A week after your facelift recovery period, you need to actively start taking care of your skin. This means chalking out a skincare routine and sticking to it every day. You may ask your dermatologist to help you with this.
Your Plastic Surgeon can best advise you on what creams work well with your skin and how to take care of it. They will tell you the best toner, moisturizer, anti-wrinkle cream, and cleanser to use, and how often you need to use them.
You also want to start a daily exfoliation regime as this will help rid your skin of dry and dead cells leaving you with a much more youthful and vibrant appearance.
Maintaining a facelift and ensuring that your skin stays smooth and healthy requires constant vigilance and regular effort. Be sure to take time out every day to care for your skin. This article on Zwivel gives some additional tips on facelift recovery.
Consider Additional Procedures
Some patients take Botox injections along with this facial plastic surgery procedure in order to enhance the results of the surgery. The advantage of Botox is that it can be used to target a specific area of your face, giving you a more balanced look.
You may also opt for dermal fillers as they help to enhance and extend the lifespan of your facelift. Based on the type of filler injection you choose, you can smooth out wrinkles and lines or even add more volume to certain areas on your face. Of course, your Plastic Surgeon can best advise you on which filler to take.
You may also want to consider additional procedures like laser treatment or collagen injections to help tighten the skin, giving it a more youthful and radiant appearance.
Be Attentive
The most important thing to remember after a facelift is to be attentive and take care of your face on a daily basis. Apply moisturizers and lotions, eat as many greens as you can, remove blackheads, perform exfoliators, and stay out of the sun. It’s quite simple really!
Just be sure to spend some time on your face every day as this will go a long way to keeping your facelift as new as ever. Here’s to a more bright, radiant, and youthful you!
At Peninsula Plastic Surgery we specialize in facelifts and mini-facelifts, call us today at 310-326-3636 to book a free consult with Dr. Rosso and assess if yopu can benefit from this procedure.