How Should You Care for Your Skin After a Facelift?

“How do I take care of my face after a facelift?” Our Philadelphia-area team at Cross Medical Group knows that many patients want to plan ahead for this plastic surgery or other facial procedures. Preparing in advance is a great way to maximize results.

First, some basics: Youthful faces have rounded and elevated contours, but visible signs of aging will eventually develop due to a combination of gravity, stress, sun exposure, and internal aging. A facelift is a facial rejuvenation procedure that can dramatically improve your appearance and address severe signs of aging by addressing a range of unwanted changes. For patients who want to remove excess facial skin, reduce skin folds, and tighten facial tissues, a facelift may be exactly what they need to “turn back the clock.”

It goes without saying that after a facelift, patients will want to do everything they can to maintain their results from the treatment. To optimize recovery and results, it’s recommended that you give your skin special care in the days and weeks after you have a facelift—or any other type of plastic surgery. You’ll want to promote healing after the procedure while also resuming a good skin care routine once we clear you to do so. The best at-home skin care routine varies depending on what type of facial plastic surgery you have had. 

Cosmetic treatments vary in terms of the extent to which they affect your skin, and you will be able to resume your skin care routine faster after a non-invasive procedure than a more dramatic option, such as a facelift. As such, skin care is more involved following surgery than it would be for less invasive procedures.

Some basic rules you should follow are:

• Regularly apply ice and cold compresses, especially in the first days of recovery, to manage swelling

• Baby your skin with mild, hypoallergenic, non-soap and fragrance-free products

• Limit sun exposure

• Let your wounds heal and avoid picking at your skin

• Keep your skin hydrated

• Cleanse your skin regularly to promote healing while avoiding buildup in your pores

• Use retinoids to promote skin cell growth and turnover, along with increased blood flow

Our Philadelphia-area team at Cross Medical Group can tell you more about aftercare not just for facelifts, but any procedure or treatment. Call (215) 561-9100 or submit a contact form to request a consultation.