Lifestyle Changes before Facial Plastic Surgery By dsherris on July 18, 2016

By choosing to entrust your facelift, rhinoplasty, or other facial plastic surgery procedure to Dr. David Sherris, a dedicated facial plastic surgeon with years of specialized experience and training, you are making a true investment in yourself and your appearance. This investment is not only financial, though facial plastic surgery certainly represents a substantial financial investment; however, it also signifies an investment in yourself and time, particularly when it comes to recovering from surgery. As such, you will want to do everything you can to ensure that you make the most out of your investment.

In order to achieve the best possible results from your facial plastic surgery, you may have to make some changes to your lifestyle. Obviously, the extent of the changes you will have to make depends on the lifestyle you currently lead. The following blog post may relate to you very closely or may not relate to you at all. In any event, Dr. Sherris will specifically address any lifestyle changes you have to make before facial plastic surgery during your consultation at his Buffalo, NY practice. Making these changes in advance of your surgery will help to reduce the risk of complications both during and after the surgery, in addition to making your recovery period as smooth and efficient as possible.

If you are interested in learning more about facial plastic surgery and what your specific treatment plan will entail, we encourage you to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Sherris at The Clinic of Facial Plastic Surgery today.

What Lifestyle Changes Are Necessary Before Undergoing Facial Plastic Surgery?

There are two primary reasons to make lifestyle changes before undergoing facial plastic surgery. The first is to promote proper and timely healing from surgery. The second is to help ensure the quality and longevity of the results.

Depending on your current lifestyle, you may not have to make any significant changes to your lifestyle prior to surgery; however, if any of the following apply to you, then it is best that you start making changes at least a few weeks before you undergo your procedure:

Stop smoking: For starters, you absolutely cannot smoke during your recovery period because it could interfere with your body’s ability to heal and increase the risk of post-operative complications, including infection. On a purely aesthetic level, if you are a long-term smoker, there is a good chance that your habit contributed to your wrinkling in the first place. It will just as easily contribute to the degradation of the results of your surgery if you continue after your recovery.
Stop drinking alcohol: You don’t have to give up alcohol in moderation after your recovery period, though the key word here is “moderation.” However, alcohol and plastic surgery definitely do not mix. Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of bleeding and swelling during your recovery period. In the long term, overconsumption of alcohol can also have a devastating effect on the health of your skin.
Eat healthy and get plenty of exercise: Good nutrition and regular exercise are essential to the health of your facial skin and the underlying tissues. Eating a well-rounded, healthy diet and following a daily exercise regimen will help you to maintain the results of your procedure for as long as possible.
Avoid too much sun: Nothing damages the skin like overexposure to the elements, and the sun in particular. While we all need a little sunlight, too much sun will lead to the signs of aging returning to your face before you know it. As it is, you will have to avoid direct exposure to sunlight during your recovery period anyway.