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Facelift procedures can revitalize the visage and restore it to its firm, uplifted, and youthful appearance. When performed properly, these treatments can even create the illusion of replenished volume at the mid-face. To ensure optimum results, however, all patients should carefully follow the guidelines of their doctors. Dr. Stephan Baker, a facelift Miami surgeon, says that with proper self-care and the right recovery strategies, you can ensure that the healing process is smooth and seamless from end to end. More importantly, you can additionally ensure that the outcome of your treatment is on right par with your expectations. The following are several tips to help you with the facelift recovery process.

 

Your Doctor's Advice Trumps All Other Information

 

You can find a lot of general information on facelift recovery online. It's vital to note, however, that the guidance and advice that you receive from your doctor will be directly in line with your own range needs. Post-treatment recommendations are streamlined to suit each person so that healing strategies are reflective of medical histories, personal general health, lifestyles, and other factors that are unique to the individual. Your post-treatment recommendations can include things like avoiding smoking, limiting your consumption of alcohol, getting plenty of rest, taking antibiotics to avoid infection, and limiting or avoiding heavy lifting and other forms of strenuous exercise. You will also receive a timeline for removing bandages, tips on performing any necessary dressing changes, and guidance on when to start resuming your regular activities.

 

Have A Comfortable Recovery Space Prepared

 

Side-sleeping and sleeping on your stomach will be out of the question for the first several weeks of your recovery. You will also need to keep your head slightly elevated when lying prone. Elevating the head helps minimize post-treatment swelling. Recommendations for sleeping on the back prevent patients from disrupting the changes that their procedures have wrought and from causing other complications. You may find that it's easiest to sleep in a soft, comfortable recliner as you initially heal. If you prefer to continue sleeping in your bed throughout this time, be sure to have plenty of extra pillows on hand. You can prop these under and around your head to achieve the necessary elevation and to prevent unconscious movements and position changes that could prove problematic. It is additionally a good idea to keep a few simple snacks nearby, plenty of water, and a few sedentary activities such as books or puzzles. You'll want to spend the first several days of the healing process relaxing and sleeping as much as possible.

 

Make Special Arrangements For Any Small Children Or Pets

 

You need to make yourself your very first priority throughout the earliest stages of the facelift recovery process. If you still have small children in the home or any pets that you're responsible for caring for, take steps to outsource these responsibilities ahead of your procedure. Not only will this give you the ability to focus fully on getting well, but it also ensures that no one's needs are being overlooked. You can return to your duties as a family caregiver, pet owner, or parent according to your doctor's recommended timeline. For most patients, this is usually after the vast majority of their swelling has abated, and after they are no longer using prescription medications to moderate post-treatment discomfort.

 

Grab Your Prescriptions Before Your Facelift Procedure

 

All invasive surgeries require patients to take a full course of antibiotics following treatment. These medications are prescribed to limit the risk of infection and infection-related complications, particularly while the incision area is still healing. To minimize your discomfort and promote deep and restful sleep, your doctor may additionally prescribe special pain medications or sleep aid. Rather than trying to pick these products up on your way home from your facelift surgery, you'll want to grab them several days in advance.

 

Eat And Live With Wellness In Mind

 

Savvy patients do all that they can to leverage the healing benefits of good, quality food. Eating right as your body repairs itself will invariably bolster its natural self-repair abilities. Drinking plenty of water while avoiding sugary, caffeinated beverages is a great way to support new tissue development and wound healing. Fresh, nutrient-dense foods are recommended throughout the entirety of this process. To keep your body balanced and well-supported, limit your intake of unnecessary sugars, excess salt, and excess fat. It is also important to remember that alcohol puts undue stress on the body and is generally best consumed after the treatment area has fully healed. Moreover, smoking and all other forms of tobacco use can greatly slow your rate of recovery. Smokers and other users of tobacco products are significantly more prone to post-treatment complications than those patients who do not use tobacco at all.

 

Be Sure To Have Reliable Help On Hand

 

Surgical face lifting procedures are becoming increasingly less invasive as new medical innovations are made. Notwithstanding this fact, this treatment can leave patients feeling quite disoriented and vulnerable throughout the first several hours or days of recovery. This makes it best to have a trusted friend or another caregiver on hand who can help you reach and manage your medication, prepare your food, and assist with various aspects of your self-care that you might otherwise struggle with.

 

Schedule And Be Present For All Recommended Follow-Up Visits

 

The day of your actual treatment is not meant to be your last visit with your provider. Scheduling follow-up appointments is essential for ensuring a positive and ultimately successful outcome. These appointments allow your provider to track your progress, identify problems, and take steps to resolve or mitigate any issues that develop along the way. Moreover, they'll give you the chance to get the case-specific feedback that many patients need. As with all invasive procedures, you'll have to wait for all initial and residual bruising and swelling to abate before you'll be able to clearly see and fully appreciate the work that your provider has done.

 

Facelifts can be performed in a vast range of ways. Paying careful attention to the needs-specific info that your doctor provides will ensure a swift, seamless, and all-around successful recovery. By using the tips above, you can help ensure a truly impressive outcome for your cosmetic procedure.