One of the most phenomenal feelings is to see yourself as you’ve always imagined. We witness this every day as we follow-up with patients after various plastic surgery procedures. As surgical side effects diminish, the beautiful outcome of surgery becomes more apparent. For patients who’ve refreshed using injectables, there is very little time in between their treatment and their Big Reveal. Once these improvements are out in the open to be thoroughly enjoyed, patients often want to know how long they can last. It’s important to know what you can do to prolong the beauty that has been achieved through your chosen cosmetic treatment. Here, we discuss all things maintenance.
Follow Your Surgeon’s Advice
Your post-operative care instructions may seem relatively general, but they are put together in a way that reflects familiarity with both the procedure and your unique medical history. The intent with post-op care instructions is to ease the recovery process, maximize healing, and decrease the risks of complications like infection and prolonged pain. If you have questions about your post-op care, contact the office right away. We’re here to support you!
Protect Your Skin
Sun exposure is incredibly detrimental to the skin, especially after plastic surgery or other cosmetic treatments. It is critical to understand that some UV light can permeate a thick cloud layer, and that UV light is damaging to the skin. After cosmetic treatments, make it a habit to apply about half a teaspoon of sunscreen to the face every single day. Apply a sufficient amount of sunscreen to the skin on the body that is exposed to sunlight, and strictly avoid direct UV exposure to operative areas. For example, it is not recommended to lay by the pool wearing a bikini and no sunscreen after having abdominoplasty or breast surgery.
Stay Healthy
Regardless of whether you’ve had a facelift for rejuvenation or you’ve had liposuction and a tummy tuck, there are significant benefits to maintaining a healthy diet. Clearly, eating whole, fresh foods supports weight management that can foster long-term results from body-shaping procedures. Additionally, though, this type of diet, one that is low in processed foods, salt, and sugar, nourishes the body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that work against premature aging.
Engage in Maintenance Treatments
There are ways to maintain just about every type of cosmetic improvement one gets from plastic surgery or other treatments. If you’ve had a facelift, for example, you could manage your long-term results by getting skin-tightening treatments every now and then, or by getting injectables like Botox and dermal fillers to ward off new signs of aging. If you’ve had a body-contouring procedure, consider how occasional massages or lymphatic drainage can help promote the longest-lasting physical improvement.
We love performing cosmetic treatments to help our patients feel their best, and assistance for the long-term management of their beautiful results. To schedule a consultation at our Cincinnati office, contact us at 513.985.0850.