Undergoing facial plastic surgery is an exciting journey that can change lives by enhancing appearance, correcting perceived imperfections, or achieving a more youthful look. One of the most common areas of concern when considering surgery is downtime, or how much time will go into the process recovery after plastic surgery. Many patients are eager to learn about what can be done to accelerate the healing process and get back to normal activities as quickly as possible.
Can I Help Speed Up My Recovery After Plastic Surgery?
While proper post-care is an important factor in the healing process, what you do before surgery can also have a significant impact on your recovery experience. To start, it is always important to discuss your recovery timeline with your surgeon so that you can make proper arrangements with work or other obligations. There are things that you can do in advance to help your body prepare for surgery and promote a better outcome.
Eat Healthy and Stay Hydrated
This is probably one the easier yet more underrated tasks to ensure a better outcome following surgery. Eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of protein, fruits, and vegetables will optimize your body’s natural healing process by providing the right nutrients. Hydration is key for the body to function properly with or without surgery. It is important to stay away from processed or junk foods along with caffeine as they can hinder your recovery.
Follow Pre & Post Care Instructions
You will be given instructions by your surgeon pre operatively. Review these instructions ahead of time so that you are prepared and don’t miss or skip any steps. Refrain from using the internet too much to find answers or comparisons. Some surgeons differ in their instructions and that’s ok, it is important to trust the doctor you have chosen to guide you through this process. One thing Utah Facial Plastic’s surgeons suggest or recommend to enhance recovery is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This is optional, but a great addition for procedures like facelift or rhinoplasty that tend to have a little more recovery involved.
Medications or supplements can either promote healing or slow it down, check the list of medications to avoid before having surgery, especially blood thinners that can promote more swelling and bruising. Arnica and Vitamin C are known to promote healing and are often recommended. Things like incision cleaning, physical activity, and sleep position can have a great affect on the healing process as well. Having a comfortable space with all the necessities ready in advance can dramatically improve your recovery experience, resulting in a smooth and well-supported recovery after plastic surgery.
Avoiding Toxins Like Alcohol and Nicotine
Many people who use tobacco products find out that this is big no-no when having surgery and greatly increases the chances for a complicated outcome. Some doctors wont even do surgery if a patient refuses to quit prior to the surgery. It often is the push patients need to quit for good. Alcohol thins the blood and should be stopped two weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery. Again, preparing your body correctly and promoting healthy habits will ensure the best outcome.
Healing Tips after Plastic Surgery
There are many tips to take into consideration in terms of post-care; one of the most important is to follow your surgeons’ instructions closely. If you are unclear or unsure about something, it is always best to reach out for clarification. Failure to follow proper post-op instructions can certainly result in a delayed healing process and extended recovery timeline. Doctors will often prescribe medications like steroids or anti-inflammatories to assist with the healing process, as well as advise their patients to continue to stay hydrated, get plenty of rest. Minimizing sun exposure is probably one of the most important long-term guidelines. Scars take months to a year to heal and exposing that to sun will prolong the redness or appearance of the scarring. Avoiding sun or using a broad-spectrum sunscreen like Elta MD products daily will reduce issues.
Skincare To Enhance Facial Plastic Surgery Results
At Utah Facial Plastics, we are firm believers that medical grade skincare is a powerful tool in boosting the healing process and achieving an optimal, long-lasting result. For our Facelift patients, we have a customized facelift recovery regimen made up of a full size SkinMedica products designed to assist in the recovery process, promote skin health and maintain results. These products are great to use long term and even offer a rewards program for future purchases. For those not quite ready for surgery, these top-of-the-line products can be very helpful in preparing the skin for a procedure later down the line.
While most patients strive for a quick and easy recovery, it is important to understand the importance of giving your body adequate time to heal and recover. Undergoing facial plastic surgery is a big decision that requires a high degree of commitment and patience, and choosing a reputable facial plastics surgeon who can provide realistic expectations and quality results can seem like an intimidating process. Support from family or friends can assist in recovery after plastic surgery and you should ask for help while you recover if needed. Â At Utah Facial Plastics, our team of highly acclaimed surgeons and medical professionals consistently provide the best results, and best experiences possible, creating quality and long-lasting relationships with our patients. To schedule a consultation visit our website at www.utahfacialplastics.com or call 801-776-2220.