Plastic surgery can enhance your self-esteem and improve your overall quality of life. Procedures such as breast reduction and excess skin removal help eliminate pain. A rhinoplasty could improve breathing; skin removal or liposuction helps create a leaner, lighter body. But plastic surgery is a significant investment in time and money that requires following aftercare techniques for best results. Failing to follow your doctor’s instructions may lead to disappointing results or health problems.
Follow Your Doctor’s Aftercare Instructions
Cosmetic surgery is a medical procedure best performed by a Board Certified MD like Dr. Gian Carlo. After cosmetic surgery, your body begins to heal, just as it would from an injury. Your doctor will provide detailed aftercare instructions that ensure you heal as quickly as possible and get the best results.
According to WikiHow Health, it’s critical to rest after surgery and follow directions for cleaning and tending to wounds. Protect wounds from direct sunlight, and cover them when outdoors.
Lifestyle Alterations May Be Necessary
Your lifestyle habits before and after surgery make a huge different in the outcome. It’s essential to maintain good health, which offers several benefits. Eat foods that provide your body’s nutrients, and drink plenty of water daily. A healthy diet and exercise are especially crucial after body contouring surgery.
Body contouring procedures can transform you and create an attractive, proportionate appearance. However, these fantastic results only last if you maintain a healthy weight. For example, fat removal can permanently eliminate targeted cells, but if you put on weight, fat cells in other areas begin to expand.
Keeping your weight stable after a surgical procedure like a body lift or tummy tuck is critical because improvements could be nullified if the skin stretches. Changing your habits may not be as difficult as you think. After cosmetic surgery, patients often feel so much better about themselves they are inspired and motivated to begin and continue a healthier lifestyle.
Minimizing alcohol use and smoking can be a big part of post-surgery-positive patients. Your doctor will ask you to avoid smoking because nicotine affects your body’s healing ability. Most plastic surgeons require that patients quit smoking for several weeks pre- and post-surgery. You must also avoid consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, which can affect recovery time and negatively impact your health.
Practice Good Skin Care
Scarring is an inevitable part of surgeries, and a plastic surgeon is skilled at hiding cosmetic surgery scars. However, you need to care for your skin properly to get optimal results. It’s also crucial to maintain an ongoing skincare routine that helps keep your skin looking its best. If you follow a prescribed regimen, scars will eventually fade.
Per The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, good care begins by following post-op instructions. Your caregiver will advise you to restrict activities that could strain scars. In addition to protecting skin from the sun, you will need to use the topical skin care products your doctor recommends. A surgeon will also provide a list of medical-grade skin products to help you maintain and enhance surgical results.
Post-surgical skin care is such a critical part of cosmetic procedures that your doctor’s practice may include an aesthetician who can help you choose the best skin products for your needs. They can evaluate your current skincare routine and decide whether you need to change it. It’s essential to follow professional advice. Many unproven skin care products are available, but they varry in quality, and some can interfere with healing.
Follow-Up Procedures Can Help
Depending on your original procedure, options like dermal fillers and facial treatments can help enhance your outcome. Consider revisions if you aren’t entirely satisfied with your surgery’s results or feel the improvements are diminishing. In many cases, a doctor can revise results later. For instance, a surgeon could restore the original results if breast implants rupture or become misaligned after breast augmentation.
Be sure to give your body time to heal before considering more surgery. Patients are sometimes surprised that it can take a while to enjoy the full benefits of procedures. You might also consider non-surgical options like BOTOX, laser, or soft tissue fillers.
Cosmetic surgeries can provide a life-altering self-esteem boost, but following your surgeon’s advice is important to maintain results. Healthcare providers will explain the importance of wound care, nutrition, and exercise in healing. You will need to avoid excessive amounts of alcohol or smoking before and after surgery. Practicing a healthy lifestyle can maximize surgical benefits, and, if necessary, a surgeon can perform revision surgery to improve the original procedure.