How To Maintain Your Skin In Between Cosmetic Procedures

Why Is Skin Care So Important?

Your skin is the largest body organ! Ensuring it is healthy and safe is essential, especially after cosmetic treatments.

• Ensure your Skin Remains in Good Condition: Proper skin care will promote the shedding of skin cells (primarily dead skin) and encourage cellular regeneration.
• Prolong Treatment Results: Taking advantage of a skincare routine suited to your specific concerns can help prolong the effects of cosmetic treatments and expedite healing time.
• Evoke a Youthful Appearance: Aging promotes slow skin cell turnover, leading to less radiant and dull skin. Quality skin care habits help eliminate dead cells, prompting your body to replace them with new and youthful cells.
• Promote Self-Confidence: You will always feel better when your skin looks more radiant and youthful.

How Do Cosmetic Procedures Affect Your Skin?

The consequences of cosmetic treatments vary based on the procedure. Nonsurgical therapies tend to have minimal side effects, little to no downtime and tend to have a positive impact on skin health.

Face and Body Contouring

Face and Body Contouring devices and treatments have side effects, including temporary redness, tenderness, bruising and minimal swelling. These minimal side effects may persist for up to several days or last just a few hours before disappearing on their own.

Injectables

Cosmetic injectables are mainly used to enhance hydration, increase volume, and reduce wrinkles and lines on the face. Safe use of injectables calls for an experienced injector due to potential complications that may arise with the misuse of injectables.

Some popular injectable treatments include:

Botox

Botox® injections prevent signals that allow muscle contraction to reach the nerve endings. These injections mostly relax muscles around the face to avert wrinkles near the eyes and on the forehead. Mild risks include:

• Bruising and Swelling at The Injection Site
• Drooling and Crooked Smile
• Droopy Eyelid

Dermal fillers

Dermal filler injections increase volume and hydration while smoothing lines and wrinkles on your face. The optimal results of this renowned procedure last months to years, with their manifestation being immediate. The risks involved include:

• Skin Rash and Itching
• Lumps and Bumps Under The Skin
• Scarring of The Skin
• Redness and Bruising
• Numbness

Nonsurgical Rhinoplasty

Non-surgical Rhinoplasty (Liquid Rhinoplasty) involves a filler ingredient injection underneath the skin to temporarily alter the nose structure. Hyaluronic acid is used explicitly for this procedure. There are a few side effects to this procedure. Most people have experienced the following:

• Swelling
• Bruising at the Injection Site
• “Wavy” Look due to Filler Migration

Lasers

Laser treatments effectively treat various skin conditions such as acne, unwanted tattoos, wrinkles, and scars. Laser treatments and resurfacing improve skin texture and tone to deliver a firmer and smoother complexion. The minimal potential risks for your skin include:

• Slight Burns from Laser Heat
• Scarring 
• Skin Pigmentation Changes, including Darker or Lighter Patches on the Skin.

Skin Tightening and Rejuvenation

Nonsurgical skin tightening and rejuvenation procedures enhance the appearance of your face, stomach, thighs, neck, and arms. Examples of skin tightening and rejuvenation treatments include:

• Ultherapy®
• Thermage® 
• Evoke 
• AccuTite
• Frax 1550

The treatments are less invasive than their surgical alternatives, such as the tummy tuck or a facelift. The risks and complications are also fewer than those associated with surgical options. The side effects of these treatments are mild to moderate and may include the following:

• Swelling 
• Tingling 
• Soreness 
• Redness
• Bruising

Surgical Procedures

Since 2019, Plastic surgeons, including our own Sheila Nazarian MD, have performed over 18.5 million cosmetic procedures and more than six million reconstructive procedures. 

Popular surgical cosmetic procedures include nose jobs, liposuction, and breast augmentations. Like other procedures and treatments, surgical procedures can leave your skin vulnerable. Some potential effects of surgical procedures include:

• Blood Clots (Haematoma}
• Build of Fluid 
• Scarring
• Numbness   

The Most Common Post-Procedure Skin Concerns

Besides contemplating the positive results of aesthetic procedures, clients must consider the inevitable concerns with skin vulnerability and treatment recovery. But no need to worry; these effects often subside on their own, but utilizing a proper post-procedure skin routine will help alleviate these common side effects more rapidly.

Bruising

Bruising and swelling are common in the days (or weeks) that follow cosmetic procedures. Bruises typically last no longer than ten days but may extend to three weeks.

Cosmetic surgeries will constitute a type of trauma even with the most skillful hands of a plastic surgeon. Even nonsurgical treatments such as injectables or certain rejuvenation techniques can cause slight bruising.

A great provider will recommend specific products to help alleviate post-treatment bruising and expedite healing. Gentle massage can additionally help subside the pain associated with bruising.

Scarring

Scarring is a common concern among patients who look forward to surgical procedures. Plastic surgery typically involves cuts and incisions on the skin and will promote visible scars. However, highly skilled plastic surgeons often utilize techniques to hide or reduce post-treatment scarring.

Some people may experience delayed healing or scar problems due to:

• Infection
• Poor Post-Surgery Wound Care
• Pre-Disposed Genetic Attributes that Slow Down the Healing Process

We recommend sustainable scar reduction procedures for our patients. At-home therapy techniques are also very effective following a successful cosmetic surgery. An excellent example is scar massage.

You will want to frequently, persistently, and vigorously massage the scar area during the second phase of wound healing. During this phase, the scar tissue is immature. With continuous massage, you can avert permanent scarring of the skin tissue.

Swelling

Swelling is a common post-treat discomfort for surgical and nonsurgical procedures and a typical bodily response to injury. Aesthetic surgeries may be elective, but the body still perceives incisions and other procedures as injuries.

Good physical health is the first line of defense before any procedure. Mitigating risks begin before facing the knife. Experts will perform per-op tests to check your suitability for surgical or nonsurgical treatments. Your provider may also recommend taking supplements, such as Arnica, to prepare your body for treatment and promote an easy recovery.

We encourage our clients to take specific vitamins (A and C)  and anti-inflammatory diets of fruits, veggies, fresh herbs, spices, plant-based fats, and proteins.

Other post-surgery methods to avert and manage swelling include: 

• Wrapping or Compressing the Treatment Area(S)
• Icing
• Lifting or Elevating Surgery Areas
• Moving Around and Staying as Active as Possible. 

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation in the medical field refers to darker skin patches resulting from excessive melanin production. The leading causes of hyperpigmentation are:

• Sun Exposure
• Skin Inflammation
• Melasma

Technical errors also can trigger Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIHP). Prolonged exposure during chemical peels or excess concentration and too much threshold fluences in laser treatments are error instances that promote hyperpigmentation.

Your treatment provider will examine your skin and medical history for hyperpigmentation treatment to ascertain the leading cause of this condition. Once the cause is known, the expert will prescribe an ideal remedy to treat the problem.

Popular Hyperpigmentation treatments include the following:

• Chemical Peels
• Photofacials
• Laser Peel or Skin Resurfacing 
• Chemical Peels

Use Specialized Post-Procedure Skin Care Products

Nonsurgical and surgical treatments may lead to skin irritation, reddening, and swelling. To avert these adverse events, you will want to adopt unique post-procedure skincare products before and after cosmetic procedures. Continue reading to learn more about these products.

Alastin INHance Post-Injection Serum after Dermal Filler Injections

A daily serum will accelerate the healing process after injectable procedures. Alastin minimizes swelling and bruising to promote a hydrated appearance and skin plumpness.

Alastin TransFORM Body Serum after Non-Surgical Body Contouring Treatments

Alastin lotion speeds up your recovery process after body fat reduction treatments by promoting skin firmness. It also supports natural elastin and collagen production, leaving your skin rejuvenated and tight.

Alastin Regenerating Skin Nectar after Skin Rejuvenation Treatments

Alastin restorative elixir evokes a bright and youth-like complexion after skin-rejuvenating procedures. This magic portion strengthens the skin before cosmetic treatments and relaxes it during healing.

Maintain a Daily Topical Skincare Regimen

You may need more than top-notch skin care products to have your perfect skin. A proper daily regimen must be adopted and maintained to complement the skincare products. Find out more below.

1. Cleanse: You will want to adopt the habit of rinsing your face with water both morning and evening. You may also use a gentle cleanser.
2. Serum: Morning is the best time for a serum with antioxidants. Serums often have specific indications to allow you to select one based on your particular concerns. It is best to seek a hydrating serum that protects against free radicals.
3. Moisturize: A moisturizer will maintain proper skin hydration. A lightweight lotion with SPF 30 or higher is ideal for the morning, while a thick night cream will do just fine in the evening.
4. Sunscreen: This one comes last despite being the most crucial skincare habit. UV skin protection prevents aging signs and skin cancer. After chemical sunscreen application, wait for twenty minutes before going out in the sun.

Create Healthy Lifestyle Habits

“The skin is a protective barrier from bacteria invasion and other environmental hazards that pose dangers to human health,” say experts at Spa26. They add that you should maintain proper skin health and observe the following:

• Avoid Intense, Direct Sunlight;
• Stay Hydrated;
• Get 7 To 9 Hours of Sleep Per Night;
• Eat A Balanced, Plant-Centric Diet;
• Exercise Frequently, if Not Daily;
• Adopt Stress-Reducing Practices;