Next Steps After a Band Aid Mini Facelift

Just as with most other aspects of life, preparedness can make all the difference in your Band Aid Mini Facelift (or any plastic surgery, for that matter). For many of my patients, the time leading up to their surgery is filled with excited preparations, like stocking up on movies to watch and easy foods to eat while they recover. But what happens after your surgery? Because aging is a continuing process, patients who want to keep looking their best are never “done.” While a facelift or Band Aid Facelift can have a powerful effect on your appearance (in fact, many patients feel that it takes ten years or more off their age), there are some follow-up steps you can take to keep your results looking their best.

Step 1: Help your healing process go more smoothly.

Your final plastic surgery results will depend not only on the procedure itself but also on how well your body heals. The best ways to achieve strong results are to keep up with all your follow-up appointments (to allow me, as your plastic surgeon, to evaluate whether you’re healing properly) and to follow all your post-surgical instructions, like your activity limitations, details about caring for your incisions, and more.

Step 2: Protect your skin from age-accelerating factors.

While aging throughout your face and the rest of your body occurs naturally, there are outside factors which can accelerate it significantly, which means your facial rejuvenation results won’t last as long. Some of the most common and powerful culprits include:

• Sun exposure (even for just a few minutes at a time, which can be reduced by wearing sunscreen every day and reapplying every several hours)
• Smoking (which breaks down the proteins that keep your skin firm while also forming little lines above your lips from the repetitive motion of using a cigarette)
• Skin dehydration (which can be minimized by both drinking plenty of water and using moisturizer)
• Excess sugar, including too much alcohol
• Skin irritation (such as from using overly harsh skincare products)

Step 3: Tackle new signs of aging as they arise with non-surgical skin treatments.

While all the tips above can slow the aging process, there’s no way to stop it entirely, so new fine lines, wrinkles, and skin laxity will eventually appear. Non-surgical treatments can go a long way toward addressing these concerns. For instance, cosmetic facial injectables like Botox®, Dysport®, and facial fillers (e.g., Restylane®, Juvéderm®, or Radiesse®) can refine your Band Aid Mini Facelift results by targeting and smoothing specific wrinkles with a simple appointment that can be done over your lunch hour. For more comprehensive results, my Band Aid Laser Skin Resurfacing uses a minimally invasive approach while addressing age spots, wrinkles, and skin laxity, while my Band Aid Skin Tightening focuses on storing firmness to the skin.

Wanting to look your best is far more than a superficial concern—confidence (or a lack of it) can impact nearly any area of your life, including your day-to-day outlook. But it’s important to realize that becoming and maintaining your most confident and beautiful self is an ongoing process that requires teamwork between you and your board-certified plastic surgeon. To get started, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for more plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation tips.