5 Tips for Maintaining Your Facelift Results Years After Surgery

While no one can stop the hands of time, a facelift can help to take years off of your appearance. If you’re interested in getting a facelift, then most likely you’ve also been wondering about its longevity and final results. Cosmetic surgery is an investment—and, understandably, you want to make sure that your efforts pay off. Despite its popularity as a cosmetic procedure, there’s no simple answer as to how long a facelift will last. However, the way that you care for your skin after your facelift plays a major role in determining how long you’re able to maintain those same beautiful results. Regardless of the specific procedure you undergo, there are various tips and strategies you can follow to ensure the results of your procedure last as long as possible. 1. Keep Skin Protected from The Sun This can’t be said enough. Sun exposure is one of the leading causes of signs of aging, as UV rays break down important proteins in your skin. The UV rays in direct sunlight discolor skin, giving it a patchy look, a feature sometimes known as age or liver spots. They also damage the collagen and elastin located beneath the surface of the skin. This can accelerate the appearance of lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, which could compromise your facelift results. Wearing sunscreen every day and avoiding deliberate tanning will help to protect your skin and prolong the results of your cosmetic procedure. 2. Take Care of Your Body from the Inside Out A healthy diet, complete with greens, bright fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, and meat can actually help your skin look younger by keeping it nourished and improving its elasticity. Just as important as eating the right foods is limiting or the wrong foods from your diet. Sugar, for instance, acts as an enemy of any anti-aging efforts because it triggers a chemical process called glycation. During this process, sugar molecules damage proteins, lipids and other important molecules necessary for optimum skin health. For a truly skin friendly diet, you’ll also need to make sure you drink enough water. Well hydrated skin is stronger, smoother, and younger. Make sure to add a healthy dose of water as part of your daily diet. 3. Avoid Smoking Many facial plastic surgeons note that nicotine could not only delay the healing process but also cause tissue death. Nicotine also dries your skin out, making it age more rapidly. It’s fair to say that smoking heavily while recovering from facial plastic surgery could do more than just shorten the lifespan of your facelift. It could cause irreparable damage. 4. Non-Surgical Boosters Talk to your cosmetic surgeon about non-surgical treatments that can help prolong the effects of your facelift. Fillers and laser skin treatments can help maintain volume and skin elasticity, keeping your results looking great for longer. 5. Medical Grade Skin Care Good skin care is so important that many plastic surgery centers have an aesthetician on staff to guide their patients to the right products for their skin. Even if you have an existing skincare routine, it’s best to ask about your products and see if you should adjust anything going forward. Make sure to carefully follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions to the letter. Save yourself the time, money, and potential harm by only using what is recommended by your cosmetic surgeon. Proper skin care is so important that many plastic surgery centers have an aesthetician on staff to guide their patients to the right products, custom to their skin and needs. Even if you have an existing skincare routine, it’s best to ask about your products and see if you should make any adjustments moving forward. While it’s true that what you do after your facelift can have a huge impact on how long your results last, it is equally important that you choose an experience plastic surgeon. Be sure to check for qualifications such as board certification, affiliations with accredited medical associations and experience performing facial rejuvenation procedures. If you are interested in a facelift in the Severna Park, MD and Annapolis, MD areas, Annapolis Plastic Surgery provides expert care. Facelift surgery is performed by Dr. Ambro and Dr. Chappell in our private surgery center. Dr. Bryan Ambro is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon who specializes in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, head and neck. Dr. James Chappell is a board certified plastic surgeon. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Ambro or Dr. Chappell to see if you are a good candidate for a facelift and to learn more about the facelift surgery.