Skin Care after Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Many people have either had or considering having a aesthetic plastic surgery. They want to look younger, fix perceived flaws in their body, or provide enhancements to make them look more beautiful. While plastic surgery can deliver in these areas, be prepared to follow up the procedure with some careful skin care procedures to maximize the results.

Be Prepared for After Effects

Although you may not have felt the pain during the procedure, you can be sure that your skin has been traumatized by whatever cosmetic procedure you’ve had. The results of that trauma are going to be visible soon after and will include bruising, swelling, redness, and discomfort. When patients are not prepared for these results, they can be alarmed at the condition of their skin and can be concerned about the results of the surgery.

You should remember that these are natural effects of the surgery or procedure. Do not be alarmed by them. They will disappear after a few days, and your skin will return to normal. If things do not improve after a short period, you should consult your surgeon or physician.

Skin Treatments to Improve Condition

The best way to deal with the after effects of plastic surgery is to use proper skin care methods. Your physician may have some aftercare specifics you should follow but in general there are a few basic steps you need to follow.

First, be sure to protect your skin from the sun. In most cases, the skin that is exposed after surgery is going to be very sensitive to the UV rays from the sun. You could end up causing damage to your skin if you go out in the direct sunlight after surgery. Try to minimize exposure to the sun as much as possible but if you do go out you should always use sunscreen lotion with an SPF factor of 30 or 40.

Another strategy is to keep your hands off your healing skin. As you probably already know, the healing process is going to make it very itchy and you’ll have a strong desire to scratch. Scratching, however, is not a good idea. Not only does it further injure your skin and delay healing but it also can introduce bacteria into your skin from your fingernails. If you have trouble resisting the urge, you should cover the area with a clean, dry wrap, make sure your nails are trimmed very short, or apply an anti-itch lotion to the area.

To speed up healing, you should drink plenty of fluids. Drinking up to 8 glasses of water per day will keep your skin moist which will help healing. Plus, you don’t want to risk becoming dehydrated which will slow your immune system’s response.

Finally, pay attention to the products you are using on your skin. Hypoallergenic products without fragrances are one of the best choices. Look for lotions that are for sensitive skin and for skin cleansers which do not contain soap. Soap just dries out your skin and will make healing more difficult.