Scarring is a common concern for patients who are undergoing invasive cosmetic surgery. Fortunately, as long as you hire a skilled surgeon and practice proper aftercare, this seldom happens. The vast majority of plastic surgery scars fade within the first year, particularly if you use the recovery tips below:
1. Don’t smoke
If you smoke, now is the time to quit. Because cigarette smoking reduces the amount of oxygen available in the blood, it greatly impedes healing, making scar formation much more likely. Smokers are also more susceptible to scar-worsening infections.
2. Eat a healthy diet before and after your surgery
A diet rich in iron, zinc, and vitamin C can dramatically speed up the healing process and thereby reduce the appearance of scars. Focus on eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods like leafy green vegetables, fruits, lean proteins (e.g., chicken, lentils, beans, and tofu), fish, and whole grains. Not only will your scars fade more quickly if you do this, you’ll regain your energy more rapidly and maintain a healthy weight even if you cannot exercise for months following your surgery.
3. Avoid the sun.
Excess sun exposure is one of the leading causes of dark, unsightly scars following cosmetic surgery. As much as you might want to rush to the beach to show off, you’ll need to stay indoors (or covered up) as much as possible until your surgeon says it’s okay to sunbathe again.
4. Practice proper wound care.
It’s extremely important that you change your bandages regularly, keep your wounds clean, and resist the urge to scratch or pick at healing areas. — A failure to do any of these things will almost certainly encourage scar formation. You should also talk to your surgeon about investing in some high-quality scar creams to apply once your wounds have closed. Additionally, natural therapies like Aloe Vera and Vitamin E can be used to further minimize the appearance of scars.
5. Follow Drs. Burt and Will’s Instructions
Starting one week post surgery, all of our patients use the skincare line that Burt & Will helped to design. It contains green tea extract and caffeine to help reduce redness and promote flattening of plastic surgery scars.
If you have any further questions about how you should care for your incisions following surgery, contact us today. We’ll be happy to help you plan a successful procedure, from start to finish.