Facelift Recovery Do’s and Don’ts
It is not easy to rejuvenate your youthful appearance. Although some people may go for minor non-invasive cosmetic procedures, others may want to go for a more surgical procedure to achieve their youthful desires. When it comes down to surgical procedures, a facelift is the only solution that is needed.
What is a facelift?
If your face is lax and has started to sag, a facelift procedure is a procedure that you have to undergo to get your face back to a more open and bright look. To address the loose skin, there are different types of facelift procedures that are available to address the excess fat deposits that are in the neck and the lower face. Once the procedure is done, you can get a youthful appearance that can span ten years. The average person who undergoes a facelift surgery usually looks at least seven years younger after the surgery is performed.
Once the facelift procedure is done, you should be prepared for some discomfort. Most patients spend the first few days after surgery to rest. Doctors usually go through activities that their patients should not engage in during the first few weeks of recovery. Now, let’s go through some of the do’s and don’ts of the facelift recovery period.
Do’s
In case you want to wear makeup for a function, instead of using the usual makeup set that you have been using, purchase a new one to reduce the risk of contracting an infection. Additionally, also use a different skin care routine that involves sunscreen, moisturizers, and cleansers. To get the best products for your skin type, you can ask Dr.’s staff to help you.
Be prepared to wear an inexpensive log scarf and a big hat to cover your face when you are walking to the office, and the sun is scorching.
You need to practice proper sun protection because incisions cannot be protected by clothing. Use SPF 15-40 sunscreen for at least a year to help to counter the sun’s effect on your face. Resume to your usual activities when you feel you are comfortable enough to take care of your skin. The average number of weeks that patients take before heading back to work is two weeks. You are also reminded that walking after plastic surgery is important to avoid clotting of blood.
Don’ts
After you have undergone surgery, avoid washing your hair, if you happen to wash your hair every day. Alternatively, you can use Talcum powder to manage your oily hair. You should also avoid using makeup at all costs.
If you plan on staying indoors during the week or resting over the weekend, there is no need to put on makeup. If you apply makeup on your face, you will have discoloration on the incision regions; this will also lead to irritation on the face due to the pressure used when applying makeup. All these effects will delay your recovery time.
You should also avoid any intense activity for the swelling of the skin to settle. Postpone any vigorous activity you are used to until four weeks after the surgery.
Another habit you should not engage in is smoking tobacco. Tobacco has nicotine that affects your skin negatively because it restricts the flow of blood. It is advisable to stop smoking before heading for surgery. It is best if you can start to resist the urge of smoking before going for a facelift because you can easily interfere with the recovery period.
If you attend the gym frequently, ensure that you take a long break after the facelift because hematomas can be caused as a result of lifting heavy objects. Within the first two weeks, you are advised not to lift anything that is more than ten pounds in weight. In case you have a small child, you can look for a nanny to help take care of the kid until you fully recover.
Do’s
Be prepared to sleep in a propped up bed or a recliner for the first week. It is an annoying way to sleep, but if you sleep like you always do, your face will swell even more, and that’s even way annoying. For some people, they can even sleep for 3-4 weeks propped up not to risk the recovery process.
Don’t forget to eat protein and fiber. You can eat scrambled eggs, protein drinks and yogurt and slices of apples to strengthen the healing process. Eating good fiber foods will allow you to have a soft stool that will not make you strain; you should avoid straining at all costs. Additionally, remember to stay hydrated.
You need to be patient; you need to see considerable improvement in the first few weeks. Once some improvement is noticed, it becomes incremental.
Don’ts
Avoid applying ice or heat on your face; you don’t want to mess with the incision lines.
If you have regular medications on your plan, consult with your doctor first before taking the meds.
You should also avoid using your phone close to your ears if you want to receive a call, pick it up using a speaker.
Conclusion
In plastic surgery, the surgery is only one part of the journey; the other half is how well you maintain yourself during the recovery period. When you visit the surgery clinics, you will be provided with details of the do’s and don’ts for your facelift recovery. To get the best facelift results, you need to follow the instructions of your surgeon to the latter.
Resource:
For more information about facelift surgery and other procedures in plastic surgery, you may visit Dr. Andrew Frankel, a facial plastic surgery specialist in Beverly Hills, CA. To visit his Los Angeles surgery office, you can get the directions from Dr. Frankel’s website.
