Look Younger Longer—Tips to Maintain Your Facelift

Let’s first take a look at how your skin changes as you age and how a facelift addresses those changes.

How does age affect your skin?

• The quality of our skin diminishes as a part of the natural aging process.
• Over time, facial skin can become rough, wrinkly, and discolored due to genetics, sun exposure, and other aging factors.
• Mature skin also loses elastin and collagen, important proteins that provide our skin with elasticity and strength.
• A lack of elastin and collagen diminishes the skin’s ability to bounce back, causing it to become slack and thin.

How can a facelift combat signs of aging?

A facelift procedure helps our southern Illinois and Missouri patients by tightening the skin and reducing the appearance of folds and sagging. When performed by a skilled surgeon who understands your anatomy and aesthetic goals, a facelift can effectively smooth away the following concerns:

• Sagging cheeks and nasolabial folds
• Loose skin along the jawline
• Lax skin on the upper portion of the neck
• Fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth

How can you maintain your facelift results?

Your skin continually changes with time. Therefore, once you’ve achieved the rejuvenating benefits of a facelift, you can help maintain your more youthful appearance by following these easy tips:

• Wear sunscreen. The sun’s UV rays can harm the skin and accelerate the aging process. Wearing sunscreen after a facelift will help prevent brown spots and discoloration, reduce the appearance of veins and blotchiness, and keep new fine lines and wrinkles at bay.
• Drink plenty of water. The skin is an organ just like the heart and the lungs, and it needs water to function properly. After a facelift it’s particularly important to stay well-hydrated so the skin can maintain moisture and extend the benefits of the procedure.
• Quit smoking. Not only can smoking lead to complications in surgery and slow down recovery, but it can also negatively impact the longevity of your facelift. Smoking displaces oxygen in your skin, reduces blood flow, and depletes many important nutrients. Abstaining from smoking after surgery will prolong your facelift and keep dynamic wrinkles from developing on the lips and around the mouth.
• Stick to a skincare routine. To help your skin retain its new, more youthful look, it’s important to follow a post-surgery skincare routine. Our aesthetician can create an individualized skincare regimen geared to prolong your facelift results. Visit our Skin Care Products page to learn more about your options.
• Develop healthy eating habits. Foods like citrus fruits, strawberries, and broccoli are great for a clear complexion, while salmon and dark chocolate have been shown to help prevent wrinkles. After surgery, cutting back on sugar, milk, and spicy foods can help maintain your beautiful new look.

Most importantly, to achieve the best results from your facelift, you must select an experienced and skilled board-certified plastic surgeon for your procedure. Board certification ensures that your doctor has completed rigorous testing and training in the specialty of plastic surgery. Our team of board-certified surgeons is eager to help you reach your aesthetic goals.