How nutrition, healthy living and consultation can make a difference
Like all parts of your body, an area where you’ve had a cosmetic procedure requires attentive and prolonged care. Here we describe Dr. Thomassen’s recommended scar care after surgery. We also discuss lifestyle changes to make your results last.
Immediate Scar Treatment – 1st Week
In the immediate postoperative period, Dr. Thomassen recommends you apply an antibiotic ointment to the incisions. These include Bacitracin, Neosporin, and Polysporin ointments. In some patients these ointment may cause an allergic reaction. For these patients, we recommend Aquaphor wound gel. This gel has no active antibiotic ingredients that can cause allergy. This treatment is done for 1 week.
If you have tapes or steri strips on your scars, you do not have to apply any ointments. These tapes are usually kept in place for 1 week. You can shower with these tapes in place and they should stay on. Make sure you get instructions on when to shower after surgery because each case is different.
Ice or cold compresses are used on only very specific circumstances. Do not assume that you can place ice on a recently operated site. Ice can impair blood flow to the skin and cause wound healing complications. Please ensure you get explicit instructions for use of icing from Dr. Thomassen before using.
Scar Treatment – 2nd Week
After the 1st week, tapes are removed if present, and any sutures present are removed. If the incisions are still healing, Dr. Thomassen may recommend to continue the ointment for another few days or a week longer.
If you heal quickly, you may be able to start a scar treatment. This usually involves a silicone gel that is applied to the scar with gentle massage. The silicone has been found to improve scar maturation. The massage also helps to reduce scar induration and visibility.
Certain areas like the eyelids are not amenable to silicone gel treatments or massage. In these cases, continue using the ophthalmic ointment with very gentle pressing of the incision line along the scar line.
Scar Treatment – 3rd week and on
By the third week, the scars should be fully healed. At this point you should be using the scar cream with deeper massage. If you notice any redness developing in the scar, you may be reacting to the silicone. In these cases, limit the silicone gel to every other day.
For longer or larger scars in the breast or body, you may consider the use of silicone strips. These are large tapes made of silicone that are applied along the scar and are kept in place for days at a time. They may work better than the gels in and in some cases be more practical.
Limit your exposure to harmful UV rays
Many of the steps that maintain plastic surgery results are simply common sense. Foremost is being sun-savvy. Whether you’ve had a facial/neck procedure or something beneath the head, it’s very likely the area will be exposed to sunlight.
Excessive UV rays can wreak havoc on anyone’s skin and are particularly hazardous post-surgery. They can reach the skin’s deepest layers and cause damage such as leathering, discoloration, and loss of elasticity. All of these are counter-productive to the body-positive steps you’ve taken with surgery.
It’s important to let scarring heal as invisibly as possible. Harsh sunlight can enhance scars, so applying sunscreen with a higher SPF is prudent (layering your sunscreen is crucial for best results).
Clothing or a sun umbrella will also help reduce damage to your skin. Being sensible about UV exposure will protect you long after your surgery has been performed.
Factor in vitamins and nutrition
Lasting strength, structure, and stability are hallmarks of successful cosmetic procedures. You don’t want an area to falter or sag. Proper nutrition and vitamins play a supporting role in maintaining plastic surgery results. In particular, Vitamin C’s impact on collagen production and stabilization is beneficial, as this in-depth study illustrates. Getting adequate levels of Vitamin C (at least 90 milligrams for men and 75 milligrams for women) will help to maintain any procedures you’ve undergone, as well as speed healing.
Vitamin A helps keep skin supple, Vitamin E promotes healing, and B vitamins encourage the formation of new cells. Incorporating these into your post-surgery lifestyle (washed down with lots of water for greater skin elasticity) will power your whole body and help maintain plastic surgery results. The best way to get these nutrients is with a healthy diet full of vegetables and fruits in a variety of colors.
Discuss with Dr. Thomassen when to resume your full multivitamin therapy after surgery.
Also essential are healthy fats (olive oil, and those found in fish, nuts, and avocado are great), as well as enough protein to speed healing and maintain the body’s structure.
Maintain an optimal weight
Whichever surgery you’ve undergone, preventing yourself from becoming overweight is vital to preserving the cosmetic work. Skin sags naturally on its own; if we add excess weight to our bodies it only hastens the process and distorts the cosmetic effect.
Regular physical exercise manages body weight, strengthens muscles, and reduces body fat: three benefits that enable long-term post-surgical effects. If you’ve had liposuction or body contouring, these are the optimal times to heed this advice – but only after you’ve healed.
Always listen to your surgeon on when is safe to begin and maintain an exercise program. Stay active, eat well, and limit alcohol and your body (and procedure) will thank you.
Stay in touch with your cosmetic surgeon and physician
Gender, age, and other genetic factors can influence how long results last. But checking in with your cosmetic surgeon and adhering to the follow-up appointment schedule will ensure you’re looking and feeling your best.
A physician will appraise the work and your overall health while answering any ongoing questions or concerns. Their reassurance and encouragement are powerful tools in helping you remain positive and proactive post-surgery.
Ultimately, cosmetic procedures are an investment in every sense; from the initial cost of the procedure to the time and diligence in the following years. It’s certainly no chore to maintain the results. Indeed, surgery can become the catalyst for a better standard of living than you’ve ever achieved.
If you’re considering a procedure, we’re here to advise you on every part of the process from start to finish and beyond.
At Thomassen Plastic Surgery we provide many procedures in the areas of face, breasts, body, and skin. To set up a consultation, call 954.771.0200 or complete our online contact form.
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