Last year over 128,000 people had facelift surgery in the United States alone, which should come as no surprise. A facelift that is done well can take up to ten years off a patient’s face. The majority of the work involved in the procedure is done by the plastic surgeon, but that doesn’t mean that the patient is entirely off the hook. Once you leave the surgeon’s office and completely recover from surgery, maintaining the results of the facelift is up to you. While those results won’t last forever, you can make the most of them by following these tips.
Develop a Regular Skin Care Regimen
Ideally, you’re already doing this, but if you’re like the millions of people who don’t take very good care of their skin, now’s the time to start. One of the major reasons that patients need to get facelift surgery in the first place is that they haven’t taken very good care of their skin. To keep your skin healthy, you should be washing your face every morning and every evening with a good cleanser. Moisturizer will help keep your skin flexible and hydrated, and daily sunscreen applications will protect your skin from damage caused by the sun’s UV rays. Quality skin products go a long way to maintaining healthy looking skin, so check with your surgeon, a dermatologist, or a skin care professional to see which products will be the best for you.
Practice a Healthy Lifestyle
When you meet a healthy person, you can see how healthy they are just by looking at them. That’s because the way you are feeling on the inside can be seen on your face. Healthy people tend to have a natural “glow” about them and their skin looks bright and fresh. With a balanced diet and consistent exercising, you can keep your outsides looking as good as your insides.
Hydration, Hydration, Hydration
Water is seriously one of the best things for you and your skin. It helps keep your skin hydrated, which allows it to stay flexible and fresh. It also flushes away and toxins or contaminants that might be inside your skin. Start carrying a water bottle with you and try to drink at least as much water as other types of beverages.
Don’t Wait to Start
It is much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you start earlier rather than later. Good habits take practice and discipline, so it can take some time to really get them integrated as part of your normal routine. If you are planning to have facelift surgery in the future, get a jumpstart on developing a healthy lifestyle. That way it will be a total breeze once you’ve had the procedure! If you have already had a facelift, it’s not too late to begin today! During your consultation, your surgeon will give you some good pointers for maintaining healthy habits that will prolong the effects of your facelift.
Additional Procedures May Increase Facelift Longevity
No matter what, facial plastic surgery will not stop your face from aging. Facelifts and other procedures are capable of turning the clock back a few years, but that won’t keep your face from moving forward as you age. However, it may not be necessary to have additional facelift surgery to keep your face looking younger. Eye lifts, brow lifts, and neck lifts can also enhance your results. Non-invasive procedures like dermal fillers and fat transfer injections can also boost your facelift by filling in wrinkles and adding more volume to your face.
It’s actually fairly common for plastic surgery patients to have more than one facial procedure when they’re trying to improve their appearance. That’s because each procedure has a different effect on the face and when they’re all combined together, it can make for some pretty amazing results! Your surgeon will be able to recommend which procedures will have the greatest impact for you based on your health and individual face.
If you have had a facelift or are interested in facelift surgery, you can find out more information by calling Dr. Andres Bustillo’s office in Coral Gables, FL at (305) 663-3380.