How to get the best results
The health of your skin is never more important than the time before and after any form of surgery, but especially facial surgery. Whether the plan is the removal of a skin cancer or an eyelid lift, a nose reshape or a major facelift, the more planning you can give your skin in the four weeks prior and after surgery will offer you benefits you will appreciate for many years – if not forever!
If you can fill your skin with nutrients and have it at its optimal hydration and strength before the scalpel cuts you are more likely to have faster healing, less visible scars, lower irritation and a lower risk of infection as you heal – surely that’s a bonus!
Prior to surgery
- Cleansing, gentle exfoliation, antioxidants and hydration improvers are what you need and all without nasty’s and preferably with delivery systems so the ingredients can reach where you want them to be.
My choices for most faces pre-op are
Osmosis MD Purify or CosMedix Benefit Clean – am and pm
Osmosis MD Replenish – all your Vitamins in one bottle
Vitamin A serum – usually are stopped a week prior to surgery and not restarted for a few months after – ask your doctor
Osmosis MD StemFactor – to improve the hydration
Aspect SMC – rich, hydrating moisturiser with added growth factors
CosMedix Hydrate+ – daily SPF moisturiser
- Of course, drinking lots of water, eating a good diet full of veggies and proteins, low in processed foods, sugars and alcohol will help immensely.
- Facial treatments up to a week prior are really helpful for hydration and nourishment.
After surgery
- Obviously the most important thing is to follow your doctor’s instructions – implicitly! They know what to expect and so what works and what may cause problems – do as they say!!
- Stay on your good diet and keep drinking water!
Skin care at this stage focuses on soothing and healing the skin, reducing pain, redness, swelling and inflammation. Keeping the skin hydrated is vitally important and most doctors will recommend an occlusive healing balm as soon as any sutures are removed and the wound has passed its initial healing phase – between 5-10 days depending on the area, wound and health of the individual.
As a nurse, working for 16 years with a plastic surgeon, we loved the results we saw healing wounds when the CosMedix Rescue Balm was applied. As it contains anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties as well as soothing cherry extracts it assists healing and makes a wound feel nice. Spraying the Osmosis MD Boost prior to the Balm really assists in decreasing the inflammation and is instantly soothing to the skin.
Sutures anywhere
is simply a marvellous product which personally I think should be in every house all over the world!! I’ve said it many times and I now, instead of flowers and chocolates present a tube to my friends having their hip and knee reconstructions. Once the dressings are off the little bumps where the internal sutures have their ends can get irritated as they rub on clothes. The Rescue Balm massaged gently 2-3 times a day simply helps to flatten out the bumps and heals the skin, helping to reduce a great scar. This is relevant for almost all scars in the initial healing phase; around 1-4 months.
Specific skin care postoperatively should be discussed with your surgeon, however my recommendations are for you to continue with your pre-op regime adding a Vitamin A as soon as you get the go ahead.
Most scars take around 2 years to mature. It is important during this time that they do not get over exposed to UV rays. It may change their colour and make the scar line more noticeable – using a physical, zinc based sunblock every day is imperative. Zinc is an antioxidant in its own right so you are helping with the healing as you protect.
If you follow this regime and your doctors instructions you should enjoy the results of your surgery quickly and easily – it’s not meant to be awful!
Still need help with what treatments and products to take before and after surgery?
Fill in the Online Skin Consultation and Gaye, our registered nurse will happily help you to choose the right treatments and products for your skin type or concern.
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